The official Whistler website of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
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Enhancing Arts, Culture and Heritage
Culture is one of the three pillars of the Olympic movement, along with sport and the environment. This provides Whistler with the opportunity to use the Games as a catalyst to unify and build capacity within our arts, culture and heritage communities, and to fully integrate them into the fabric of the broader community. It would be impossible to imagine an opportunity like this again.
“The entertainment will reflect mind, body, spirit
and place, in an exciting celebration of excellence,
creativity and passion from local, national and
international performers.”
— Doti Niedermayer, Executive Director of the Whistler Arts Council
The Cultural Olympiad was launched in 2008 and will build up to the Closing Ceremony for the Paralympic Winter Games, to be held in Whistler.
The Whistler Arts Council is leading Whistler's Games cultural initiative, which defines arts, culture and heritage broadly and inclusively.
Collectively, the robust arts, culture and heritage program will build community capacity, while presenting Whistler on the world stage.
During the Games, this inspiring celebration of arts, culture and heritage will be showcased on stages and large screens throughout Whistler Village in a network of Celebration Sites.
Programming will showcase Canada, feature international talent, celebrate Whistler's own unique culture and talent, and integrate it all into a seamless overarching experience.
One of the Celebration Sites will be the new Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Celebration Plaza. It will feature nightly celebrations as well as the Closing Ceremony for the Paralympic Games.
Post Games, the Plaza will be a Games legacy – a permanent gathering place for the community and Whistler's two million annual visitors. The plaza will provide new capacity as an outdoor event venue and will commemorate the 2010 Winter Games.
By celebrating Canada's Games and by showcasing, engaging and connecting Canadians from across the country, the Celebration Sites program will instil pride in Canada's rich diversity of culture, ethnicity, language and geography. Celebration Sites will deliver a unique and compelling experience that ensures a positive perception of Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver and Whistler for years to come.
Key Deliverables
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LOCAL ARTISTS AND LEADERS GROW VISION FOR ARTS
In 2003, prior to being awarded the 2010 Winter Games, the arts community in Whistler was just beginning to formally mobilize, bringing together the efforts of local artists and leaders to help grow their vision, presence and programs. The strong emphasis on arts and culture in the 2010 Winter Games offered the newly formed Whistler Arts Council the additional momentum to realize its goals.
According to Doti Niedermayer, executive director of the Whistler Arts Council, at that time, Whistler was maturing as a community, but still needed to broaden its cultural activities to become well-rounded. The Games have enabled the Arts Council to focus its efforts.
Niedermayer says the Arts Council has been proactive in working with VANOC and other partners to ensure the Games contribute to building Whistler's capacity in the long term.
Recently, the Arts Council received funding to commission the development of a performance to be incorporated into Whistler's Celebration Sites program in 2010. As part of the performance, the Whistler Children's Chorus is developing a commissioned piece to be performed both in 2009 as part of the Cultural Olympiad and in 2010 during the Games.
At the Whistler Museum, plans are in motion for a new exhibit that will illustrate the journey of Whistler, from its first ski lift in 1966, to becoming the Olympic and Paralympic Games Host Mountain Resort in 2010. Whistler was also recently named one of Canada's Cultural Capitals for 2009, receiving $500,000 in funding from the Government of Canada.
Aeriosa will perform as part of the Cultural Olympiad during the 2010 Winter Games in Whistler, with a preview show in February 2009.
Transportation
Find out about enhanced Games time bus schedules, Sea to Sky checkpoint, Route Changes and Local Vehicle Permits.
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