Art banners in the Cultural District showcase UBCO students, faculty & alumni
News release
A new set of colourful street banners adorn the lamp posts along the Rotary Centre for the Arts Commons and along the Art Walk in Kelowna’s Cultural District as part of the Outdoor Banner Exhibition program. 13 original works by UBCO students and alumni will be up for the public to view throughout the rest of the year.
This partnership program between the City and UBCO’s Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies originally launched in 2020 to create new opportunities for local artists amidst pandemic-related facility closures. Now in its third year, the banner project continues as a unique and engaging way to expand access to exhibition space in the city.
“This ongoing partnership provides a unique opportunity to connect our community to the work of our local and emerging artists,” says Christine McWillis, Cultural Services Manager for the City of Kelowna. “The works add interest, colour and vibrancy to our Cultural District.”
Over the three years of this partnership, UBCO has been able to support the work of 39 students, faculty and alumni, explains Shawn Serfas, Head of the Department of Creative Studies at UBCO.
“We are happy to support the artistic work of our students and alumni and to be able to share it with the people in our community,” says Serfas. “This partnership with the City of Kelowna is an important one for us to continue and shows our commitment to community engagement.”
As part of this year’s banner project, UBCO will showcase two banners using augmented reality (AR). These banners were created by fine arts and media studies students as part of “Press Play!", a pilot internship exchange program and collaborative effort between the University of British Columbia, Concordia University and the University of Exetor, that provides undergraduate students the opportunity to pitch and pursue a self-directed project in research-creation, digital design and media production.
To learn more about the program, along with other programs supporting artists, visit kelowna.ca/culture.
