canadian heritage

Arts Alive! Québec to bring festive vibes to Morrin Centre

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

On Aug. 15 and 16, the courtyard of the Morrin Centre will come alive for Arts Alive!, the library and cultural centre’s annual celebration of local English-language arts and culture. The 11th edition of the festival will have a “heroes” theme, to fit in with the Morrin Centre’s ongoing summer Book Quest activities for grade school children.

Cultural programming co- ordinator Noora Heiskanen explained that the theme was chosen because it was inspiring and cut across different genres of children’s literature. “There is so much variety and diversity … and you can be a hero in so many different ways.” Heiskanen said a series of fun games and challenges would be organized for kids and adults, and participants would be able to take pictures of themselves atop the “hero podium.”

On the afternoon of Aug. 15, the festivities will open with a multidisciplinary art installation in College Hall in partnership with the UNESCO City of Literature network, where participants will be able to listen to and interact with recorded poetry and write some of their own. That evening, the Marie Desneiges duo (traditional Québécois accordion and fiddle melodies with a dash of classical and blues) and local bluegrass, ragtime and jazz manouche icon Bosko Baker will perform from 6 to 8 p.m., while local visual artist Elbé (Laurence Bélanger) creates a painting inspired by the music, in front of the audience.

The second day of the festival will feature a special edition of storytime for children aged three to seven, a body percus- sion and gumboot (South African clogging) performance for all ages and live music by the festive bands Fanfaronetta and Vent du Sud, who will fill Vieux- Québec with their Balkan- and Latin-inspired rhythms in a street fair atmosphere. There will also be performing arts workshops, including a theatre workshop led by Michael Bourguignon of the Quebec Art Company, Heiskanen said. The traditional artisan fair will also return to the Chaussée des Écossais, with several local artists and craftspeople – including visual artists, ceramicists and a weaver of traditional sashes – on hand to present, share and sell their art. “There’s something for everybody, there really is, no matter your age or background,” Heiskanen said.

The festival began more than a decade ago as one of several similar events around the province, organized by the English Language Arts Network (ELAN) to highlight locally produced English-language arts and culture in Quebec City, the Outaouais, the Eastern Townships and the greater Montreal area. When the ELAN program ended, the Morrin Centre “repatriated” the Quebec City festival and now organizes Arts Alive! annually with support from the federal government and corporate sponsors including Desjardins and Quebecor. Putting a new spin on the festival, which began as a celebration of local anglophone arts and culture, festival organizers are counting on the universal language of instrumental music to celebrate local English-language creativity while creating connections between anglophone and francophone communities, locals and tourists and people from different parts of the city. “I’m already dreaming of seeing everybody dancing and mov- ing around with the marching band!” Heiskanen enthused.

All events at the Arts Alive! festival are free. In the event of rain, concerts, workshops and the artisans’ fair will be moved inside the Morrin Centre. Reservations are not required. The library will remain open during the festival, and guided tours will be ongoing at the usual price. Heiskanen cautioned that parking in the Old City may be a challenge.