Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival 2022 focuses on connection, October 14 to 16

The Community Arts Council of Vancouver event celebrates artists who live and work outside of mainstream cultural spaces

Heathen

The Community Arts Council of Vancouver presents the 6th annual Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre from October 14 to 16

The VANCOUVER OUTSIDER Arts Festival, the first and only event of its kind in Canada, is back for its sixth year. Presented by the Community Arts Council of Vancouver, the fest celebrates artists who live and work outside of mainstream cultural spaces and who self-identify as outsiders.

The 2022 edition is focused on connection and learning. It features more than 60 artists and artist groups from across Metro Vancouver, including visual artists, performers, and emerging bands. Returning artists include Vancouver Cantonese Opera, multidisciplinary artist Charlie Sandeman, and visual artist Penny N. Lim, while new names include singer-songwriter Jason Qiu, The Troupe de Poetry, and drag king Heathen.

In addition to free performances and exhibitions, the fest also features workshops on everything from felting to ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) and more, at no charge.

VOAF invites visitors to “rethink and experience art often found at the periphery of society”, according to a release.

“Outsider art shakes up what we think and know about art, challenging traditional notions about who and what counts in the art world,” Kristin Cheung, executive director of CACV, says. “These artists have various levels of training and come from diverse cultural backgrounds, bringing with them a variety of life experiences. Their art often addresses difficult social and political issues head on. There is an amazing richness in the work that will leave viewers with a greater sense of community and a deeper understanding of those around them.”

All performances will be available after the festival on CACV’s YouTube channel.

Following the fest, VOAF will present a free concert of past performers at the Annex Theatre (823 Seymour St) on October 29 at 6pm. A touring exhibition across the Lower Mainland will begin in December 2022 and continue through to next fall, with venues and dates to be announced. fall 2023. Venues and dates will be announced on CACV’s social media later this year.

For full details, see www.voaf.ca.

Vancouver Cantonese Opera. Photo by Rosa Kwok Cheng

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