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New West Cultural Crawl returns for a COVID-19 edition

Health and safety protocols will be in place and some pre-booking will be required as the annual self-guided celebration of the arts returns to the city Oct. 17 and 18
100 Braid Street Studios, New West Cultural Crawl, 2019
Photo artist Doug Dorsett chats about his work at 100 Braid Street Studios during the 2019 New West Cultural Crawl. A scaled-down, COVID-19 edition of the crawl is set to return Oct. 17 and 18.

The New West Cultural Crawl isn’t letting the COVID-19 pandemic stop art from happening.

The 17th annual cultural crawl is set for Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18.

This year’s scaled-down crawl is an opportunity for art lovers, community members and visitors to explore local art and discover the diverse cultural experience that exists within the city.

Stretched across five unique neighbourhoods, the New West Cultural Crawl takes visitors on a self-guided tour of studio spaces, civic art venues and galleries. From pottery to jewelry artists and acrylic painters to photographers, each crawl stop offers something new.

“Art connects us,” explains New West Cultural Crawl Coordinator Laura Grady in a press release. “In a time of distance and isolation, art offers a shared experience. Art brings us together - even when we are six feet apart. I am thrilled that the New West Cultural Crawl is going ahead as planned. This event has the opportunity to be a source of joy, comfort and inspiration during this difficult time.”

Each venue and artist participating in the crawl has been updated on all health and safety protocols, as determined by the provincial government and B.C. health authorities. Visitors can expect standard COVID-19 procedures including hand sanitizer, mask wearing social distancing and contact tracing.

Civic venues – including the Anvil Centre Community Art Space, New Westminster Museum and Archives, New Media Gallery and the Gallery at Queen’s Park - require pre-booking.

This two-day event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Guests of all ages are welcome to visit as many venues as they like over that time – with a total of more than 50 artists and 10 cultural venues.

Visit www.newwestculturalcrawl.com for detailed information on the crawl, including participants and venue locations and when pre-booking is required.