The City of Port Coquitlam will host Culture Days from Sept. 20 to Oct. 13, 2024, featuring a variety of free activities that celebrate local arts and culture.
To kick off Culture Days, residents are invited to the Cultural Roundtable on Thurs. Sept. 19 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. to meet some of the artists who will be participating in Culture Days in Port Coquitlam. Culture Days is an annual event that fosters community engagement and appreciation for the diverse arts and culture landscapes across Canada.
Culture Days highlights include:
New Donald Storywalk: "Tiny Love Stories" Self-guided Tour
Stroll the Donald Storywalk between Elks Park and Wilson Avenue to enjoy eight charming stories from the 2024 Tiny Love Stories contest, all written by Port Coquitlam residents and exquisitely illustrated by Kari Rust. This project is a collaboration between the City of Port Coquitlam, Terry Fox Library, and the Port Coquitlam Business Improvement Association. Its aim is to promote literacy and enhance the City's downtown and outdoor spaces. For details, see portcoquitlam.ca/storywalk.
Family Art in the Gallery
Families are invited to participate in Art in the Gallery every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Michael Wright Art Gallery. This free drop-in program allows families to explore the current exhibition and create an art piece to take home. All supplies are provided; no registration is required.
Sept. 27: Concertina Sketchbook Making with Artist Tamara Grand
Join artist Tamara Grand on Fri. Sept. 27, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the JB Young Room at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre (PCCC) for a free mixed media concertina sketchbook workshop. Participants will explore colour, texture, and shape using mark-making, paint, and collage. Tamara Grand's exhibition, Luminous Abstractions: Explorations of Nature's Palette, will be on display at PCCC from Sept. 25 to Jan. 14. Space is limited; register for the workshop at portcoquitlam.ca/register.
Sept. 28: Storytelling with Indigenous Elder Kung Jaadee
Leading up to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, attend a storytelling event with Indigenous Elder Kung Jaadee on Sat. Sept. 28, at 2:00 p.m. in the Michael Wright Art Gallery (Gathering Place). Kung Jaadee belongs to the X_aayda (Haida), x_m_θk__y__m (Musqueam), S_wx_wú7mesh (Squamish), Tlingit, Tsleil-Waututh Nations, and is also part Hawaiian. She was born and raised on Haida Gwaii and loves sharing Haida and Squamish stories which include universal teachings about respect, responsibility and the interconnectedness of all living beings.
Oct. 10: Opening Reception for Fall Art Exhibitions
On Thurs. Oct. 10, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., join us for the opening reception of three new art exhibitions:
- The Power of Surrender, intricate macramé wall hangings by Kelsy Schumacher at The Michael Wright Art Gallery.
- Celebration, a group exhibition of traditional Korean pottery by Clay for You: Pottery Collective at the Outlet Gallery.
- Urbanscapes: Snippets of Metro Vancouver, an exhibition of ink and watercolour illustrations by Port Coquitlam artist Dilys Huang at the City Hall Gallery.
Oct. 12: Open Studio with Outlet Artist-in-Residence Keely O'Brien
Visit the Outlet Studio on Sat. Oct. 12, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m., to meet Port Coquitlam's new Artist-in-Residence, Keely O'Brien. Learn about her residency project, which focuses on homes woven into family histories. Keely will be collecting submissions for "place portraits," inviting community members to share descriptions and photos of buildings or locations that hold special meaning. Space is limited; please register at portcoquitlam.ca/register.
Oct. 12: Mini Modern Macramé with Artist Kelsy Schumacher
Join artist Kelsy Schumacher on Sat. Oct. 12, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., at the Michael Wright Art Gallery for a free macramé workshop. Participants will learn beginner knots to create a unique fibre art wall-hanging to take home. Space is limited; register at.portcoquitlam.ca/register.
Oct. 12: Hands-on Ceramic Demonstration and Writing Hangeul
On Sat. Oct. 12, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., visit the Outlet Workroom for an interactive experience with the Clay for You Korean Pottery Collective. Participants will witness traditional Korean carving techniques and wheel throwing and can inscribe their name in Hangeul on a ceramic piece to take home. Register for this event at portcoquitlam.ca/register.
For a full listing of all Culture Days events in Port Coquitlam, including events offered by the Terry Fox Library, PoCo Heritage and Art Focus Artists Association, visit culturedays.ca and search Port Coquitlam. For more information on the list of activities visit portcoquitlam.ca/culturedays.
About Culture Days
Culture Days is a national celebration of arts and culture. At the end of each September, millions of people attend thousands of free participatory arts and culture events across the country both in-person and online. Culture Days programs invite the public to get hands-on and behind-the-scenes to highlight the importance of arts and culture in our communities. For more information, visit culturedays.ca.
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Media Contact
Ximena Ibacache
Manager of Communications & Administrative Services
City of Port Coquitlam
Tel 604.927.5499
Email [email protected]