A celebration of Canadian culture and arts, BC Culture Days happens in September at various locations in Metro Vancouver and around the province.
BC Culture Days returns in 2023 from September 22nd to October 15th. Despite COVID-19, BC Culture Days still ran in 2020. In fact, unlike previous years, it ran for a full month, with both in-person and online activities. 2021’s edition was similar and took place from September 24th to October 24th. In 2022, the dates were from September 23rd to October 16th.
British Columbia Culture Days
Culture Days is a national festival that celebrates Canadian arts and culture. 2021’s theme was “RE:IMAGINE,” which looked into the future at what a post-COVID world might look like. In 2022 the theme was “Earth Endeavours” and there was a focus on environmental issues and concerns
In 2023, BC Culture Days runs from September 22nd to October 15th. The theme is “AIR” which stands for “Access, Inclusion and Resilience”. The focus is on providing low-barrier and accessibility-focused events in each city taking part in Culture Days.
BC Culture Days in the Lower Mainland
In 2023, there are ten culture ambassadors, including two from Metro Vancouver: Peisen Ding and Summer Tyance, who are both artists.
The ambassadors come from all over the province and represent a wide range of different backgrounds, cultures and areas of professional expertise.
BC Culture Day Events
There are many different events scheduled for the festival in 2023. They include visual art exhibits, discussion panels about culture and the future of the arts, in-person workshops and activities, different performances and more. To take part in some of the events, registration is required in advance. With others though, people can just show up.
BC Culture Day events and activities in the Lower Mainland include activities and attractions that are open and happening this time of year anyway, but sometimes with a bit of something extra. Included in the list of things to do in 2023 are the following:
- The Listen, Listen improvised arts festival in Vancouver.
- Workshops at North Vancouver recreation centres.
- Public art tours of The Shipyards in North Vancouver.
- Historical exhibits and more at the PoCo Heritage Museum and Archives.
- Activities and performances at the Surrey Art Gallery.
- Educational displays at the Museum of Surrey.
There are nearly 400 Culture Days events taking place across BC in 2023. For the full series of events visit the BC Culture Days website.
When and Where?
In pre-pandemic years, BC Culture Days usually took place on the last weekend of September. However, since COVID-19, the festival shifted to almost a full month with a variety of in-person and online events.
BC Culture Days runs in 2023 from September 22rd to October 15th. There are lots of things for all ages to enjoy, including workshops, exhibitions, performances and more. In-person activities take place in just about every city.
Other Information
To learn more about the festival, visit the Culture Days website.
*Images in the top collage or photos are of Cedar Hill Recreation Centre at BC Culture Days by Kevin Light, Ital Blue by Kristen Lawson, and the Lorita Leung Dance Company by Mary Matheson.
Additional articles that may be of interest include:
- Vancouver’s September Calendar
- Vancouver’s October Calendar
- Lower Mainland Festivals and Events
- Vancouver Shows and Entertainment
- Vancouver on a Budget
