Cape Breton’s ninth annual Lumière Arts Festival will take place in Sydney’s downtown core on September 26, 27, and 28, 2019. Artist talks and workshops will be held throughout the first two days, followed by the signature art-at-night event beginning at sunset on Saturday, September 28, and coming to a close at midnight. Lumière presents projects from artistic disciplines including but not limited to, visual arts, theatre and performance, music and sound, film and video, fine craft, and dance. The Festival provides a platform for collaboration and dialogue between artists and audiences, connecting the local population with diverse forms of cultural expression and creating a unique cultural experience. The Festival is dedicated to bringing art to the public in an accessible, interactive, and engaging fashion that underlines the importance of public participation and cultural democracy. In 2018, Lumière presented its first curatorial theme: Erosion. Inspired by the physical and cultural character of Unama’ki (Cape Breton), Erosion told the story of an island shaped by the forces of nature and the peoples of many nations who have, over centuries, occupied this land. This year, the Lumière Arts Festival will build upon these concepts, with a brand new curatorial theme: Transitions. Transitions aims to invite artists and the community at large to reflect upon the changes that have shaped this place and those that are leading us into the future. Melissa Kearney, Event Coordinator for Lumière, says, “As Lumière moves toward our tenth anniversary next year, I reflect on the first years of the festival and the values we have held dear to us since the beginning as we watch Downtown and North End Sydney flourish. I am proud of Lumière’s place amidst the growth of our downtown. This year, local artists will be joined by artists from across Canada and other major festivals to aid us in providing a public and contemporary art experience that is completely accessible, diverse, and free to the public. To all of the artists, board members past and present, volunteers, community partners, business owners, and sponsors, who have worked above and beyond the work day hour to surpass the status quo, thank you from the bottom of our Lumière hearts. See you out in the streets!” The festival kicks off on Thursday, September 26, with a program of short films curated by Cape Breton filmmaker, Nelson MacDonald. The screening will be held at the Highland Arts Theatre from 8:00-10:00PM and is free of charge. The Lumière artist talks will be held the following evening, from 7:30-9:00PM, at the Old Sydney Society Museum, 173 Charlotte Street. All are welcome to join as Lumière artists discuss their work and artistic process. Special guest, Sky Goodden, founding editor of Momus, an international online art publication that promotes art writing and journalism, will be speaking, along with Megan Stewart of the The River Clyde Pageant and David Peters, to name a few. We are thrilled to announce that the Lantern Parade, beginning at 6:45PM on Saturday, September 28, will be led by The River Clyde Pageant. This is extra special, as these Prince Edward Island performers have never taken the project beyond their home island, and are eager to share their work with a new audience. The most anticipated event of the festival, Lumière’s signature art-at-night event, will be held Saturday, September 28 from 7:00PM-midnight. The art-at-night event will feature dozens of unique projects and performances presented by local artists and community groups from across the country. For full festival listings, visit lumierecb.com Lumière is family friendly, accessible, and free to the public. For more information, visit lumierecb.com or find the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/326585048010108/ The Lumière Arts Festival recognizes the support of the Province of Nova Scotia. We are pleased to work in partnership with the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage to develop and promote our cultural resources for all Nova Scotians.