Looking back on 2021 from D’Arts et de rêves’ viewpoint
By the DAR team
What a year!
2021 was an important period for D'Arts et de Rêves (DAR) as it grew and rebranded itself while society as a whole struggled to recover from a health crisis.
With the renovation of its artists' residence and the addition of new studios for visual arts, literature, and circus arts, DAR is proud to be the first place in Quebec to offer this multidisciplinary environment with state-of-the-art equipment. Did you know that one of the studios can now be transformed into a room that can accommodate up to 60 persons?
July 3, 2021: DAR inaugurated its premises and resumed its activities. More than 100 political, artistic, and civic personalities from Sutton and the surrounding area gathered on site; all of them, quite curious, came to celebrate the reopening of the artists' residence and the new studios, to visit the premises, and to meet the DAR team. It was a great success and we are truly happy about it all.
At the residence: Several artists have since come and gone through Studios DAR Sutton. We have welcomed nine residents, three of whom had the privilege of being the first DAR scholars, each receiving creation grants worth a total of $3500. These residencies included cultural mediation activities offered to the public, as part of the contractual agreements signed with the artists.
On the artistic side: The Cultural Park received two new sculptures, L'interdit damoclèse by André Fournelle and Vroom by Don Davidson.
On the technical side: The park's facilities were improved, with the addition of an electrical system in the Agora, our natural amphitheatre, allowing sound and light activities to be held on site.
Les Samedis DAR ont été très populaires et les activités culturelles gratuites offertes au public dans l’Agora en ont ravi plus d’un.
- Projet Sanctuaire, a circus performance, was attended by almost 250 persons.
- A Poetry SLAM and spoken word performance, also caught the attention of the audience.
In total, nearly 5,000 visitors walked through the D'Arts et de Rêves site during the year and over 350 persons attended the various performances put on by the DAR team.
To be continued, absolutely, next year...
As well...
This year, once again, MusArt was held in the form of a virtual auction. This annual fundraiser was exceptionally enhanced by the screening of the film Le Sentier, written and directed by Jean-Jacques Pillet.
D'Arts et de Rêves is at a turning point in its history and is heading towards recognition that goes well beyond the limits of the town of Sutton.
All the activities carried out at the residence and in the park are made possible thanks to the volunteers who support the organization and we would like to thank them warmly.
Many projects will see the light of day in 2022 and other dreams will come true.
We wish you a very happy holiday season and a Happy New Year 2022!
We look forward to seeing you again at the Studios DAR Sutton or in the DAR Cultural Park.