The deadline for “early-bird” pre-registration of Culture Days activities is April 22nd. Culture Days will take place September 30th-October 2ndacross Canada. It’s a volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities. Last year, examples of Culture Days activities on PEI included Culture PEI’s cultural forum in Charlottetown, a wood-turning workshop at Gaudreau’s Fine Woodworking in South Rustico, a “how-to” on paper collage making at the Eptek Art & Culture Centre in Summerside, and an invitation to participate in a behind-the-scenes tour of a Hairspray rehearsal at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.Culture Days activities must be free for Islanders to attend, and offer a “hands-on” experience. This is an opportunity for artists, artisans, arts educators, venues, galleries, studios and museums to invite the public in for a tour, a demonstration, or a workshop. Jacques Gaudreau says the Culture Days experience at his woodworking studio last year was well worth it: “it’s a way to create an informal and fun event, invite people in to see how a lathe worked, build good rapport with visitors and turn them into repeat visitors”. More information on Culture Days 2011 will be announced on May 9th at a news conference in Charlottetown. Those who register their activities before April 22nd will be listed on the Culture Days website, be included in Culture Days newsletters and marketing campaigns, and be named during the May 9th Culture Days media launch. More information at www.culturedays.ca or contact Culture PEI at henk@culturepei.ca or 367.4460.Henk van LeeuwenExecutive Director, Culture PEI367-4460Facebook & twitter @ Culture PEI
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