IArT Kicks Off Meet Me On Bernard in Downtown Kelowna
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran sharing opening remarks for Meet Me On Bernard from the IArT stage, July 2021.
The Indigenous Artisan Trails (IArT) Mobile Gallery has relocated to Meet Me On Bernard, an open street animation initiative on Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna, meant to encourage active modes of transportation. From July 1 to September 6, 2021, the street will be transformed to provide new opportunities for performances, public art, demonstrations, and programs, including the IArT Mobile Gallery.
IArT’s outdoor stage was utilized by the City of Kelowna, Downtown Kelowna Association, and Tourism Kelowna to kick off Meet Me On Bernard for the summer.
Kelowna is situated on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territory of the Syilx First Nations people. IArT highlights Indigenous art and culture, particularly from Indigenous artisan crafters and performers of the Thompson Okanagan region.
Featured Exhibition: Being Out On the Land: Feeds, Streams, and Captures
From July 6 to August 18, IArT is housing a digital Indigenous art exhibition curated by UBC Okanagan Assistant Professor Tania Willard as part of the Indigenous Art Intensive, in partnership with the Rotary Centre of the Arts. The exhibition, Being Out On the Land: Feeds, Streams, and Captures is a series of video works by artists Maureen Gruben (Inuvialuk), Krista Belle Stewart (Syilx), and Christine Howard Sandoval (Obispeño Chumash and Hispanic), following as the artists trace out pathways, trails, and positions of engaging with the indigeneity of land.
The outdoor stage will be used for Indigenous cultural performances. The schedule will be announced shortly.
Experience IArT
From July 6 to August 18, IArT will be located on Bernard Ave near Ellis St, with the exhibition open for viewing Wednesday to Friday, 12 PM to 7 PM and Saturday to Sunday, 11 AM to 4 PM.
IArT will travel to Riverside Park in Kamloops on August 21.
For performance and location schedules, visit ThompsonOkanagan.com/iart
Several TOTA team members worked together to move the trailer from the Rotary Centre of the Arts to Meet Me On Bernard, including the wheelchair accessible ramp:
