VMF Winter Arts

01/02/2025

Let it glow 💡⁠
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We’re looking back at artists who thought outside the lightbox at Winter Arts Festival 2024. These talented individuals played beyond the frame by experimenting with works that extend past the edges of the screen, to bring a new and interesting dimensionality to their vision.⁠
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Artists in order of appearance include:⁠
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🐟 Nettie Wild and Scott Smith () - “Go Fish”⁠
🌱 Lesley Marshall and Ashley Bowa ()- “Green Gazing”⁠
🍄 .studio - “Glowshrooms”⁠
🗣️ Yam Lau () - “Nushu: Echo Chambers”⁠
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Winter Arts Fest 2025 is coming to Gastown February 13-16th, celebrating light, art, and storytelling, featuring sculptures, projection mapping, augmented reality (AR), live performances, and more.!⁠
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If you're interested in learning more about our Gastown activation this winter, head over to winterartsfest.com for updates (🔗 in bio)⁠
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📸: , .by.quinn⁠
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04/26/2024

Are you looking for a unique opportunity to put your unique skills to use in an arts based-organization?

We are currently seeking artists and individuals with expertise in human resources, law and/or non-profit governance to join our Board of Directors.

Click the link for more info and how to apply!
Deadline: May 12, 2024

Vancouver Mural Festival (VMF) was created in 2016 around a shared vision to empower artists and foster positive collaboration in Vancouver’s arts community. Today, it has grown into one of Canada’s premier public art festivals. VMF creates murals and experiences that connect art and people whil...

03/14/2024

Reflecting on last week when Musqueam artist Deb Sparrow once again graced our the Northern Lights Display with a special design for VMF Winter Arts' Blanketing the City: Lighting the Way.

Through her weaving pattern illuminations, Debra hopes to encourage everyone to begin building a deeper understanding of living Coast Salish Culture.

"Blanketing the City is an honour for our People here, it is a reflection of how we identify ourselves and how important blankets are in Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh culture and every aspect of our life and history. It's about our values," shared Debra.

Video Credit: Shane Morgan/Vancouver Mural Festival

02/27/2024

Build a deeper understanding of Coast Salish Culture ✨⁠
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"Blanketing the City is an honour for our People here, it is a reflection of how we identify ourselves and how important blankets are in Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh culture and every aspect of our life and history, it's about our values." - Debra Sparrow⁠
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TONIGHT is your last chance to visit all 7 iconic locations featuring Coast Salish patterns and a fun AR artwork by Debra Sparrow and Joshua Conrad.⁠
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1️⃣ Canada Place // 999 Canada Place⁠
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2️⃣ Cathedral Square Park // 566 Richards Street⁠
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3️⃣ TELUS Garden // 510 W Georgia Street⁠
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4️⃣ BC Place // 777 Pacific Boulevard⁠
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5️⃣ Science World // 1455 Quebec Street⁠
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6️⃣ Granville Island // 1661 Duranleau Street⁠
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7️⃣ The Biltmore Cabaret // 2755 Prince Edward Street⁠
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To learn more about the project, visit our website (link in bio) 🔗⁠
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Special thanks to our Partners: ⁠
Downtown Vancouver
Evo Car Share
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02/26/2024

Blanketing The City: Lighting the Way reprograms the lights of iconic buildings with Coast Salish patterns for all to witness ✨⁠
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As part of this year's experience, you can play with the AR artwork Musqueam Runner (formerly known as Thread Runner), which interweaves digital threads with existing murals at Cathedral Square, , , and light-based artwork 4 other iconic locations. ⁠
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➡️ Make sure to look out for our sandwich boards to activate the AR filters or check them out in our IG profile 📲 ⁠
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Head to our website for more information on participating locations (🔗 in bio)⁠
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📸: Gabriel Hall & ⁠
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Special thanks to our Partners: ⁠
✨ ⁠
🚙 ⁠
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A collaboration between:⁠
🖌️ ⁠
🤳🏼 ⁠
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02/25/2024

We're lighting up the night sky with Coast Salish Weaving designs ✨⁠
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Blanketing the City: Lighting the Way is an innovative light-based public art series by Debra Sparrow that reclaims the Vancouver skyline with weaving patterns from the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh People. ⁠
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Based on Debra Sparrow's 2011 artwork, the Musqueam Runner (formerly known as Thread Runner) is a new AR artwork created in collaboration between Debra and Joshua Conrad that weaves this festival season's Blanketing the City sites together. ⁠
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➡️ Make sure to look out for our sandwich boards to activate the AR filters or check them out in our IG profile 📲 ⁠
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Head to our website for more information on participating locations (🔗 in bio)⁠
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Special thanks to our Partners:⁠
✨ ⁠
🚙 ⁠
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📸: ⁠
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02/25/2024

