BC Culture Days kicks off with programming centered around mental health improvement

The events highlighted as part of this year's Culture Days in B.C. focus on creativity as a support for mental health.

This weekend marked the launch of Culture Days in B.C., the country-wide movement that celebrates the arts with hundreds of free, hands-on events.

The three-week long festival will see more than 250 Culture Days events in Metro Vancouver alone, spanning interactive exhibitions, installations, performances, screenings, arts tours, digital experiences, concerts and workshops.

Things kicked off locally on Saturday with an opening celebration at the Reach Gallery in Abbotsford, where municipal and provincial officials joined performers in encouraging arts enthusiasts to peruse the upcoming programming and participate in this year’s events.

The 2025 iteration, the 16th event since its inception in 2000, is calling on artists and event goers to explore how creativity can improve wellbeing and mental health.

The mental health theme will be spotlighted through this year’s CARE series, a province-wide mentorship program designed to engage the community in creative activities to encourage self-care, creativity, and connection in a supportive space. Mental health professionals will be present at each event, and the events range from singing and dancing, to storytelling and mask-making.

“With all the political, economic, and environmental challenges being experienced around the world at this time, many are feeling the impact, especially those already faced with ongoing mental health challenges,” said Nazanin Shoja, BC Culture Days Program Director, in a press release.

“Through this year’s programming, we hope to share how creativity can serve as an outlet for expression, compassion, connection, and self-care as we move forward together.”

Last year, more than 700,000 residents attended 685 events across 65 communities throughout the province.

The full schedule can be found on the Culture Days website.