Richmond Children’s Arts Festival sparks creativity in schools and at home

04 February 2021

This year’s annual Richmond Children’s Arts Festival is being re-imagined for COVID-times, pivoting online with two components: an outreach program for schools and a series of free, online activities for the general public.

“Family activities bring our community closer together and the annual Children's Art Festival is a great way to inspire residents to continue participating in signature Richmond events and programs during these challenging times," said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. "Many of the festival’s virtual hands-on activities this year are inspired by the Lunar New Year, a celebration of good fortune and optimism for the year ahead, which is something we are all looking forward to."

The outreach program, in partnership with Richmond School District 38, will see pre-recorded videos of professional artists leading students through an arts session. Pre-registered classes range from kindergarten through grade 7. Schools will receive special kits with art supplies and materials so the students can follow along with one of six instructional videos.

The series of instructional videos shown to school children will also be available and viewable on www.childrensartsfestival.ca for free on Family Day, Monday, February 15. To provide enough time to secure the supplies from any of the six videos, supply lists will be on the website starting Monday, February 8. The videos will be kept online throughout winter and spring.

To mark the Lunar New Year for 2021, the festival is partnering with Gateway Theatre to feature a hands-on Chinese shadow puppetry workshop with Annie Katsura Rollins, an interdisciplinary artist and researcher from Toronto. Local Richmond artist Dawn Lo will lead a workshop where children and their families can create festive decorations. Additionally, to encourage the broader public to learn and celebrate Richmond’s diverse cultures, festival regulars, including the Richmond Arts Centre’s Mr. Tony, were invited to incorporate elements of Lunar New Year into their own arts practices, including painting, clay and mixed media arts.

The 2021 edition of the Children’s Arts Festival is produced in partnership with Richmond School District 38. Community sponsors are the Gateway Theatre, Richmond Art Gallery and Richmond Public Library.