Creativity Unbound. The Whistler Children’s Festival
The Whistler Children’s Festival is set to return to Whistler Olympic Plaza on July 10-12, 2015 for a weekend of family-focused festivities. Young people will experience and experiment with art through immersion in a range of arts disciplines. Through fifteen free activities, more than thirty live performances, ninety paid workshops, and a crew of roving entertainers, festival attendees will be captivated, inspired and encouraged to participate in every way possible.
Lucie Lareau, senior programmer of the Whistler Children’s Festival, feels that an immersive approach to the arts is vital, as it allows for the development of important transferable skills. “We are physical beings, but we are also creative beings,” says Lareau. “Through creativity, we learn how to think critically and solve problems. Through exploration, we learn how to accept newness and expand our boundaries. Through exposure to other cultures, we learn about patience, acceptance and communication.”
As Whistler’s community festival, this annual event has evolved over the past thirty-two years, most notably with a 2013 venue change from its original Creekside location to Whistler Olympic Plaza, where foot traffic increased and overall festival capacity doubled. While its size and location have changed, its ultimate goal of delivering a culturally diverse and lifestyle-inclusive event has remained the same.
Each day of the festival will begin with a “Greeting of the Day” presented by the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre. The lineup of live performers will include Juno-nominated Treehouse TV stars Bobs & Lolo, Whistler’s own Ira Pettle, and more than twenty up-and-coming artists. Free activities will include traditional Japanese storytelling, the patio stones workshop which has been part of the Whistler Children’s Festival since its inception, and two collaborative art installations.
“Through these installations, kids will witness their contribution to two evolving pieces,” says Lareau of the collaborative art. “The focus here is on the process of creation, rather than on the end result.”
For the older kids, a new mentoring program will see two candidates become, “media for a day,” covering the festival as accredited media and experiencing an arts-based workplace setting. Under the guidance of their mentor, they’ll be encouraged to discover hidden aptitudes and even consider potential career paths.
“It’s very important that we support young people in their creative endeavours, and allow them to experiment with ideas in a safe environment,” explains Lareau. “The Whistler Children’s Festival is intended to provide this opportunity. It is a unique celebration of creativity in all its forms and colours.”
For more information about the festival, and links to register for workshops, visit www.whistler.