Celebrate culture in Oshawa with Culture Days and Doors Open

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Published September 30, 2021 at 9:45 am

Oshawa is celebrating Culture Days, a national showcase of arts and culture – this year’s theme is Re: Imagine – with a variety of virtual and self-guided outdoor activities, including a walking tour of public artwork in the city.

The walking tour features nine sites over a 3.5 kilometre looped route, including The Robert McLaughlin Gallery and Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens.

Residents are invited to follow along with the sketch, sculpt, and color prompts that accompany each work on the tour. Participants are invited to submit their response artworks by Sunday, October 24 to be entered in a random prize draw for one of three $100 gift cards from Curry’s Artists’ Materials

For more information, including the Public Art Map and Activities Guide, visit www.oshawa.ca/culturedays.

Residents are also invited to view artwork developed by Durham College students through the TeachingCity Oshawa initiative.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, students from the Journalism and Personal Support Worker programs interviewed older adults from Oshawa and their stories were then interpreted by fellow college students in the Fine Arts program through visual art.

The students’ original artworks are installed at Delpark Homes Centre, Donevan Recreation Complex, Northview Community Centre and the OSCC55+ John Street Branch. Learn more and view the artwork on a virtual gallery on the City’s website at www.oshawa.ca/virtualexhibitions.

“In these challenging pandemic times, it is gratifying to know our arts and culture communities have responded with innovative ways for our fellow citizens to enjoy the various artistic contributions in our community. It’s all safe and socially-distanced, and available at your fingertips,” said Councillor Rick Kerr, Chair of the Community Services Committee.

The culture and history of Oshawa will also be on display through the Doors Open initiative, which has gone digital for 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic.

A variety of virtual sites are available on the Doors Open website until November 30.

New content and activities for this year include:

  • Great Lakes Waterfront Trail Interactive Portal – follow an interactive map to explore Oshawa’s waterfront trail
  • Podcast – listen to a podcast on the history of library service in Oshawa
  • Explore Oshawa – download the Explore Oshawa app that takes you on a tour of Oshawa with photos. Answer 10 questions about the city for a chance to win one of three prizes in a random prize draw.

Visit www.oshawa.ca/doorsopen and www.doorsopenontario.on.ca/en/oshawa to start your adventure of local history.

“We hope our residents take full advantage of the multiple options to dig into our local culture and history despite the current pandemic conditions,” said Councillor Derek Giberson, Vice-Chair of the Community Services Committee.

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