6th Annual Vines Art Festival

FOR RELEASE: JUNE 25, 2020 - VINES ART FESTIVAL’S 6th ANNUAL PERFORMING ARTS AND LAND JUSTICE FESTIVAL IS BACK IN A NEW FORMAT

Vines Art Festival is a celebratory, provocative, intersectional festival of performing arts and land justice both online and limited gathering in outdoor parks. All-ages welcome. August 5th-15th online and in Vancouver Parks. ALL EVENTS ARE FREE!

CONNECT:

www.vinesartfestival.com, @VinesFestival Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Media requests: amylynnstrilchuk@gmail.com | Amy Strilchuk: 778-873-9141

Vines Art Festival, is a multidisciplinary arts festival that is responsive to and nurturing of artists that are working toward land, water, and relational justice. Featuring over 80 performing and visual artists. In COVID-19 Vines Art Festival is providing mainly online programming to help flatten the curve. Taking place during August 5th-15th, Vines Art Festival ushers in its sixth year with this free, all-ages festival that continuously fuses the arts with activism to bring you unique, powerful, and cutting-edge performances from across creative disciplines.

Vines is unafraid to move forward during the time of COVID-19, adapting to social distancing methods the Festival maintains the idea that art will always be important. In a time where the arts world has taken a huge blow, Vines Art Festival continues to invest in diverse and talented artists by platforming these necessary voices. In a time where a day seems to go on forever, Vines Art Festival intends to provide reprieve by reminding us all that art and public space can co-exist without causing harm, that our communities are rich in art and experience and we need not look any further than our backyards and parks. Opening Ceremonies will be our only in person event occuring on August 5th in numerous parks including Creekside Park, CRAB Park, Strathcona Park, Hadden Park, David Lam Park and Trout Lake Park. Each park will hold intimate circles; bringing together a few audience members and artists to explore the importance of land based art, justice and existence. Opening Ceremonies will only be available through registration at www.vinesartfestival.com.

August 7th is Freedom: Stories of Black Liberation originally planned to happen at Creekside Park in partnership with Afro Van Connect who highlight and platform Black voices across what is colonially known as Vancouver. This programming specifically prioritizes Black voices, disrupting the whiteness and returning sound and soul back into the area that once was home to Hogan’s Alley. Artists include Dae Nneka, Kor Kase, Mariam Barry, Maggie Onedo, Tunji Taylor-Lewis, Jason Bempong, Pedro Chamale, Siobhan Barker, Eddy van Wyk.

August 9th is Sounds Like Growth and focuses on Indigenous food sovereignty and self actualization. In partnership with Jaz Whitford of the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Group at Strathcona Park Fieldhouse, food has always been an integral part of culture, survival and the future. This event boasts the knowledge and generosity of Indigenous ethnobotanists and traditional food harvesting.

August 11th is the Eco Mini Ball with Van Vogue Jam, sharing the collective brilliance and rich history of the Ball scene while simultaneously having a dialogue on eco-friendly and sustainable art practices in a fun twist. Returning again to partner and host, Van Vogue Jam hosts the preliminary Vogue Balls on August 7th and 8th. The event originally planned to occur at David Lam Park brings attention to queer identity, experience and resistance.

August 13th is Fluidity: Bodies, Sound and Land showcasing the ways in which bodies, sound and land are in relationship with each other. This event will feature All Bodies Dance, Alyssa Amarshi and Caroline Hebert as they explore their connection and continuing partnership with their body and Hadden Park.

August 15th will celebrate the Resilient Roots Project, a Vines Art Festival staple led by Senaqwila Wyss (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Ethnobotanist), and Heather Lamoureux (Artistic Director of Vines Festival) featuring the voices, art and work of some of the emerging voices in Indigenous arts, activism and community. Consistently highlighting queer, trans and Two Spirit voices, Resilient Roots consistently prioritizes voices often silenced in the Indigenous contemporary art scene. Refusing to shy away from uncomfortable conversations, this event is sure to show you the nuances and beauty of these voices.

Throughout the Festival, an Interactive Online Map created by Adriana Contreras will be made available, showcasing Host Nation village sites, important Indigenous flora and fauna, while also engaging the audience with geographical history and the impact of art in the neighbouring areas that intersected at these many Parks. Each of the six parks we are working in this year will have an accompanying Sonic Performances featuring over 50 artists. These downloadable Sonic Performances will give audience members the opportunity to enjoy at their own leisure while also engaging in a new way with the parks they’ve grown to love, bringing stories of place, history and futurisms from their very neighbours.