Community Hubs and Corridors drives rise in attendance
TORONTO, Nov. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadians experienced a whirlwind of colour, rhythm, and light during Culture Days at the end of September. When the glitter settled, 2018 emerged as the most-ever attended Culture Days weekend, with 6% of the general public reporting they joined in the celebration. After the weekend, Culture Days regroups to honour the cities and towns with standout levels of activities and participation by publishing the Top Ten List. Both an inspiration and a thank you to communities large and small for supporting local art and culture, the list proves the weekend’s success can be attributed to strong community leadership.
A new strategy of designating Culture Days hubs and corridors was a significant factor in why Canadians came out in record numbers. It’s no accident that most of the locations on the Top Ten featured these centralized, walkable areas where participants could enjoy a variety of events and activities in one spot. 30% of all Culture Days events took place at a hub or corridor while drawing more than half of attendees!
Scattered throughout Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia, each hub or corridor grouped artists and cultural organizations in a shared area to take advantage of their proximity and collective appeal. It was an effective strategy to engage the public, with 91% of attendees reporting they discovered something new, 74% stayed longer and 63% visited more events than intended. We love it when a plan comes together.
Culture Days stands in awe of our community champions whose leadership and energy contributes to the success of the annual campaign. So without further ado, check out our Culture Days 2018 Overall Top Ten List and results segmented by community size: https://culturedays.ca/en/about-culture-days/newsroom/top-tens
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1b38cd1b-dd2b-4587-9f89-4514a8ffc6b2
Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Culture Days
Plans are in motion to make next year’s milestone 10th anniversary more impactful than ever. To celebrate our special birthday, Culture Days will be active year-round with blog posts, online content, webinars and more that highlights the ways arts and culture contribute to the well-being of communities, the economy, and every person it touches. Follow the hashtag #Culture365 to be part of the 10th anniversary conversation.
Mark your calendar – the 10th Culture Days Weekend takes place September 27 to 29, 2019
About Culture Days
Culture Days is a nationwide weekend to celebrate arts and culture. It has become the largest cultural happening in Canada, attracting more than 2.5 million attendees to thousands of free activities and performances hosted by artists, cultural organizations and municipalities in 800 communities across Canada. From Nunavut to New Brunswick, British Columbia to Hudson’s Bay – and all points in between – Culture Days highlights and amplifies the diverse arts and cultural life of our communities. As a leading national voice for an active and engaged cultural life year-round, we provide a range of tools and skill development resources under the #Culture365 banner. The Culture Days annual national awareness campaign culminates in a three-day celebration of the arts starting on the last Friday of September.
For more information, hi-res photos, video, and more, check out our Media Kit.
Follow us: #CultureDays and #Culture365 on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
* All statistics from 2018 Culture Days General Population and Attendee surveys conducted by Independent research firm Maru/Matchbox.
For media inquiries contact:
Mercedes Findlay
416.557.3361
mercedes@mercedesfindlayconsulting.ca