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.