Musqueam Runner (formerly known as Thread Runner) is a new augmented reality (AR) artwork designed by Debra Sparrow with AR created by Joshua Conrad .⁠
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Musqueam Runner weaves together all seven of the Blanketing The City: Lighting the Way installations in Vancouver. The 'threads' of the runner will match the colour patterns of the installation in front of you. ⁠
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To activate the AR, scan the QR code and follow the instructions on the Winter Arts Festival sandwich boards at BC Place, Canada Place, Science World, TELUS Garden, and the murals at Cathedral Square, the Biltmore, and Granville Island. ⁠
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➡️ You'll need a QR code scanner and Instagram to activate this AR artwork on your phone. ⁠
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Check out the AR filters now available in our profile 📲⁠
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02/23/2024

✨ Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way will brighten the Vancouver night sky from TONIGHT until February 27⁠ ✨⁠ ⁠
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Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way is an evolution of the ongoing public art series designed by xʷməθkʷəy̓əm weaver and designer, Debra Sparrow in collaboration with VMF.⁠
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Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way reprograms the lighting of 7 iconic buildings with Coast Salish patterns for all to witness. This project reclaims the Vancouver skyline with weaving patterns that have been shared and passed down for thousands of years by the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people. ⁠

A new addition to this year’s installation is the Musqueam Runner (formerly known as Thread Runner)—an augmented reality artwork, which you can play with to interact with the Coast Salish patterns at these 7 locations: ⁠ ⁠
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1️⃣ Canada Place // 999 Canada Place⁠
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2️⃣ Cathedral Square Park // 566 Richards Street⁠
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3️⃣ TELUS Garden // 510 W Georgia Street⁠
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4️⃣ BC Place // 777 Pacific Boulevard⁠
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5️⃣ Science World // 1455 Quebec Street⁠
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6️⃣ Granville Island // 1661 Duranleau Street⁠
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7️⃣ The Biltmore Cabaret // 2755 Prince Edward Street⁠
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🔗⁠ Learn more about the project:
https://winterartsfest.com/blanketing-the-city-lighting-the-way
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Special thanks to our Partners: ⁠
Downtown Vancouver
Evo Car Share
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02/22/2024

“Dedicated to the spirit of our ancestors, the original runners ran from village to village throughout what is now the city of Vancouver, carrying out messages and reminding us of who we are … where we come from." -Debra Sparrow⁠
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Tonight we're excited to celebrate the launch of Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way, and the Thread Runner in 7 iconic Vancouver locations! As part of the celebration, we're hosting a dialogue about cutting-edge Indigenous-led design, technology and augmented reality (AR) at Herschel Supply store in Gastown.⁠
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⭐️ FEATURING ⭐️⁠
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Facilitator: Natalia Lebedinskaia⁠
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Speakers: ⁠
Debra Sparrow (Artist, Designer)⁠
Joshua Conrad (Slow Studies / Spark Indigenous)⁠
Charlene Johnny (Artist, Muralist, Silversmith)⁠
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SPONSORS⁠
Downtown Vancouver
Evo Car Share
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VENUE PARTNER ⁠
Herschel Supply Co.
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02/21/2024

✨ THANK YOU, VICTORIA ✨⁠
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What an incredible weekend full of art installations, family-friendly events, and dance parties. It was an honour to connect with you all to celebrate in your city!⁠
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Big thanks to all the artists, performers, partners, volunteers, and to everyone who showed up for making our first Winter Arts Fest in Victoria so special. We greatly appreciate the tremendous love and support and can’t wait to see you again!⁠
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was brought to you by City of Victoria - Local Government Initiative⁠ ⁠
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📸: Fiona Samson

02/19/2024

Join us for the LAST DAY of Winter Arts Fest Victoria ❄️✨⁠
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What you'll find:⁠
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🪩 THE HUB⁠
Open from 5 to 9 PM, the Hub features an artisan market, mulled wine bar, local food vendors, and captivating live entertainment. ⁠
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👟 ART WALK⁠
Centred in the city’s historic core, the Art Walk is designed for participants to explore at their own pace. Discover over 20 art installations based on the theme of "Light and Language" scattered across the route.⁠
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🎶 PARTNER EXPERIENCES⁠
Tonight we're celebrating the power and joy of words and music with BC Black History Awareness Society. Featuring performances from award-winning author Addena Sumter-Freitag and international jazz legend Maureen Washington.⁠
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🏮 POP-UP EVENTS⁠
Family friendly events like hooping zones, pop-up libraries, and lantern making with featured artist Ann K. Chou.⁠
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Check out our website for full program schedules, maps and more (🔗 in bio)⁠
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Brought to you by City of Victoria - Local Government Initiative⁠ ✨ ⁠
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