Important Update Regarding the Vancouver International Children’s Festival and COVID-19
To ensure the health and safety of staff and patrons and with the recent closure of BC schools, the decision was made to cancel this year’s Festival. With school groups composing fifty percent of the 25,000 attendees expected during the week of the Festival and with vulnerable attendees such as children and grandparents scheduled to attend, the prudent decision has been made to forgo the Festival this year.
Furthermore, with the recent measures taken by the Province Health Officer and BC Centre for Disease Control that events of more than 50 or more people cannot be held until May 30th, 2020, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival has taken this step to ensure full support and contribution towards the containment process.
Like many non-profit arts organizations, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival Society relies on support from its audience, the arts community, government funders, community partners, corporate sponsors and media.
“During this unprecedented time, it’s now more important than ever to support the arts. The Vancouver International Children’s Festival would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of our supporters who stand with us to face this unique challenge,” states Katharine Carol, Artistic and Executive Director.
Ticket buyers can expect to be contacted by the Festival’s Box Office regarding their tickets. Patrons have the option of receiving a full refund or they can choose to donate the cost of their tickets to the Festival and receive a tax receipt. In addition, Artists scheduled to perform at this year’s Festival will be contacted soon as we are committed to supporting artists involved in the Festival to the best of our ability.
The Vancouver International Children’s Festival gratefully acknowledges the following for their generous support: CMHC Granville Island, Port of Vancouver, RBC Foundation, Sun Life Financial, Amacon Foundation, Sprott Shaw College, YVR for Kids, Diamond Foundation, Granville Island Hotel, Waves Coffee House, Lamar Transit Advertising, Apex Event Rentals, Pattison Outdoor, Squamish Nation, Loungeworks, Moonrider Productions, Choices Markets, Indigo-Chapters, The Georgia Straight, Omni, City TV– Breakfast Television, The Vancouver Courier, BCLiving, VancouverMom.ca, Fairchild Media Group, BC Parent Magazine, The Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, City of Vancouver Cultural Services, Province of BC through BC Arts Council and BC Gaming, CIBC Children’s Foundation, Timothy C Kerr Family Foundation, Mirhady Family Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation, the Estate of John Robert (JR) Seifred, and the Estate of Lynne Harrison.
About the Vancouver International Children’s Festival
The longest running professional performing arts festival for young audiences and the first of its kind in North America and Europe, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival presents the world’s finest music, theatre, dance, puppetry, acrobatics and storytelling, as well as creative arts activities for the entire family. Families come to Granville Island from near and far to experience this extraordinary annual arts festival created specifically for children and families.
Thank you for your understanding and patience at this time.
Nicole Yeasting, Board Chair and Katharine Carol, Artistic & Executive Director
Media interview requests please contact:
Katharine Carol | Artistic and Executive Director
Vancouver International Children’s Festival
e: kcarol@childrensfestival.ca