From October 14th to 15th, The New West Cultural Crawl returns – bigger and more vibrant than ever to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
The New West Cultural Crawl opens the doors to everyone — art aficionados, collectors, supporters, and the casually curious who just want a peak inside the city of New Westminster’s vibrant arts community. This year’s event offers a vibrant array of events and activities promising to inspire attendees with a diverse showcase of local talent and creativity over a weekend of art exploration, marking two decades of artistic expression, community engagement, and cultural enrichment in New Westminster.
“The New West Cultural Crawl has been a cornerstone of our community for 20 years bringing together artists, galleries, and art enthusiasts,” said Laura Grady, Executive Director, Arts New West. “This year’s anniversary event will feature a rich array of exciting activities that pay tribute to the city’s diverse artistic history.”
The New West Cultural Crawl has been a cherished tradition and fixture in the city’s cultural scene since 2003 offering a platform for local artists to showcase their work. Over the past two decades, the New West Cultural Crawl has grown into a cultural phenomenon, drawing artists, visitors, and art lovers from near and far while providing a platform for local artists to showcase their talent and connect with the broader community celebrating the arts in all their forms.
Adds Grady, “this milestone anniversary 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 32 venues during the two-day event. New this year are the New West Youth Hub and the return of 100 Braid St Studios at their new 6th Street location.”
The 20th Anniversary New West Culture Crawl includes:
Art Exhibitions: Explore a wide variety of art forms, from paintings and sculptures to photography and mixed media. Local artists will showcase their finest works at galleries including Anvil Centre, New West Youth Hub, Columbia Square, and Plaskett Gallery at Eighth & Eight Creative Spaces.
Open Studios: Get a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process by visiting the studios of our talented artists. Engage in meaningful conversations with artists to gain a deeper understanding of their work and perhaps even acquire a piece of art that speaks to you from one of the many studios around New Westminster or at Braid St Studios.
Interactive Workshops: Participate in hands-on art workshops suitable for all ages. Opportunities include joining Dana Keli Ceramics for a free workshop to make your own clay ornament or create your own garden-inspired artwork with the Garden Gals at the Anvil Community Centre. Visit the Free Little Art Gallery Artist Workshop to learn how to make Métis Dot Art magnets from Kelly Poitras from Nicimos Designs.
Evening Events: On October 14 choose from two different events beginning at 7:00 pm. Arrieta Art Studio Poetry with @Apt Pop welcomes emerging and established poets to share their verses with the community. Quality Time at Moodswing is a night focused less on the perfect vinyl mix, but on presenting eclectic sounds pulled from left-field electronic, post-punk, dub, spiritual jazz, field recordings & found sounds in the warm environment of Mood Swing bar. Join Quayside Voices and a collection of emerging musicians for an intimate concert at The Gallery in Queen’s Park on October 15 5:00pm.
The New West Cultural Crawl takes place throughout New Westminster October 14 and 15, 2023. Visit newwestculturalcrawl.com for the complete list of artists, locations and events.