A New Westminster artist and organizer is looking to connect people in a time of physical distancing through a weekly virtual festival.
The event is called the Virtualian Festival, a combination of the words “virtual” and “bacchanalian”, as well as a reference to the ancient Roman poet Virgil. It is the brainchild of Brunella Battista, a former executive director of New West’s Hyack Festival Association, who hosts each festival from her current location in Chilliwack. The goal is to unite the BC arts scene with that of Italy, one of the countries worst affected by the COVID-19 virus. Artists from both countries perform in a variety of formats each week.
The first Virtualian Festival, on March 28, included stand-up comedian and filmmaker Nina Wilder, Italian musical group Blanxis, and an audience-participation movement piece from Montreal. Each festival will include participatory components for the audience and conclude in an “on-nomi” event, a Japanese term referring to collective wine-drinking over the internet.
The event is designed to recall the bonds of togetherness and happenstance formed in beer gardens and festival squares, perhaps surrounded by graphic design and imaginative poster printing, as well as viral videos of musicians in Italy playing together from their balconies.
The Virtualian Festival is scheduled to occur each Saturday at 4:00 PM, streaming free online.
Location
615 Agnes Street
New Westminster, BC V3M 1G9
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Hours
Mon: 9:00 - 5:00
Tue: 9:00 - 5:00
Wed: 9:00 - 5:00
Thu: 9:00 - 5:00
Fri: 9:00 - 5:00
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed