Cochrane Integrated Arts Society (CIAS) partnered with the Town of Cochrane Arts and Culture to organize Cochrane Culture Days 2020 (CCD2020) September 11-13. Assisted by an Alberta Culture grant, CCD showcased a number of venues and attractions including a Sculpture Garden, Visual Artist Demonstrations, Film Industry Presentations, Movie Days, Outdoor Performance Stages, an Artist Studio Drive and Cruise Cochrane Drive By.
The event was planned with multiple concurrent attractions so that people could enjoy one and move on to the next without forming large audiences. Volunteers were on hand at each site to encourage social distancing, ensure boundaries were respected, provide hand sanitizer and clean surfaces as needed.
It started on Friday with matinee and evening Movies at the Cochrane Movie House. The feature film, Secret Life of Pets, was preceded by short special films made right here in Cochrane.
Two theatres were designated to our special event, each with three showtimes. That added up to six screenings!
On Saturday, the fun really took off! The Saturday morning Movie screenings continued and three outdoor performance stages – Front Stage, Upstage and Centre Stage – opened up packed with folk bands, bagpipes, choir, the Stoney Mini Thni dancers, jazz bands, and concert band.
With an online guide to direct them, people ventured out on the Artist Studio Drive to visit remarkable studios where the artists demonstrated their techniques in glass, paint, bronze and pottery.
At 12pm the Sculpture Garden opened with awesome bronze, stone, wood and steel art forms, and the Back Stage presentations started with musical theatre appreciation followed by locally produced films.
Visual artist demonstrations were ongoing outside the Route 22 Gallery courtesy of the CIAS Artist Collective. Cruise Cochrane members gathered at Cochrane Town Square and hit the road at 2:30pm. It was the Culture Cruise!
The fun carried on Sunday at the Sculpture Garden and Backstage in the Lions Event Centre and at Centennial Plaza.
Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women, Leela Aheer, who attended our wonderful event Sunday morning, visited the Backstage, taking in Matt Watterworth’s presentation and admired the art in the Sculpture Garden. At Centennial Plaza, she enjoyed dancing by the Stoney Mini Thni Dancers and chatted with the group.
Mayor Jeff Genung presented Minister Aheer with a framed copy of the Canada 150 Mosaic Mural.
Cochrane Culture Days was a perfect opportunity for the residents of Cochrane and area, who had lacked so many activities since March, to enjoy a variety of visual and performance arts during this time of social distancing. And it was all free!
Sponsors
Cochrane Integrated Arts Society could do none of this without our amazing Partners and Sponsors!
Partners
Town of Cochrane
Alberta Culture (grant)
Cochrane Movie House
Visual Media Group
Blue Pixel Media
Treasures For Your Home (grant)
Limelight Sponsors
Erol’s Automotive – Front Stage
The Co-operators – Backstage
Spray Lake Sawmills – Sculpture Garden
Hacker Kitchens – Upstage and Centre Stage
Riverbend Interiors – Artist Studio Drive
Spotlight Sponsors
Erol’s Automotive – Promotions
Two Pharmacy – COVID Safety
Amped2Play – General Operations