The New West Cultural Crawl takes place from October 4-6, 2024, across artist studios, galleries, and cultural spaces around New Westminster. Presented by Arts New West, the free, three-day arts and culture festival showcases the vibrant creative talent and arts scene in New West through an array of events and activities. Celebrating its 21st year, the annual event builds community through the arts, spotlighting local artists and galleries.
The Crawl has evolved since its early days as a one-day art walk in 2003 and we can expect an expanded festival this year. Laura Grady, Executive Director of Arts New West says, “The yearly crawl allows us to reflect on the event’s positive impact in the local art community and its economic development alongside the continued engagement within New Westminster. When the event first began in 2003 we had eight venues and a handful of artists participate, this year we are showcasing over 150 artists across 35 venues during the three-day event.”
The Crawl kicks off with an opening reception for Heart of the Crawl, at The Gallery at Queen’s Park on October 3 from 6:30-8:30 PM. The exhibition features many of the Crawl’s participating artists, offering visitors a survey of art they can see during the Crawl.
A highlight of the festival is meeting artists in their studios, oftentimes in interesting spaces. At Braid Street Studios (312 6th Ave), you’ll find Daphne Woo, the natural dye artist and slow fashion advocate behind Amacata Design Concepts. At Amacata, all pieces are handmade with natural materials and consideration for the environment. When asked for a teaser of what she will have on view during the festival, Woo, who is participating in the Crawl for the second year, said: “I will be showcasing my work along with some new sculptural pieces that are wall hangings, in addition to some examples of my mixed media work from my Biomedical Visualization and Communication Program through UBC Extended Learning.” Woo will also have a variety of pieces available for purchase, including naturally dyed scarves and dye-it-yourself kits, as well as some jewellery, art cards, and gift certificates. And, she will be in the studio giving demos. You can find Woo at Braid Street Studios, Studio #9.
The Crawl also takes visitors to unique, historic venues, such as Irving House (302 Royal Ave). Irving House is one of the oldest community heritage sites in B.C. Built in 1859, it is a Gothic Revival style colonial home, and once belonged to Captain William Irving, a pioneer of steamship travel in the Pacific Northwest. Here, Crawl visitors can meet Artists in Residence, Holly Schmidt and Janet Wang, who have been invited to explore and experiment in response to the site and surroundings of the historic home.
For a fantastic way to see and learn about public artworks in New Westminster, join a walking tour led by local curator, Jas Lally, focusing on key public artwork around the Anvil Centre, downtown, and along the riverfront. Other fun, hands-on activities include a ‘Make Your Own Clay Ornament’ workshop with Dana Keli Ceramics in her home studio, or ‘Making Shadow Puppets’ and ‘Still Life Sketching’ with the Garden Gals, both taking place at the Anvil Centre (777 Columbia Ave).
For more information on participating artists, venue, and event details, visit newwestculturalcrawl.com.
Article by: Kristin Lim
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