Participants are glowing at the Esplanade's first Art Box experience last fall with a wall size glow-paint project. -- SUBMITTED PHOTO Randy Feere
Lately I have been thinking more about the passage of time and how it seems to speed up or slow down in relation to circumstance. While time plods along consistently in one direction, we often seem to have too much of it or not nearly enough. We might have struggled with it as we sat at home during the pandemic, as we hunkered down for another Canadian winter, or as we sometimes cram a much too large list of obligations into our day. This may lead us to reflect on “better” days. Time that simultaneously blinked by and slowed down as we experienced and savoured the moment.
Sometimes we feel we don’t have enough time to commit to pursuing new interests and experiences. Instead, we keep to our trusted routines and long for a brief escape where we will find the time to relax, enjoy, connect, and try new things. At the Esplanade, we want to help find that time in your daily life. Our series of Pay What You Will experiences, like Inspired Thursday Evenings and Gallery Play! on Saturdays (launching April 23) incorporates the flexibility and accessibility to fit your lifestyle.
Our Inspired Thursday Evenings offer high value, low time commitment, non-traditional arts and heritage experiences for adults only, as well as for the whole family to enjoy. These Pay What You Will programs allow you to try something new without the risk of buyer’s remorse, as you determine the price of your admission based on your experience.
Offered seasonally in the fall, winter and spring, this series of programs changes accordingly, providing you with new opportunities. Get bold, bright and messy with one of our Art Box experiences like glow painting, ice carving and this spring, floral arranging and printmaking. Also, this spring, embrace spontaneity by trying out improv (think Whose Line is it Anyway?) with our Hysterical Research in the Archives experience, or sit back and enjoy watching the culmination of their efforts at a show of Laugh Locally. This fall, gain a new perspective and ignite your curiosity with our behind-the-scenes experiences. Go backstage with our theatre experts, explore light, sound and walk in the footsteps of the greatest performers to have graced our stage. Investigate our vaults with our collections team and uncover stories from the past. Check the Esplanade website regularly for all the latest experiences information.
On Saturday afternoons, grab the kiddos and experience Gallery Play! No registration required! This all ages, drop-in program runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Take in a brief interactive tour, play gallery games, try dress-up, story time, and art activities in our brand-new Discovery Zone or go your own way with one of our scavenger hunt options. The roster of fun is continually changing to suit your needs and ensure a high level of engagement with you and your littles, making each experience unique.
As children, time stretched out before us and everything was new. For the lucky it was filled with “better days.” As time passes, we hope to learn and grow with it. Though as our days zip or slog by, it seems we often forget what children know instinctively – how to play. Whether you have too much time or not enough, our flexible programming will help you make the space to have new experiences and rediscover play.
Candace Lundrigan is Cultural Public Programmer at the Esplanade
