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| Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival |
| Status | active |
| Genre | cultural festival |
| Frequency | annual |
| Location | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Country | Canada |
| Established | 1980s |
| Organizer | Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia |
Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival The Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival is an annual cultural event in Halifax that showcases global communities through music, dance, cuisine, and art. The festival brings together artists, organizations, and audiences from a wide array of cultural backgrounds, featuring performers, exhibitors, and vendors representing diasporas across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. It operates in partnership with municipal, provincial, and national institutions and draws visitors from across Atlantic Canada and beyond.
The festival features performances by ensembles and soloists from communities linked to Mi'kmaq, Acadia, Ireland, Scotland, Cape Verde, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Haiti, Belize, Guyana, Suriname, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Exhibition partners have included Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax Regional Municipality, Province of Nova Scotia, Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Halifax Public Libraries, Saint Mary’s University, Dalhousie University, Mount Saint Vincent University and Acadia University.
Origins trace to multicultural celebrations in the 1980s influenced by community festivals such as Caribana, Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year, Diwali, Nowruz, Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, Christmas Island observances and cultural weeks like Nova Scotia Culture Days and Heritage Day (Nova Scotia). Early organizers included leaders from Nova Scotia Association of Black Cultural Societies, Halifax Immigrant Services Association, Africentric Cultural Society, Lebanese Cultural Association of Halifax, Indian Association of Nova Scotia and the Portuguese Club Halifax. Over decades the festival expanded with support from arts funders including Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, and foundations such as Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Macdonald Stewart Cultural Centre and corporate sponsors like Scotiabank, Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Tire and Bell Canada. Key moments involved collaborations with touring companies such as National Arts Centre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Cirque du Soleil, Riverdance, National Ballet of Canada and community tours by Fela Kuti-influenced bands and folk revivals led by artists associated with Woody Guthrie traditions.
Programming spans staged performances, workshops, culinary pavilions, film screenings, and visual art exhibits with contributors from institutions like Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Busker Festival, Halifax Jazz Festival, Summer Sessions (Nova Scotia), Atlantic Film Festival, Kulturfest, Pride Halifax, Africville Reunion, Halifax Pop Explosion, Nocturne (Halifax), Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Shuckin' the Blues, Celtic Colours International Festival, Folk Alliance International and community groups such as Cape Breton Fiddlers' Association. Workshops have included dance styles from ballet, tap dance, samba, flamenco, bharatanatyam, Kathak, Punjabi bhangra, garba, samba-reggae, Afrobeat, highlife, reggae, calypso and zouglou, taught by artists linked to companies such as National Dance Institute, Step Afrika! and touring ensembles from West End Cultural Centre. Film programs have screened works from directors associated with Deepa Mehta, Denis Villeneuve, Xavier Dolan, Ken Loach, Ava DuVernay, Wes Anderson and short films showcased through partnerships with TIFF Bell Lightbox.
The organizing body is a coalition of community associations, multicultural councils, and arts organizations modeled after networks such as Canadian Multiculturalism Act-era institutions and municipal cultural offices like Halifax Regional Council arts committees. Boards have included representatives from Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Federation of African Canadian Cultural Societies, Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, Association of New Canadians, UNESCO Halifax, Provincial Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage-aligned advisors, and academia from Dalhousie University and Saint Mary’s University. Funding and governance mechanisms mirror practices used by Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Arts Nova Scotia, Canadian Heritage grant programs and philanthropic partners such as Vancouver Foundation and Halifax Foundation.
Attendance has ranged from local neighborhood turnouts to large crowds comparable to events like Halifax Pop Explosion and Celtic Colours International Festival, attracting tourists similar to audiences for Pride Toronto and Caribana. Economic impact studies parallel assessments used for Tall Ships Regatta and Luminato Festival estimating effects on hospitality linked to Halifax Stanfield International Airport arrivals, hotel bookings at properties affiliated with Marriott International, Delta Hotels, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and local bed-and-breakfasts. Social impact aligns with initiatives from Settlement Workers in Schools, Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia programs, Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada services, and community development efforts connected to United Way Halifax.
Primary venues have included public spaces and institutions across Halifax and surrounding municipalities: Grand Parade (Halifax), Citadel Hill (Halifax Citadel), Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk, Pier 21, Scotiabank Centre, Halifax Central Library, Dalhousie Arts Centre, Shubie Park, Point Pleasant Park, Halifax Common, Quarry Stage Dartmouth, Alderney Landing, Historic Properties (Halifax), Alderney Gate, Cunard Centre and outdoor plazas adjacent to Nova Scotia Community College campuses. Satellite events have taken place in communities such as Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Bedford, Nova Scotia, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay, Truro, Nova Scotia and Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Coverage has appeared in national and regional outlets including CBC Television, CBC Radio One, Global Television Network, CTV Television Network, Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The Chronicle Herald, Halifax Examiner, The Coast (Halifax) and arts publications like Canadian Art and Maclean's. Reviews and features often reference programming alongside festivals such as Halifax Jazz Festival, Hal-Con, Halifax Pop Explosion and national debates on multicultural policy rooted in discussions around the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and cultural funding decisions by Canadian Heritage.
Category:Festivals in Halifax, Nova Scotia