On September 30, October 1 & 2, 2011 Canadians are invited to participate in Culture Days, a three day cross-Canada collaborative volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities.
Culture Days events feature free, hands-on, interactive activities that invite the public to participate “behind the scenes,” to discover the world of artists, creators, historians, architects, curators, and designers at work in their community.
Most of us would acknowledge the importance of arts and culture although its role in invigorating our lives sometimes gets forgotten in the bustle of day to day living. In designing the present Canadian $20 bill, someone must have thought that the value of art was profound, as they chose to have imprinted upon the bill a quote from celebrated Canadian author Gabrielle Roy: “Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts?”
The Elgin-born economist and author John Kenneth Galbraith recognized arts intangible and perhaps more tangible benefits when he noted: “Those communities that are richest in their artistic tradition are also those that are the most progressive in their economic performance and most resilient and secure in their economic structure.”
You will find plenty of evidence of a rich artistic tradition in Elgin County with several organizations having registered their events with Culture Days 2011.
Most of us would acknowledge the importance of arts and culture although its role in invigorating our lives sometimes gets forgotten in the bustle of day to day living. In designing the present Canadian $20 bill, someone must have thought that the value of art was profound, as they chose to have imprinted upon the bill a quote from celebrated Canadian author Gabrielle Roy: “Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts?”
The Elgin-born economist and author John Kenneth Galbraith recognized arts intangible and perhaps more tangible benefits when he noted: “Those communities that are richest in their artistic tradition are also those that are the most progressive in their economic performance and most resilient and secure in their economic structure.”
You will find plenty of evidence of a rich artistic tradition in Elgin County with several organizations having registered their events with Culture Days 2011.
The Arts & Cookery Bank will be celebrating local culture and community through food and photos with several different events occurring over the weekend, such as a Heritage Photo Crawl, Photo Quilt Workshop and a “Canada-U-Cook” breakfast featuring local growers cooking their produce. The Photo Quilt Workshop, it should be noted, will result in an 8’ x 8’ “quilt” of photographs being mounted on the outside of the stunning 1883 timber frame barn that houses The Bank’s cookery. For event details and times, visit The Arts & Cookery Bank’s website: http://www.theartsandcookerybank.com or call 519-768-9986.
Elgin County Library presents a book signing and discussion with Giller-prize winning author Bonnie Burnard at Aylmer Town Hall Library, 38 John St S in Aylmer, Fri Sept 30th from 7:30pm – 9:30pm. Discussion will draw on material from Burnard’s Giller-prize winning novel, A Good House and her most recent novel Suddenly. This event is free, but a ticket is required – contact your local Elgin County Library branch.
Elgin County Library presents a book signing and discussion with Giller-prize winning author Bonnie Burnard at Aylmer Town Hall Library, 38 John St S in Aylmer, Fri Sept 30th from 7:30pm – 9:30pm. Discussion will draw on material from Burnard’s Giller-prize winning novel, A Good House and her most recent novel Suddenly. This event is free, but a ticket is required – contact your local Elgin County Library branch.
Doors Open St. Thomas (Saturday & Sunday) and Doors Open Port Stanley/Sparta (Saturday) are also taking part in Culture Days with a wide range of interesting sites offering glimpses behind usually closed doors, special activities or experts on hand. The Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area, a 200 acre property featuring many special and threatened Carolinian species will have Ed Pietrzak, native plant and animal specialist, available to conduct tours (Port Stanley/Sparta). The St. Thomas Doors Open includes Canadian Woodenware, a company founded in 1916, which once made 18,000 washboards a year – and still manufactures them. On Sunday, from 2-4pm St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre invites you to hear a talk by Eric Atkinson, "I Brought My Culture & Legends in My Haversack". Atkinson was the founding Dean of the Applied Arts Faculty at Fanshawe College in London. His exhibit, now on display in the Main Gallery is bold and intriguing and his talk is sure to be an interesting one. Visit www.doorsopenontario.on.ca to find out more.
A brand new trail of fine arts attractions launches on Thursday September 29th and will be ready for visitors as part of Culture Days. Elgin-St. Thomas tourism invites you to pick up the Elgin Arts Trail Discovery Guide for an unforgettable journey of original paintings, pottery, fibre art, candles and more. The guides will be available at 187 Main Street, Port Stanley (9am – 5pm Friday and Saturday, 9am – 4pm on Sunday). Visit www.elginartstrail.ca for more info.
A brand new trail of fine arts attractions launches on Thursday September 29th and will be ready for visitors as part of Culture Days. Elgin-St. Thomas tourism invites you to pick up the Elgin Arts Trail Discovery Guide for an unforgettable journey of original paintings, pottery, fibre art, candles and more. The guides will be available at 187 Main Street, Port Stanley (9am – 5pm Friday and Saturday, 9am – 4pm on Sunday). Visit www.elginartstrail.ca for more info.
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