Culture means something different to everyone. For science geeks it might mean a colony of bacteria. For others it’s about recognizing the value of music, art, literature and fine food. Still others see it as their roots or identity.
However one views this ethereal term, St. Albert Cultural Services is hosting their second Cultural Café this coming Wednesday, June 19 at Progress Hall in St. Albert Place.
“It’s the same format as our first one in February. It’s a mixer, a networking opportunity for artists and people in the arts,” says Tamsin Brooks, community cultural co-ordinator and event organizer.
Loosely based on Edmonton’s NextGen, the idea aims to stimulate passionate arts-minded individuals to share innovative ideas.
Brooks is introducing the first of her speaker series with Janine Karasick-Acosta of the Art Gallery of St. Albert, and Liz Henderson, vice-president of the St. Albert Quilters Guild vice-president.
Karasick-Acosta will provide a glimpse into the launch of the July 4 St. Albert ArtWalk, and Henderson discusses The Promise Quilt Project, a one-year community project.
The Promise Quilt was a method of quilting early settlers pioneered while crossing the prairies. Henderson explains that the name was adopted from three promises the seamstress had to make: promise to sew everything by hand; promise to teach somebody to sew a block, and promise to not write down directions, but to teach the method orally.
She will be giving a talk on how the public was involved in fashioning two lap-size quilts.
“We had kits made up for last year’s StArts Fest and gave out 117 kits. If people returned a block at the Country Craft Fair, they received a gift certificate from Quiltessentials. Seventy-seven blocks were returned including one from a seven-year old.”
Brooks put into practice the speaker series as a way to give arts-minded individuals more in-depth information about their community.
“I hope to build a positive experience. In the last one we got good feedback and we hope to grow. We will have speakers at everyone and I have lots of ideas. But I’d like to shake it up and have fun – art projects, music, plays and mini-trade fairs. We really want to get feedback from the community and hear what they think.”
Cultural Café starts at 5:30 p.m. Munchies are served. No charge.
