Students from the ARTSCO Youth Council interacting with the light projection of spawning salmon along the Artwalk, located along the pedestrian thoroughfare linking the Rotary Centre for the Arts and the Kelowna Community Theatre.
Downtown Kelowna’s Cultural District just got a little bit brighter with the launch of Light Up Kelowna, a new initiative between UBC Okanagan, the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan (ARTSCO) and the City of Kelowna.
Light Up Kelowna is a community project produced by ARTSCO that showcases the work of emerging and established local artists who have creative ideas to share, explains Dr. Bryce Traister, Dean of the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies at UBC Okanagan.
The installation illuminates Kelowna’s Cultural District, profiles the work of local artists and engages the community in a celebration of creativity and connection, says Dr. Traister. The exhibition consists of three elements viewed together—light projections along the ArtWalk combined with an audio installation and a three-channel video projected on the side of the Kelowna Community Theatre.
The ArtWalk is located along the pedestrian thoroughfare linking the Rotary Centre for the Arts and the Kelowna Community Theatre.
“We are thrilled to introduce these digital installations, inviting residents and visitors alike to experience art and culture in downtown Kelowna’s Cultural District,” says Dr. Traister. “We do this as we celebrate our partnerships with organizations like ARTSCO and the hard work of our faculty members in FCCS to make it possible for new artists to bring their work before the eyes of the public.”
While the light, sound and video installations will change seasonally, the imagery created for December’s light and sound installation celebrates the return of the salmon to the Okanagan.
In response to the success of salmon returning to the Okanagan during this year’s run, École Okanagan Mission Secondary student Tara Dunn created the salmon imagery and symmetrical arrangement to mark this initiative.
Under the supervision of UBCO Visual Arts Professor Aleksandra Dulic, this project was expanded to create variations across five gobo lights. Media Studies Assistant Professor Miles Thorogood and undergraduate research assistant Yahvardhan Joshi created a sound installation that immerses the salmon in a flowing river of sounds.
Dr. Thorogood, Dr. Dulic and Dr. Yujie Gao worked with Kirsteen McCulloch at ARTSCO to design the site-specific anti-structure and cutting-edge software to make the images come alive.
Kirsteen McCulloch, ARTSCO Executive Director, says they have been able to create two significant new exhibition venues in the city—Light Up Kelowna ArtWalk and Urban Screen at the Kelowna Community Theatre.
“Both represent a groundbreaking outdoor public art initiative that celebrates the artistic talent within our community,” says McCulloch. “By utilizing technology, we create large-scale outdoor art experiences that engage and inspire.”
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated collaborators, UBCO and the City of Kelowna, and funders whose invaluable support has brought this dynamic event to life.”
The video projection on the side of the Kelowna Community Theatre celebrates the diverse ecosystems of Okanagan Waterways, a three-channel video installation. This immersive video installation, created by Drs. Dulic and Thorogood, shows the beauty and sensitivity of various ecosystems throughout the Okanagan region, depicting the spawning salmon and flora in the area.
Supported by the United Way Recovery Fund, the BC Arts Council and Canada Healthy Communities, Light Up Kelowna aims to foster a sense of belonging and resilience within our community through art. The initiative will feature a series of installations, performances and interactive art displays, inviting residents and visitors to explore and appreciate the diverse artistic expressions found in Kelowna, explains Dr. Traister.
“Digital projections will take place during the winter months, with audio experiences on the ArtWalk planned throughout the year; Light Up Kelowna will transform the Cultural District into a dynamic outdoor gallery.
“We’re excited to be a part of this initiative as we illuminate Kelowna with creativity and celebrate the power art has to inspire and unite,” says Dr. Traister. “We encourage people to stroll through the area and engage with these art installations that reflect the themes of hope, recovery and community cohesion.”
For more information about Light Up Kelowna, visit: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/light-up-kelowna
