IGNITE! Youth Panel

IGNITE! FESTIVAL WEBSITE

Youth Panel (Jordyn Wood, Valentina Acevedo Montilla, Trevor Stewart, Peyson McCormack, Eve Middleton-Meyer); Photo by Pedro Augusto Meza

The Cultch offers inovative youth-driven arts programming and development opportunities

The Cultch offers innovative, youth-driven arts programming and professional development opportunities to aspiring young artists and art lovers aged 13-30. We provide a gathering place for performance and mentorship, and support the development of youth community leadership through a variety of programs. The Youth Program is a safe space. It is a non-discriminating, inclusive environment with opportunities for just about any interest in the arts, whether you’re just starting out or have already graduated from post-secondary training.

For more information, please contact Valentina Acevedo Montilla, Youth Program Manager, at

Imagine having access to one of Canada’s premiere performing arts venues for an entire week to create the arts festival of your dreams. Imagine working collaboratively with a group of like-minded young people to make that dream a reality. Imagine learning from the city’s top artists and administrators to make your festival the best it could possibly be. You’ve just imagined The Cultch’s Youth Panel.

The Youth Panel is a group of approximately 20 young people aged 13-24 from all over Vancouver with a passion for the performing arts. They are talented, energized, and engaged. They are fun-loving, hilarious, and more than a little bit nuts. They are curious, committed, and intelligent. You and your friends are welcome to join.

Because it is fun. Because it is challenging. Because you will make new friends. Because you will learn a ton of new skills. Because you will laugh. Because you might cry. Because you will work harder than you ever have before. Because it will be worth it.

Anyone and everyone is welcome to join, it doesn’t matter if you consider yourself an artist or not. All you need is a passion for the contemporary arts, and a desire to learn and collaborate. It is 100% free.

The goal of the IGNITE! Youth Panel, with the help of the Youth Program Manager, is to create and organize a one-week festival that encourages youth to showcase their talents in all areas of artistic expression. In so doing, the Youth Panel aims to gain knowledge and experience in the technical, curatorial, and creative aspects of the artistic process and provide resources and mentoring to young performers. Beyond the Panel itself, we hope to bring together a community of young artists who can further expand and develop their talent and inspire generations of youth to come

…AND HAVE FUN!