2021 marks the Talking Stick Festival’s 20th anniversary, inviting audiences to join in online to celebrate and keep communities connected throughout the 4 seasons of this year. Festival organizers call to all four directions and all relations to gather around four fires in each season: winter, spring, summer, and fall over the entire 2021 theatrical season.
Produced by Full Circle: First Nations Performance, Talking Stick Festival gathers Indigenous artists, and experts from around the world to share their talent and knowledge, presented through theatrical performances, music, dance, film a visual art exhibit, the Industry Series and Knowledge Sharing workshops, young audience and family programming, the annual Celebration of Powwow Culture, the Métis Fair, and much more.
While nothing can replace a physical gathering to connect community, the festival has adapted to digitally celebrate acts of artistic transformation, creative defiance, community-building and space-making.
Until February 27th, Talking Stick Festival features: music, dance and movement, poetry and spoken word, readings, panel discussions, workshops – and more. Whether you start your day with Biidaaban: a Sonic Call to the Future, a daily sunrise ceremony and stick around for the closing, InterSocial Nations — a Virtual Dance Party, there is plenty do enjoy. Also including, the Talking Stick Festival 20th Anniversary Gala – A Gathering of Hearts & Spirit (repeated Feb. 23), From Talking Stick to Microphone (Feb. 26), and a host of Industry Conversations throughout the festival.
The 20th Anniversary Talking Stick Festival continues until February 27, 2021, all shows and events are FREE, full schedule and event links are online at: fullcircle.ca/tsf-2021-shows