Since Culture Days inception in 2008, the London Arts Council has supported the efforts of this national celebration with various types of professional artistic programming.  All artists engaged in artistic activities curated by the London Arts Council are paid to perform, create and deliver their art in the London community.

​

"Millions of Canadians engage in thousands of free activities and performances hosted by artists, cultural organizations and municipalities in communities across Canada. From Nunavut to New Brunswick, and from British Columbia to Baffin Island — and all points in between — we share all the inspiration, artistry, creativity and expression that reflects the mosaic of Canadian culture."

—CultureDays.ca

​

History

Culture Days was created in response to the growing recognition that a vibrant arts and cultural sector contributes directly to a healthy and stable society.

​

In 2007, inspired by the success and impact of Quebec’s Journées de la culture weekend, leaders of Canada’s largest arts organizations as participants in The Canadian Arts Summit commissioned a feasibility study to assess the viability and appropriateness of launching an annual cross-country celebration of arts and culture.

​

In April 2008, the Summit participants voted and agreed unanimously to initiate and support a strategic collaboration with Culture pour tous, producer of Journées de la culture, to encourage and facilitate a similar event across Canada. The Banff Centre in Alberta was also a key participant, serving as national secretariat assuming all relevant fiduciary responsibilities.

Conceived as a citizen-focused volunteer initiative, Culture Days was also seen as a timely Canadian initiative in the global context responding directly to issues addressed by the UNESCO Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, of which Canada is a founding member.

​

The dates were chosen to align with the pre-existing Quebec event, Les Journées de la culture, so that we could build a truly national public awareness and participation campaign linking every province and territory. The dates of Les Journées de la culture were decreed by the Quebec National Assembly to be held every year on the last Friday of September and the subsequent weekend. By extension, Culture Days in all other provinces and territories have followed the same dates.

​

Initiated by The Canadian Arts Summit, Culture Days was endorsed and supported from its early beginnings by Founding Partners the Canada Council for the Arts, Culture pour tous and The Banff Centre.

​

The Culture Days event weekend starts on the last Friday in September.

For 2019: Sept. 27, 28 & 29th