Our vibrant arts community will be on full display during Cochrane Culture Days, Sept. 11-13.

Integrated Arts Society (CIAS) has partnered with the Town of Cochrane Arts and Culture to present a wide range of visual and performing arts at a number of venues throughout the community. For the first time, it will also include presentations by members of Alberta's film industry.

You'll like the price, too. It's all free of charge.

CIAS president Jane Kaczmer has been putting the pieces together for some time and is impressed with the strong response to their call out for participants.

"The thing that has been amazing is how many people have said 'I'll come and play, I'll come perform, I'll come do a film presentation'."

Cochrane Culture Days kicks off on Friday, Sept. 11 with four movie showings at the Cochrane Movie House and two more on Saturday morning.

On the Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 12-13), three outdoor performance stages will feature a steady lineup of performances. Cochrane dance schools and Stoney Mini Thni dancers as well as music by individuals, small instrumental ensembles, folk, jazz and concert bands will be featured.

The “Front Stage” is at the Centennial Plaza in the heart of Cochrane's Historic Downtown and be dedicated to musical performances.

The “Up Stage” and “Centre Stage” will both be located at Cochrane Town Square. Centre Stage will be in front of the former Canadian Tire location on 5th Ave.

Artist demonstrations will be provided by members of the CIAS Artist Collective in close proximity to its recently opened Route 22 Gallery, also located in the Cochrane Town Square

The Cochrane Lions Event Centre (CLEC), 109 5th Ave., will be home to "Backstage," where the film industry presentations will be made. There are already nine presenters booked who will show their work and make brief presentations.

"I'm so pleased because I don't believe we've done film presentations like this," says Kaczmer.

"Two of them are people who graduated from high school in Cochrane (Reamonn Joshee and Aaron Bernakevitch) that are coming back and doing this, and then others are from the Calgary area. Some are from Edmonton and may or not be here to do a presentation, but if not we'll certainly have their movies to show."

While at the Event Centre, people can also meander through the stunning Sculpture Garden.

On Saturday, those who like to travel a little further can use the Artist Studio Drive guide map to tour the various studios around Cochrane where internationally renowned artists will demonstrate their techniques.

To top it off, Cruise Cochrane will flaunt their vintage cars as they cruise by all of the Cochrane Culture Days sites.

The event is planned with multiple concurrent attractions so that people can enjoy one and move on to the next without forming large audiences, explains Kaczmer. Volunteers will be on hand at each site to encourage social distancing, ensure boundaries are respected, provide hand sanitizer and clean surfaces as needed.

Culture Days is sponsored in part by an Alberta Culture grant, but more sponsors are welcomed.

There also remains just a few time slots for those who wish to perform. 

For information on both, you can contact Kaczmer by emailing president@cochraneartsociety.com.

Watch for more details as they unfold.