YORKTON - Culture takes many forms but knowing what is available in a community is not always apparent.
That is why Cultural Open Houses held in Melville Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon in Yorkton were organized.
Chelsey Johnson, Executive Director with Parkland Valley Sport, Culture and Recreation said various local cultural groups were invited to have information tables at the open houses.
“It’s open for groups to come and promote their programs and what’s going on in the community,” she said Saturday afternoon.
It was also a chance for groups to “show volunteer opportunities they have available,” said Johnson.
Finding help to do things is a growing challenge.
“Finding volunteers is hard and not just because of COVID,” offered Catherine Tomczak, Operations Coordinator with OSAC. She said people live busy lives “with not a lot of extra time.”
The event was also an opportunity to show culture is diverse.
“Most definitely it’s not just arts,” said Tomczak.
Getting a broader view of what culture can be and the groups and organizations that support culture is important and especially for new Canadians, said Johnson.
In that regard the open house was itself fairly wide open in what groups could become involved.
It was by design to be “inclusive of everyone,” said Johnson, adding that is the same in a community where being inclusive of all is important.
The two events attracted roughly 10 groups to each with tables and attracting about 25 to each.
Tomczak said overall as co-organizers she and Johnson were pleased.
“This was meant to be a pilot project,” she said, adding she expects they will be holding similar events in other communities in the future.
