How do I find information on arts and culture?

How do I find information on arts and culture?

Music, dance, theater and film are very vibrant cultural disciplines in many Ontario communities. It is often large companies or major events such as the National Ballet of Canada or the Stratford Festival that are the focus.

The largest cultural event in the French language is the Festival franco-ontarien. However, there are several smaller arts and cultural organizations and groups in communities across the province that cater to amateurs and professional artists.
Festivals

The diversity of Ontarians enriches the cultural mosaic of the province. Arts and culture festivals are organized throughout the year. They can focus on a specific discipline or on the artistic expressions of a particular ethnocultural community. Several festivals are held during the summer season and include free events held outdoors. For example, there are comedy festivals, jazz festivals, film festivals, and songwriters' festivals.
Cultural establishments

Cultural establishments such as museums, art galleries, historic sites and other local attractions offer a wide variety of activities. The size of the collections and entry costs vary from location to location. Several galleries and museums target one day per week where admission is free or at a reduced price. Entrance fees are often lower for seniors and children.
Special events and big parties

Special events and big parties are held every year in Ontario, such as Chinese New Year, LGBTQIA + (Pride Week), Toronto Caribana and Winterlude in Ottawa. These celebrations, including Canada Day on July 1, often include parades, fireworks and music concerts.

Fairs are another type of large public event that takes place annually across the province. Several fairs are organized according to the agricultural calendar and take place in the fall, at harvest time and around the celebration of Thanksgiving. The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is the largest agricultural fair in Ontario. It takes place in Toronto every year in November.

Several municipalities or neighborhoods organize a local fair or festival during the summer, which allows people from the community to meet and participate in artistic and cultural activities in a relaxed atmosphere.
Community groups

If you want to participate in the arts sector rather than being a passive spectator, you can sign up for courses and learning activities offered by community groups. It's a nice way to meet people and learn an artistic or craft discipline. Amateur artists, for their part, can share their artistic passion by joining a choir, orchestra, dance classes or book clubs. Another way to get involved in the culture and the arts in your community is to volunteer. Volunteering is essential to the survival of arts and culture organizations in Ontario.

You can obtain information on artistic and cultural activities offered in your community by consulting the following resources:

    local newspapers publish lists of cultural and community activities
    municipalities sometimes distribute information about local activities and special events
    Tourism websites such as Attractions Ontario and Discover Ontario provide information on festivals, fairs and permanent cultural attractions.
    the calendar of cultural activities allows you to search for an activity according to the criteria you offer: artistic discipline, province, city.