Art in the Open: Engaging Public Spaces
Welcome to the Vancouver Biennale: Art in the Open learning website.
The Vancouver Biennale (Biennale) is a public art exhibition that brings sculptures, new media and performance works by celebrated and emerging international artists to Vancouver area public parks, beaches and urban plazas, transforming the city into an open-air museum. The exhibition promises a diverse mix of interesting and important works of contemporary art, from the spectacular to the curious, to the thought provoking and playful, all completely free of charge for the entire community to enjoy throughout the seasons. The event is scheduled every two years. (http://www.vancouverbiennale.com/)
Education is a priority mandate of the Biennale. The Biennale is committed to community outreach through its education program. The learning resources on this website includes:
For schools: Vancouver Biennale lesson plans are designed to encourage active, engaged, inquiry based learning utilizing the 2009-2011 Vancouver Biennale installations. The idea is to move learning topics into the community thus stimulates a sense of real inquiry for both teachers and students. Experiential learning touching on student knowledge, and multiple intelligences is at the core of the lesson plans. Our goal is to develop fully inclusive, cross curricular, inquiry based lesson plans that are easily accessible and fun to explore. All lesson plans have been field tested and offer suggested activities, curriculum challenges and creative learning expressions.
Self-guided tours: a set of full-day and half-day self-guided public art walking tour are available for art programs, families and visitors to view and download. Each tour guide is consisted of a route map, public art and other points of interest information. The tours include Vancouver Biennale installations, selected City or private development public artworks.
Interactive Game: for parents with preschool child and children ranging from age 8 and up. A "Where's Waldo-meets-Clue" framework where kids/parents can use their mouse to explore a stylized Vancouver English Bay, discover clues and solve a mystery on stolen sculptures. The game presents a nonlinear repetition of learning cycle through free play and discovery; building and applying knowledge.
Please join the growing Biennale learning community and explore the resources on this site. We love to hear from you - please drop us a line at infor@vancouverbiennale.com and send in your photos for posting on the Community Gallery.
KatherineTong
Education Program Manager
Vancouver Biennale