More than 150 artists and dozens of events mean the 21st New West Cultural Crawl will be bigger than ever before.
Presented by Arts New West, the 2024 Cultural Crawl is being held in venues across New Westminster from Oct. 4 to 6. This year’s lineup includes The Crawl (Oct. 5 and 6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and After Dark events (Oct. 4 and 5).
“This year's New West Cultural Crawl is our biggest event to date,” said Laura Grady, executive director of Arts New West. “Over 150 local artists will be showcasing their work at 35 venues. Visitors can explore various art forms, from paintings and pottery to mixed media and photography, at galleries like Anvil Centre and the Gallery at Queen's Park and civic spaces around the city.”
The Cultural Crawl is also the time of year when local artists welcome community member into their venues.
“Home studio tours are always the best part of the Crawl. Visitors are invited to explore the creative spaces of local artists,” Grady said. “This year's Crawl has over 20 home studio venues to discover.”
This year's event also features family-friendly workshops including puppet-making, pottery, and still-life sketching. They’re all free, and registration is not required.
“The Crawl will feature After Dark events, offering poetry readings, music, and literary celebrations,” Grady said. “It’s a great opportunity for art lovers to dive deep into New West's artistic community.”
The 2024 Crawl will also be shining a spotlight on Indigenous artists with special exhibitions taking place throughout the city.
A full calendar of all of the 2024 New West Cultural Crawl events and activities can be found online.
Vibrant arts scene
Grady said the Cultural Crawl’s blend of art, culture, and personal engagement fosters a strong sense of belonging and pride in New Westminster’s vibrant artistic community.
“The New West Cultural Crawl creates a unique connection between artists and the community,” she said in an email to the Record. “Visitors are invited to engage directly with artists in their creative spaces, offering a behind-the-scenes look at their processes. This personal interaction allows for meaningful conversations and a deeper appreciation of the artwork.”
According to Grady, the Cultural Crawl provides an opportunity for reflection on its positive impact in the local art community and its economic development alongside the continued engagement within New Westminster.
“The New West Cultural Crawl has been a cherished tradition and fixture in the city's cultural scene since 2003, offering a platform for local artists to showcase their work,” she said. “Over the past two decades, the New West Cultural Crawl has grown into a cultural phenomenon, drawing artists, visitors, and art lovers from near and far while providing a platform for local artists to showcase their talent and connect with the broader community celebrating the arts in all their forms.”
Eight venues and a handful of artists participated in the first New West Cultural Crawl back in 2003. This year’s event will showcase more than 150 artists across 35 venues during the three-day event.
“The New West Cultural Crawl has been a cornerstone of our community for 21 years bringing together artists, galleries, and art enthusiasts,” Grady said. “This year's event will feature a rich array of exciting activities that pay tribute to the city’s diverse artistic history and growth.”
The New West Cultural Crawl is part of Culture Days, which celebrates British Columbia’s rich arts, culture, and heritage. Running from Sept. 20 to Oct. 13, Culture Days includes music events, arts workshops, open studios, exhibitions and more in communities across Metro Vancouver including New West, Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby, Delta, the Tri-Cities, Langley, Fort Langley, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, and White Rock.
