Culture Days set to begin in Prince Albert

After going mostly virtual in 2020, in-person events are back for Prince Albert’s first month-long cultural festival.

Culture Days will kick off on September 24 with the temporary outdoor Re: Imagine gallery in Kinsemen Park, and will continue with approximately 30 free events and programs offered over the next four weeks.

City of Prince Albert Arts and Culture Coordinator Judy MacLeod Campbell said it was exciting to pick up the events in person this year. She hopes residents will benefit from it.

“Which really strives every year to reach participants that we’ve never reached before,” she explained. “You always hear in the community (people say) ‘oh, nothing’s going on’, or ‘oh, we didn’t know the arts center had pottery’ or ‘oh, we didn’t know about the pottery. Mann Art Gallery The pieces they have. We’re always trying to reach new people, and that’s the beauty of Culture Days – being able to offer it for free.

This year’s festival contains almost double the number of events and programs from last year’s event. MacLeod Campbell said he took advantage of funding from SaskCulture and Saskatchewan Lotteries to sponsor a few other groups and organizations.

“We’ve had a very strong committee over the years, and mostly the same organizations,” she explained. “We had a few newcomers… but it was kind of that core of people. This allowed us to expand it and provide financial incentives to involve other groups. “

Friday’s Re: Imagine Outdoor Gallery features the top 12 designs selected by judges for the Re: Imagine Prince Albert T-Shirt Contest. The contest invited residents to submit designs inspired by “alternate versions of Prince Albert”. The event takes place throughout Culture Days.

Events continue on Saturday with the Prince Albert Multicultural Council’s Tapestrama Cultural Festival at Carlton High School, the Street Art Tour at Gateway Mall, the Re: Imagining Prince Albert’s Past, Present, and Future mural project at the Prince Albert Historical Museum, a downtown public art tour with Jesse Campbell and “Out of the Box Thinking” art discussion with Cheryl Ring at Gateway Mall.

To celebrate the start of Culture Days, public transit will be free on September 25.

“Having free transportation for at least this weekend – the launch weekend – is really helpful because it allows people to try something,” MacLeod Campbell said. “I hope they get to know the facilities and programs they offer and continue to participate.”

Organizers plan to limit attendance at most events as a precaution. Participants are also urged to adhere to all public health measures and practice social distancing when attending an event.

MacLeod Campbell said everyone is excited to be back, but they are still cautious of a potential spread of COVID-19.

“We always keep them small enough, just to have that increased distance and security,” she explained.

“I think we thought we would be in a better place, to be honest, with the pandemic, but like last year, it’s definitely nice to be able to offer a number of events and programs.”

For most of the festival information, including a full schedule of events, visit the Culture Days Facebook page or the events hub at Culture Days.ca.

Culture Days is a national celebration that invites the public to have a hands-on experience and take a behind-the-scenes look at arts and culture in the community. The first event was held in 2010 by the Canadian Arts Summit. The events have since spread across Canada, with 2 million annual participants in 355 communities participating each year.

Culture Days in Prince Albert receives funding from the City of Prince Albert’s Municipal Cultural Action Plan (MCAP), SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Lotteries and funders who organize Culture Days events, as shown in the event list.

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