The Campbell River Arts Council has been awarded a Spirit Festival for 2011.
Forty-nine communities around the province will share over $1 million from the provincial government’s 2010 Sports and Art Legacy to host local celebrations of the unique spirit of British Columbia.
The Arts Council has been selected to produce the ‘Rain and Fire Festival of Story’ from Feb. 24-27. Focusing on ‘storytelling, this festival will feature artists and performers in music, theatre, dance, spoken word, and visual arts at venues around the downtown core.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the artists of this area to be showcased as part of a provincial celebration,” says Ken Blackburn, Executive Director of the Campbell River Arts Council. “The festival will also bring much needed economic activity to Campbell River in February, a traditionally slow commercial time of year.”
The theme ‘Rain & Fire’ was chosen by the Arts Council for both geographic and cultural reasons. Geographically, it is a celebration of the reality of living in a coastal rainforest region – in short, rain. An essential ecological resource, rain is a major influence on the experience of living in this area. Fire configures into the cultural fabric of all peoples. Stories told ‘around the fire’ are at the root of every ethnic identity and have thrilled, scared and taught us for millennia.
“The Arts Council is looking for storytellers in any medium,” says Blackburn. “Let’s celebrate as a community the diversity each of us brings to this incredible seaside location. What better way to do that than through sharing our stories?” Poets, songwriters, dancers, photographers, performers and visual artists are all welcome to participate. Contact the Arts Council at 923-0213 or arts.council@crarts.ca.