Culture Days 2022 is the Most Attended Ever

TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Across Canada, a tide of arts, culture and creativity rose to a swell that saw a record 3.8 million people?or 10% of the population?participate in the 13th annual Culture Days, making it the most attended in the organization's history. Culture Days celebrations connected communities from September 23 through October 16, 2022 and created the pathway for a substantial return to the arts.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d8d0e1d6-c9f1-4051-bf81-acb224e7a953

Culture Days thrives thanks to organizers from hundreds of different communities who registered thousands of free, participatory events to create opportunities for creative expression, knowledge-sharing and community-building. Every encounter is possible thanks to the organizers, volunteers, artists, creators, and performers who make Culture Days come to life, and it's fitting to recognize their dedication and efforts with this year's Top Participating Communities list. For the first time, the list encompasses and denotes both in-person and online events. Hailing from rural and urban communities, municipalities, cities and towns, each host is a dedicated champion of a creative life?bravo to all!

"Art connects cultures and communities without boundaries -- defining and uplifting how we learn from each other. Culture Days brings so much excitement each year and a chance to interact with people from all backgrounds -- each year I have great stories to cherish."

• Nikhat Qureshi, BC Culture Days organizer
  

This year's offerings included a day to reflect and commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On September 30, meaningful programming explored themes of Truth and Reconciliation, shared perspectives and celebrated the creative and cultural expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit stories and communities. Culture Days is grateful for the efforts and commitment of all organizers who designed programming which aimed to advance Truth and Reconciliation in their communities. Explore the Truth and Reconciliation Learning Resource.

Photo: The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Concert at Koerner Hall
Photo courtesy of The Royal Conservatory, Koerner Hall and Lisa Sakulensky

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e1b1901d-5f79-411b-a8fb-ad7648e1bcaa

Culture Days 2022 goes down as another for the history books. The celebration and reflection continue through the Culture365 Blog Series: Meet the Organizers, and with a special series by Culture Days connector Jesse Jones. Read a recap on this year's celebrations on our 2022 Highlights page, and learn more about the impact of Culture Days through Research, Media & Gallery and Blog.

Culture Days 2023 takes place from September 22 to October 15, 2023.
The creativity continues! Follow us all year long #CultureDays and @culturedays on
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

About Culture Days
Culture Days has become the largest cultural event in Canada, attracting millions of annual attendees to thousands of free activities and performances hosted by artists, cultural organizations and municipalities in hundreds of communities across Canada. Culture Days programs invite the public to get hands-on and behind-the-scenes to highlight the importance of arts and culture by connecting communities and creators.

The Culture Days national office works with provincial partners and a wide network of event organizers, from grassroots community volunteers to major institutions. As a leading national voice for an active and engaged cultural life, Culture Days provides a range of tools and skill development resources that lead to greater cultural engagement. Culture Days is a registered charity, visit culturedays.ca for more information and to donate.

Financial support for Culture Days is provided by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts. Culture Days is also made possible through the support of Pattison (National Out-of-home Media Partner), Cineplex Media (National Media Partner), CBC (National Broadcast Partner), and BT/A (National Creative Partner).

For media inquiries, please contact:
Mercedes Blackwood | 416.557.3361 | [email protected]