Ice Follies is back.
The biennial arts festival is taking place now on Lake Nipissing, featuring contemporary and community-engaged artworks during the coldest months of the winter.
The family-friendly arts activation invites audiences to engage with the works on the North Bay waterfront and along the shore of Nipissing First Nation.
The festival was founded in 2004 and each year takes on a different theme and presents new works. The theme this year is Mkomiiwi, which is Anishinaabemowin for Be ice, Turn to ice, Be covered in ice or Be icy.
The theme is an exploration of transformation from water to ice and from one realm to another.
Ice Follies is operated through a partnership between Aanmitaagzi, Near North Mobile Media Lab and White Water Gallery, with each contributing toward the overall coordination of the festival and programming their own arts presentations, installations or performances.
This year, Art Fix joined as one of the festivals’ producers.
Artists from throughout Canada participate in the event. And this year includes, among others, Sid Bobb, Miigwan Buswa, Chris Couchie, Dan Couchie, Daniel Couchie, Eva Couchie, Penny Couchie, Christine Friday, Megan Feheley, Sherry Guppy, Ange Loft, Daniel Lomas, JP Longboat, Jenna Dawn Maclellan, Christine Negus, Karis Jones-Pard, Meagan Lozicki Paulin, Emily Pelstring, Tasheena Sarazin, Jon Sasaki, Tijana Spasic, Donald Sutherland, Destiny Swiderski, Imelda Villalon and Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey.
Installations were set up before Family Day, with the festival officially opening Saturday to ensure people had access during the holiday.
The activities continue in the following weeks with a variety of workshops and performances.
Aanmitaagzi has a workshop scheduled at Big Medicine Studio at 161 Couchie Memorial Dr. Thursday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for paper lantern building and freeze frame making. All contributions will be installed as part of the festival.
This leads to a performance taking place on Saturday at 7 p.m at the Ice Follies site. All are welcome, but dress warm.
On the web: www.icefollies.ca.
www.aanmitaagzi.net