Culture Days

Background

The importance of arts and culture for a vibrant and resilient society is well understood. In addition to being an economic stimulus, and a catalyst for social innovation, it is a means of fostering community cohesion. Depending on the project and context, “cultural engagement” can break down social barriers that tend to exclude certain groups within society.

Culture Days is a collaborative national event whose purpose is to raise people’s awareness, accessibility, engagement and support for the arts and cultural life within their communities. The annual weekend takes place September and features thousands of free, hands-on, interactive activities that invite the public to discover the world of artists, performers, historians, architects, curators, designers and other creative professionals.

In 2011, more than 1.2 million people participated in Culture Days activities, including visual arts, dance, literature and new digital media, hosted by 1,499 community partners (up from 932 in 2010) in 365 communities.

Full Description

This grant will help Culture Days strengthen and grow the cultural engagement movement in Canada by establishing a Learning Program to capture and share innovative practices among the 1,500 organizations that belong to its network. This will be done by developing tools and resources, showcasing outstanding projects and practices, offering online workshops and in-person learning opportunities for its network members, and building an online “knowledge hub.

Visit www.culturedays.ca for more information