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6 Ways To Have A Magical Time at Art In The Open
August 23, 2022
Dress up like a crow, be mesmerized by artistry in the park, enjoy theatrical performances – you never know what you’ll discover at Art in the Open. Celebrating its 11th anniversary on August 27th, this year, you’ll be able to discover over 30 projects from artists from Prince Edward Island and across Canada. As you walk around Charlottetown through Victoria Park, Rochford Square, Connaught Square, Beaconsfield House, and Confederation Centre of the Arts, you’ll be immersed in different art forms, visual, interactive or performance.
Free to the public and family-friendly, this unique event turns the historic core into an open-air art gallery that celebrates the heritage and green spaces of the city with ephemeral works of visual art, including installations, screenings, projections, performance art, dance, and more.
Here’s our guide on how to have a magical time at this year’s Art in the Open, taking place Saturday, August 27th from 4pm to midnight.
1. Leave Your Expectations at Home
Park any expectations you might have about what you’ll experience at Art in the Open before you head out for a journey through imagination land! Like the best things in life, Art in the Open is meant to be an experience you can’t necessarily plan too intensely for or anticipate in advance. It must be experienced to be truly appreciated.
2. Do it by Day, Then Do it By Night
Art in the Open runs from 4pm to midnight, giving you the opportunity to experience it by day and night. Make the most of the daylight hours by exploring the spaces in downtown Charlottetown including Confederation Centre of the Arts, Beaconsfield, Rochford Square, and Connaught Square. By dusk, you won’t want to miss the raucous March of the Crows as it pulls up to Victoria Park.
3. Get in on the Action!
Art in the Open is a very fully immersive experience that will engage all your senses AND your imagination… if you let it. It is not designed with the passive observer in mind. Instead, Art in the Open extends an invitation to rediscover your playful side and fully embrace your creative nature.
4. Go at Your Own Pace
It’s always encouraged and welcome to visit the various
5. Explore the Nooks and Crannies
Charlottetown is full of hidden and not-so-hidden spaces that come alive during Art in the Open. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore the historic downtown’s many nooks and crannies. Discover green spaces such as Rochford Square, Connaught Square and Victoria Park, historic buildings including Beaconsfield, and plenty of stunning streetscapes that will woo you along your adventures.
6. Embrace the Mystic of the Crows
Crows have become synonymous with Art in the Open thanks to the March of the Crows. Come dressed as your most crow-tastic self. Meet at the steps of the outdoor amphitheatre at the Confederation Centre for the Arts (Entrance via Richmond Street) at 7:00pm on August 27th to join the parade, which will begin at 7:30pm.
Be loud, be curious, be free as a bird (while following our parade marshals) as we coo and caw our way to Victoria Park where we will disperse upon entry.
A Glimpse at Art In The Open 2022:
“This year’s festival offers audiences an opportunity to engage with forms of art that are experimental and non-traditional, such as performance art, sculpture, installation, video art and social practice. These projects explore issues such as climate change, sustainability, and renewed treaty relations, addressing some of the most urgent issues of our time. They challenge us to expand our ideas of community and care to include other non-human animals, soil and ecosystems (along with the people in our neighbourhoods) and invite us to come together in new relations, and imagine different possible futures in a post-pandemic era.” – Amish Morrell
So mark August 27th, 2022 in your calendar and make time for magic and imagination in downtown Charlottetown! Find out more about the festival on their website and start planning your magical adventure today.
