What: Children’s Art Festival
Where: Myrtle Philip Community School
When: Saturday, May 29 & Sunday, May 30
Workshops Prices: $5 - $10
Literally – kids can learn slight of hand basics at John Kaplan’s magic workshops on Saturday afternoon.
Pint-sized Copperfields aside, a gathering of fertile young minds crackling with creativity promises to be a magical experience.
An impressive crew of Sea to Sky corridor artists and artisans – some renowned professionals, some hobbyists – will share their creative knowledge in a variety of arts, crafts and performance workshops Saturday and Sunday at Myrtle Philip Community School.
The Whistler Arts Council-sponsored event is Whistler’s longest running festival, and this year’s lineup continues the tradition with artistic standards such as drawing, painting, photography, and carving, as well as quirkier pursuits such as fairy house construction and Japanese Gyotaku fish printing on T-shirts.
Kids born for the stage will want to explore workshops in percussion, balloon animals and the aforementioned magic.
Workshops have generally been structured to appeal to kids five to 11 years old, with some workshops designated for entire families and some directed at older kids in the Grade 7 and 8 range. A pre-school area will be set up for kids aged three to five years old.
Workshops cost from $5 to $10 each. The pre-registration period is over but participants can still be registered during the festival at the Arts Council’s on-site headquarters in the school lounge. The first workshops kick off at 10 a.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday.
A complete workshop schedule and descriptions are available online at www.whistlerartscouncil.com.
Peacemaker takes on tough issues with humour
What: Peacemaker
Where: MY (Millennium) Place
When: Saturday, May 29
Tickets: $6-$10 ($30/family of four)
Those familiar with renowned Vancouver-based children’s theatre company Green Thumb know there is more to the bright, whimsical productions than meets the eye.
The company wants to entertain, but also to make kids think about larger social issues like racism, war, tolerance and compassion.
Such is the case with the company’s established production Peacemaker , which features two groups, the "Reds" and the "Blues", who live separated by a wall.
Obviously created with East and West Berlin in mind, the play continues to be relevant in light of conflicts in the Middle East and the Balkans.
Those too young to pick up on the deeper meaning will delight in the vibrant art direction, while those old enough to be aware of international events will likely be inspired to discussion.
Peacemaker plays this Saturday, May 29 at 7 p.m. at MY Place. Tickets are $6 for kids, $10 for adults and $30 for a family of four. The production is an initiative of the Whistler Arts Council and is being staged in conjunction with the organization’s 22 nd Annual Children’s Art Festival.
For more information call 604-935-8410 or go to www.whistlermillenniumpl.com.
