One of Lake Nipissing's most unusual events, Ice Follies, will celebrate its 10th Anniversary February 10 - 24 and organizers promise to provide the community with "a truly unique experience, unlike anything that we have ever done before."
Ice Follies is back for its 10th Anniversary Celebration February 10 - 24 and will return to Shabogesic Beach (formerly Marathon Beach).
See: Ice Follies back on the lake this winter
"Ice Follies is a contemporary art festival featuring a slate of national and regional artists presented on frozen Lake Nipissing; a distinctly Northern way to experience art," says a news release from the group.
"The 2023 theme 'Thin Ice' looks at our shifting landscapes and communities, including our changing relationships with our environment and each other."
This local festival has become a biennial tradition, transforming the coldest month into one of the most creative months of the year. Ice Follies is co-presented by three local arts organizations: Aanmitaagzi, Near North Mobile Media Lab, and White Water Gallery.
To celebrate its 10th edition, Ice Follies welcomes new arts presenters from Toronto, New Liskeard, and North Bay making it their biggest year yet, with 13 art projects in total.
As always, Ice Follies is free to attend, and open 24/7 for the duration of the festival. Visitors will want to attend more than once, as day and night offer two totally different experiences of the festival.
"It is super amazing to participate in a winter exhibition that is a cure to the February blues, celebrates art outside of conventional settings, and raises awareness of our relationship with our ecosystems,” says Isabelle Michaud, one of the participating artists in Ice Follies 2023.
"To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Ice Follies is excited to provide members of the community with a truly unique experience, unlike anything that we have ever done before," says the release. "To expand community engagements, Ice Follies 2023 is also partnering with Vox Choir, Creative Industries, Styly, Big Medicine Studios, and others to offer workshops and community arts projects out on the lake."
To pay homage to Ice Follies’ rich cultural history, the 10th anniversary festival will feature a specially curated, on-ice retrospective installation from the founder of Ice Follies, Dermot Wilson.
"The official Ice Follies documentation photographer, Liz Lott, will also create a self-guided historical Ice Follies photo walk through downtown North Bay, showcasing many amazing artists from past biennials."
For the first time ever, Ice Follies will be offering guided art tours of all the installations being presented that attendees can take part in for $10.
Ice Follies started in 2004, and is a biennial festival of contemporary and community-engaged art, produced by an ad hoc collective on frozen Lake Nipissing.
Festival attendance continues to grow and the organization is hoping to expand audiences by offering unique programming that will attract out-of-town markets and increase local attendance.
Ice Follies is grateful for the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, the government of Ontario through Reconnect Ontario, as well as to Tourism North Bay for their support.
