Every year, after a very active month full of cultural events, Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (VAHMS) culminates its explorASIAN Festival with a Recognition Gala to celebrate and thank individuals, and/or cultural organizations that have made valuable contributions to Pan-Asian and Asian-Canadian arts and culture in the city’s communities and neighbourhoods.

One of the longest-running festivals in Metro Vancouver, explorASIAN promotes the contributions of Canadians of Asian heritage to Canada’s growth and prosperity, says organizer Leticia Sanchez, president of VAHMS. “In its 23rd year, VAHMS is more committed than ever to providing a platform to showcase the different pan-Asian communities and Asian-Canadian cultures,” said Sánchez. “Through multilateral, multigenerational interactions, we aim to promote a more equitable, functional society with room for all and with talent to spare!”

This year’s festival included diverse activities and events such as guided cross-cultural walking tours to discover Vancouver’s neighbourhoods; live performances including Indian classical dance and flamenco music; Iranian folk music; Indonesian batik demos; and art, ceramics, photography, calligraphy and other exhibitions, among others.

2019 Recognition Awards Winners

Three culture champions will be honoured at this year’s Recognition Gala:

Highly accomplished print artist Lenore RS Lim, the driving force behind the Filipino Music and Arts Foundation in BC, is recognized for creating opportunities for visual and performing artists to share their work with a wider audience.

Lan Tung is an erhu performer, composer and concert producer who has promoted cross-cultural collaboration between musicians from Asia and the West for more than 20 years. Lan is the artistic director of the Orchid Ensemble, Sound of Dragon Society/Sound of Dragon Music Festival and Proliferation.

The Indian Summer Arts Society stages the Indian Summer Festival, a multi-arts, multicultural, multi-gender and multi-racial event, featuring more than 200 artists, both emerging talent as well as global names, and activities ranging from neighbourhood walking tours to dialogues about gentrification.

Dinner tickets ($75 or $675 for a table of 10) are still available via eventbrite or through email at office.vahms@gmail.com.

For more information, visit the explorASIAN website.