Community projects
"Route 19" by Todd Frasier (2017) | Photo by Nikita MacMasterDiverse communities.
The Festival inspires and celebrates expression from diverse communities and from diverse art forms. Some projects within the sustainable creative communities initiatives program are selected because they engage with demographics that have been identified by our curatorial staff as being under represented in the festival’s main program or speak to community engagement in ways that differ from the main program.
Sustainable programming.
The inaugural March of the Crows parade was created during the first small town collaborations residency, and has become a legacy project within festival. March of the Crows in now completely community coordinated and is driven by the passion of its participants from the Charlottetown community. Every year Art in the Open provides the means for a Free public costume making workshop – and costumes that are given out freely as the parade marches through the festival grounds.
Community engagement.
Art in the Open also focuses on community engagement and seeks local creative community members and groups to participate in the festival. Community groups and individuals that have been involved in past festivals through this program are – The Creativity Project, Nicholas Whalen, Lone Cry Singers, New Generation Singers, The Sidewalk Astronomers, Inspired Farmers, The Fox Club Society, McPhail Woods Ecology Project, Beaconsfield, and All Souls Chapel.
Professional opportunities.
We are dedicated to enhancing professional opportunities for local emerging and mid-career artists. Art in the Open has worked closely with this town is small inc. to develop a two week artist residency program, small town collaborations, that enables mentorship based learning, knowledge and skill sharing between artists from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Small town collaborations not only provides the opportunity for emerging local artists to work with an experienced professional artist and exhibit a project on a nationally recognized stage – the residency provides the opportunity for public education/outreach and networking opportunities.
Thank you.
Art in the Open is thankful to all of their dedicated and engaged artists and volunteers. Without the support of the local community a free, public event focused on the Heritage spaces, the public green spaces, the visual arts community and creative expression of Charlottetown would not be possible.
This program can not be submitted to rather, the festival curatorial team and programming committee work collaboratively with the jury and the community to animate this program.