Mayor Bevilacqua: City receives 2021 Ontario Culture Days Spotlight Award

The following statement was issued by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua after a special presentation during the Dec. 10 Council meeting:

"I am pleased to announce two of Vaughan's 2021 Culture Days programs received the 2021 Ontario Culture Days Spotlight Award. Each year, the Spotlight Recognition Program celebrates the creativity and ingenuity of event programming as part of the Ontario Culture Days Festival. The Vaughan International Music Festival and Madeline Fiore's short film My Pocketbook of I Love You's were awarded in the People's Choice category. This open-category accolade allows the public to vote for their favourite program for its overall contribution to the Culture Days festival. Spotlight jurors chose the top five nominations, and the two Vaughan Culture Days programs were tied for the greatest number of online votes.

"This award reaffirms Vaughan's commitment to delivering events that capture our community's vibrancy and provide opportunities for local, national and international artists to share their creative expression. I want to thank everyone who took the time to cast their vote for Vaughan's Culture Days programs.

"The City of Vaughan is dedicated to supporting artistic endeavours that contribute to our community's cultural identity. That is why the City is a proud annual participant of Culture Days, a free national event that fosters arts, culture, creativity and inspiration. To celebrate our 13th year, Vaughan hosted an entire month of city-wide activities from Sept. 24 to Oct. 24, including performances from local artists, cultural groups and organizations, virtual activations and more.

"Culture Days provides a unique opportunity for residents and visitors to take in the sights and sounds of cultures from around the world without ever leaving Vaughan. This year, the Vaughan International Music Festival made its Culture Days debut. It was presented by Arcadia Live! Productions, Lal Entertainment and SmartCentres, and showcased a range of genres, including orchestral, African, Asian, Italian and spoken word performances by local musicians. Vaughan's Culture Days also featured part one of Madeline Rose Fiore's short film My Pocketbook of I Love You's – which is a four-part series that explores the ebbs and flows of an LGBTQ+ relationship. It is based on her self-published book, My Pocketbook of I Love You's.

"Events like Culture Days are one of many ways the City supports cultural and artistic diversity in Vaughan. Enriching peoples' lives with art and cultural expression are part of providing Service Excellence and help position Vaughan as a city of choice.

"I want to acknowledge the City's Economic and Cultural Development department for their promotion and support of this year's Culture Days programming. Together, we remain committed to fostering innovation, multiculturalism and the arts to showcase the very best of what Vaughan has to offer."

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