Revelstoke’s LUNA festival will be going ahead in 2020 under COVID-19 restrictions with a mix of online and real-world events. Planning started in 2019 for the 2020 offering, but the pandemic caused organizers to postpone the full event, which sees thousands of attendees in downtown Revelstoke. The new offering will be from September 25-27 and includes virtual performances, unveiling of new permanent Art Alleries artwork downtown, and studio sessions. Here’s what the LUNA Fest organizers had to say about their newly revamped plans for the September 2020 festival:
The weekend of September 25–27 marks the fourth year of LUNA FEST; the highly successful art festival in Revelstoke, BC. LUNA FEST is an annual contemporary art, performance, and music festival that features local, B.C., and Canadian artists which typically unfolds over the course of three art-filled days with an audience visitation of over 8,000. Developed by a small group of creatives and executed with the help of hundreds of volunteers, LUNA has redefined a city known for outdoor adventure into a cultural destination.
During our changing global landscape and in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Revelstoke’s premier contemporary art festival will move its 2020 event online with expanded digital content and a special virtual event. LUNA FEST 2020 will be reimagined and tailored to fit the moment. This year, the LUNA team has worked creatively to provide artists continued exposure during a time of isolation. LUNA RE-IMAGINED is a real-time and virtual experience that ensures the public can participate in arts and culture in a socially distanced way while providing an enriching art experience.
Friday, September 25
Friday, September 25, 6 p.m.–11 p.m.: LUNA SOUND-ish celebrates contemporary music and film. This live streamed event will feature the premier of local filmmaker Francois Derosier’s newest film Wheel of Life, an original composition by Indigenous artist, songwriter, and composer Edzi-u, a boundary-pushing visual experience by performance artist Ralph Escamillan, music by singer and composer Leila Neverland, and a punctuation mark ending with Diemm live on harp. For a chance to be one of 50 audience members to see the event live, subscribe to LUNA’s facebook feed.
Saturday, September 26
Saturday, September 26, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.: LUNA ARTS-ish features site-specific Art Alleries on the edge of contemporary art. This year’s focus will be the unveiling of six new permanent public art pieces in the city’s downtown core featuring sculpture, photography, mixed media, and stained glass. Revelstoke’s alleyways have become an extra layer of discovery for locals and visitors. Stylistically thematic, walkable, and barrier-free, this open-sky art gallery experience has been expanded for LUNA 2020 to include in-depth digital content, a behind-the scenes look at the making of Art Alleries, and an invitation for the public to stroll along the alleyway in a socially-distanced way to enjoy these new works along with pop-up street entertainment.
Sunday, September 27
Sunday, September 27, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.: LUNA STUDIO-ish engages visitors interested in a deeper understanding of the concept and process of the art-making experience, providing the opportunity to meet three new Art Allery Artists — Kyle Thornley, Bruno Long, Kelly Hutchinson, along with Art Allery Phase 1 artist, Rob Buchanan. All burning art questions will be answered at the Artists’ Q&A. This day also provides the public a chance to participate in the making of a LUNA 2021 art project: Climate Action Quilt. The Climate Action Quilt Project is a current collaboration within four schools in District 19, from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Linking conservation, nature exploration, and artistic practice, the youth in our community are creating a “call to action” through this artistic and collaborative quilt. Members of the community are invited to create their own patch to be included in this large-scale project.
For a detailed list of LUNA events, visit: lunafest.ca
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