Whistler Arts Council

Culture is enshrined as one of the three pillars of the Olympic Movement, and the Olympic Charter requires host cities to produce a wide range of cultural programs.

As Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Resort Municipality of Whistler has engaged the Whistler Arts Council as the “lead agency” for advancing an Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy contained within the overall Strategic Framework for successful delivery of the Games.

The Games as a Catalyst for Capacity Building
The purpose of the Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy is to use the Games as a catalyst to unify and build capacity within the arts, culture and heritage communities and to fully integrate arts, culture and heritage into the fabric of the broader community. It is meant to enable the Whistler, First Nations and Sea to Sky communities to maximize benefits of the artistic, cultural and heritage opportunities provided through the planning and staging of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
For a copy of the Arts, Culture & Heritage Strategic Framework, please click here

Community Vision helps shape key projects
Over the past year, consultations with the broader cultural sector helped determine how the community wants to express itself and participate in 2010 cultural programs. The result helped shape a vision for the Whistler Live Sites program - an open, accessible and large-scale public celebration that will integrate 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Arts Festivals, Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies, and community celebrations.
 More information

It also helped shape the character of a commissioned work “Inspired by Place”, which received $100,000 in funding from Arts Partners in Creative Development. More information

Community Collaboration builds Legacy Projects
New Media Arts Club launched at Whistler Secondary School
Starting in mid-February, students at Whistler Secondary School will be provided an opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to create their own digital films through a new, after-hours media arts club. More information

Cultural Olympiad enhances WHISTLER CELEBRATION 2010™
Since 2003, WAC, along with community partners, has been producing this festival to celebrate arts and culture in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and build capacity leading up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The 2008 festival is co-presented by the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad. More information

For more information on the Cultural Olympiad and Calls for Proposal, please click here