Spring (Qing Ming) Festival 2022 Community-Initiated Microgrant 2021 The Project This public festival allowed Calgarians to immerse themselves in a different side of Chinese culture. Qing Ming (Spring) is a time to honour ancestors, celebrate family bonds and herald the arrival of spring. Visitors were treated to sample teas, plant workshops, music, arts and a scroll exhibition, which gave a glimpse into everyday life in ancient China. Artists Rawry & Pohly created pillow box tea souvenirs adorned with original artwork. A large part of the event focused on different aspects of tea culture, which included tea workshops. A lesser known celebration outside the Chinese community, the event featured an information pamphlet about Qing Ming to bring visitors up to speed on this unique event. The 2021 Community-Run Microgrant This project was funded as part of the 2021 Community-Run Microgrant. Calgary Arts Development invited proposals for community-initiated public art projects in 2021. Community groups could apply for up to $10,000 from a total funding pool of $100,000, to hire local artists for eligible projects. Funding for this one-time program was provided through the Government of Alberta and The City of Calgary. Learn more here. Title: Spring (Qing Ming) Festival 2022 Project Completion: 2022 Medium: Workshop, Social Practice Location: Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre Association, 197 1 St SW About the Artist Rawry & Pohly’s practice is centered on encouraging acts of play and reconnecting with one’s childhood through the lens of visual arts. As artists they specialize in stylistic interpretations of modern pop art with elements of minimalism through printmaking, painting, cartooning, traditional/digital mediums, sculpture and mixed media visual arts.