The Village of Valemount has a lot to celebrate with the upcoming 10th anniversary of BC Arts and Culture Week from April 19 to 25. 

“We want to celebrate that we have this beautiful theatre, and how lucky we are to host such great talent we’ve had through here,” said Beth Russell, theatre committee chair.

The first event of the week will be a drumming workshop with Granville Johnson, a Jamaican man who now lives in Prince George. The 30-person workshop has already filled up.

On April 25, Shara Gustafson and Seth MacDonald of the band Mamaguroove from Dunster will play a concert with local band Blue Syntax. “These two groups are donating their talents to fundraise for the Robson Valley Music Festival and for new sounds equipment in the (Valemount high school) theatre,” Russell said.

Tickets are $15 and the show starts at 7 p.m. on April 25. The Valemount Arts and Cultural Society will provide free refreshments. 

As well, on April 26, a Prince George School choir of 28 students will visit and perform from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. “We’re really looking forward to that because we’ve never hosted a choir before,” Russell said. Proceeds from the $5 tickets will go to the same causes and free refreshments will be provided that day as well.

Since the high school theatre opened about two years ago, 18 performances have graced the stage, with about three quarters of them selling out, said Russell. 

“We’re so appreciative of the community support we get because if we didn’t get the support of people coming and enjoying so much we wouldn’t find it so worthwhile and enjoyable,” the former Jasperite said.

The first performance, one that did sell out, was March 11, 2007. “That was a band I had seen at the Jasper folk festival called the Poly Jesters,” Russell said. “They were so warmly received and put on a very entertaining quality show.”

Every year at the end of April, schools and communities across the province host a spectacular array of events and activities as part of Arts and Culture Week. The week turns the spotlight on the contribution that arts and culture make in learning and in life.