More than 50 Sunshine Coast and area artists and performers will bring together their varied talents from October 16 to 26 for the 11th annual Sechelt Arts Festival.
鈥淭he festival features painters, sculptors, videographers, photographers, glass artists, carvers, musicians, actors, dancers and storytellers,鈥� said Diana Robertson, co-producer of the fest.聽
鈥淔or this year鈥檚 event, we have developed a cross-cultural and collaborative approach, which included engaging our local First Nations artists.鈥�
The festival theme, based on director Gordon Halloran鈥檚 stage presentation entitled 鈥淏ody of Light,鈥� will take festival participants on a journey of 鈥渄iscovery and collaboration鈥� combining Mind, Body and Soul. A series of workshops and special performances over the ten-day festival will also pick up on this concept including The VAMS Concert, an adapted music concert and a Healing of Song workshop at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre.
The festival鈥檚 featured art exhibition, entitled Mind Over Matter, will explore six unique artistic collaborations between fourteen artists of both aboriginal and non-aboriginal heritage working in various mediums to explore stories about community, journey, grief, heritage, love and connection.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a story they create about their collaboration,鈥� said Robertson.聽
On Saturday (Oct. 18) the fest鈥檚 performance schedule kicks off with a special concert presenting a multi-lingual 鈥渆vening of song鈥� at the Ravens Cry Theatre called Sprit of Song. Singers, musicians and storytellers slated for the evening include Echo Aleck, Blue Star, Candace Campo, Andy Johnson, Jean Pierre and Yvette Makosso, throat singers Chris and Tim Niebergall and Simon Paradis.
鈥淪pirit of Song is about the uplifting emotional high that comes from singing,鈥� said Robertson.
On October 25, the Ravens Cry Theatre is also the venue for the theatrical stage premiere of Body of Light, a look at the mystery and transformative nature of physical and spiritual 鈥渉ealing.鈥�
In addition, the Tems Swiya Museum in Sechelt will be open and hosting the fest鈥檚 heritage exhibit, Totem Tales: The art and storytelling of the Coast totem poles. The special ten-day exhibit combines professional photography, videography, and totem miniatures collected from local archival groups and private collections from Gibsons to Powell River.
鈥淲e also have more than 10 free workshops, and other concert performances,鈥� said Robertson. 鈥淎nd the annual art crawl weekend happens on Oct. 18 and 19, so it is a great time to come to Sechelt to experience the arts.鈥�
For more information on the festival or for a full schedule of events, go to secheltartsfestival.com.
