Local artists to share their craft during Culture Days

Simply put, Jenny Dean knows the Arts.

Having been involved in the arts community for over 20 years, Pelham’s Cabar-EH Youth Theatre’s creative director and head instructor has studied all facets of the theatre in music, drama, and dance, and is looking forward to sharing her knowledge and experience with participants of this year’s Culture Days.

Culture Days, a national annual event – Pelham participating for the second year – raises awareness, participation, and engagement in the arts in communities across Canada.

Dean describes the event as a cultural buffet, an opportunity to try something new and exciting without a long-term time or monetary commitment.

“Culture Days is such an amazing event in Pelham,” she said. “It helps connect the community in ways they may not get to normally, and lets community members try new things without any financial burden or commitment.”

Running from September 29 to October 1, Culture Days in Pelham has a range of offerings for all age groups, designed to highlight the importance of arts in the community.

“So much emphasis is placed on sports, and that’s a wonderful thing,” says Dean. “But celebrations like Culture days show us there is a place for the Arts as well; the Arts are how we show our heritage, our strengths, our hopes and dreams – they are how we mediate, learn, grow, and so much more.”

Though the staff have been teaching musical theatre for many years, Cabar-EH Youth Theatre in Pelham is relatively new. Last year was the first time the organization participated in Culture Days and Dean says that it was a great opportunity to instill a sense of place and community in Pelham.

“[It was] a great way to introduce Cabar-EH and what we do and love to this community,” she said. “Many people have never thought of theatre as an option for themselves or their children and participating in Culture Days gave me the venue to connect with those people and show them how much fun they could have and how much they could learn.”

Culture Days are part of Pelham’s strategic direction in the Cultural Master Plan and help to expand and enhance cultural products and experiences in Pelham.

For more information on Cabar-EH Youth Theatre, visit their website: http://www.cabareh.ca

For more information on the Town of Pelham’s Culture Days activities, visit: http://www.pelham.ca/culture-days