Victoria’s artistic talent displayed at free festival
Rance Mok describes Victoria’s art scene as a wealth of bubbles and pockets of talent that can be explored this weekend at the Integrate Arts Festival downtown.
“The intent of the festival is that these groups come together and can see each other, as well as be seen,” said Mok, the festival director.
The festival takes place Friday to Sunday at venues ranging from galleries and alleys to the public library and buildings. Everything is free and accessible by bike, foot or shuttle.
“Someone new to town, a tourist or a local who wants to check out something new can get a sample of what’s out there,” Mok said. This is the 11th year of the festival, which started as an impromptu art crawl out of Open Space gallery on Fort Street. “It has really grown from there,” she said. Mok said the festival highlights emerging artists, many of whom come from the University of Victoria fine arts program, and interactive events.
These range from zine and podcasting workshops to a performance art crawl by bike and an ambient sound picnic in the Fort Common.
Other events include artist talks, print-making, sculptural felt and thread-drawing.
“A good place to start is our headquarters [636 Fort Street],” said Mok. This is where brochures, artists and volunteers are available. The festival kicks off there on Friday night with a party, an art exhibit opening and a pop-up live theatre featuring previews of plays from the Victoria Fringe Festival.
One of the more unique exhibits brings a large text installation to the Atrium building on Yates Street.
Artists Nellie Lamb and Elizabeth Charters collaborate using Paul Gauguin’s text and three elevators to create Fall in Love You Will Be Happy and inspire a moment of contemplation in the busy public space.