Tourism Winnipeg

Arts & Culture If you're a culture vulture, then you've come to the right place as Winnipeg is teeming with creativity in all forms from visual arts to live music to the performing arts. After all, we are renowned as the "Culture Cradle of Canada." Our music institutions include Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) — the latter is celebrating its 70th season. The WSO is marking the milestone with a gangbuster lineup of performances from family-friendly Mr Mark and Manny Tuba go to the Birds! (February 25), to A Chorus Line (March 16–18), to Oz with Orchestra (April 21–22), and so much more. Of particular note is WSO's New Music Festival, a contemporary classical music and art party (January 27–February 2). Winnipeg is also home to the internationally renowned Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, which has been pirouetting since 1939. This year's performances include Anastasia (February 2), The Sleeping Beauty (February 28– March 4), Carmina Burana (May 2–6) and more. When it comes to live music, you're spoiled for choice. From rock to hip-hop to electronic and everything in between, you can catch a live performance at venues across the city including the Park Theatre, Burton Cummings Theatre, Good Will Social Club, West End Cultural Centre, Times Change(d), High and Lonesome Club and many others. It's such a busy scene that Manitoba Music created a website with Tourism Winnipeg, which lists all live music shows in the city (www.tourismwinnipeg.com/events/live- music#/gallery/recent). It should come as no surprise that music festivals are a staple here. The city's indie music scene is in full force during the Big Fun Festival (January 24–28), where local and touring bands take over Winnipeg's smaller clubs and bars. Next up is Festival du Voyageur (February 16–25). Western Canada's largest winter festival is where fantastic folk, roots and rock bands play to packed tents while crowds boogie on hay-covered dance floors. The festival runs as an homage to our city's French fur-trading history at Fort Gibraltar; it features massive snow sculptures, costumed interpreters and authentic French Canadian cuisine. Spring/summer music festival highlights include Manito Ahbee Festival (May 16–20), Winnipeg Folk Festival (July 5–8), SOCA Reggae Festival (July 13–14), Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition (August 16–19) and Winnipeg BBQ & Blues Festival (August 17–18). Theatre fans are also in for a year-round treat in Winnipeg, as seemingly all of downtown — particularly the Exchange District — provides a stage. The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (Royal MTC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this season, with its showstopper Come From Away (January 4– February 3). A mix of productions from cutting-edge works performed at Tom Hendry Warehouse and popular classics at John Hirsch Mainstage make up this year's spectacular season. Royal MTC also presents the Master Playwright Festival (January 30–February 18) and the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival (July 18–29), which is North America's second-largest fringe fest. Visit Rachel Brown Theatre, where you can catch intimate and indie plays, along with Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers. Head to Portage Place Shopping Centre to check out Prairie Theatre Exchange; it puts on five performances per year featuring the best in new and contemporary local and Canadian playwrights. Finally, there's Canada's longest-running outdoor theatre, Rainbow Stage, where two to three Broadway musicals are performed (July/ August). For visual arts, there are numerous galleries located throughout the Exchange District and The Forks, which mainly showcase local works. Grab a Design Quarter Winnipeg map, which points visitors in the direction of design-forward businesses, organizations, eateries and more in these neighbourhoods. Our main artistic institution is the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG), which is Canada's oldest civic art gallery and home to the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. Finally, this would not be an arts and culture guide without Winnipeg's most eye-catching attraction: the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR). Simply put, the CMHR is one of the most stunning buildings in Canada. An exploration of its interactive galleries, which use a combination of new media displays and artifacts will take you from the cavernous ground floor up to the illuminating Tower of Hope. Enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape while reflecting on the moving, international human rights stories inside this museum. The Fringe Theatre Festival: Mike Peters Rainbow Stage: Tourism Winnipeg www.tourismwinnipeg.com 17 WELCOME TO WINNIPEG ITINERARIES

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