Culture of Halifax, Nova Scotia facts for kids
Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a lively city and a major cultural hub in Atlantic Canada. It's known for its exciting arts and culture scene, which many people in the city enjoy and support. Since it was founded in 1749, Halifax has been a place where new ideas and artistic expressions begin.
The city is working on a special plan called a Cultural Plan. This plan will help guide how arts and culture grow and develop in Halifax.
Halifax is becoming more diverse, with people from many different backgrounds. This is happening as the city and province welcome more immigrants. The Muslim community is growing, and the long-standing African Nova Scotian community, along with Greek and Lebanese communities, add a lot to the local culture. Many university students, including those from other countries, also bring fresh ideas and energy to the city's cultural life.
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Performing Arts in Halifax
Halifax has been a home for live music and theatre for a very long time. People have been putting on shows almost since the city began. In the past, there were theatres where plays and concerts were performed.
Theatre Groups
Halifax has several theatre groups. The most famous one is the Neptune Theatre. It started in 1963, but live shows have been happening at its location since 1915. It was even one of the first theatres built just for Vaudeville shows.
Other cool theatre groups include Shakespeare by the Sea, Halifax, which performs plays outdoors. There's also Eastern Front Theatre and The Theatre Arts Guild, which is Canada's oldest community theatre group that has been running non-stop. Smaller groups like OneLight Theatre and Zuppa Circus also put on great shows.
Dalhousie University has a program where students can study theatre. Their Rebecca Cohn Auditorium is the biggest theatre in Halifax for plays and music events.
Dance in Halifax
Halifax is home to several dance groups. The oldest and largest is the Halifax Dance Association. It started in 1973 and has over 1,400 members, making it the biggest dance group in the Atlantic region. Halifax Dance offers fun classes in many styles, like ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, and tap. They also have a special program for students who want to study dance more seriously.
Halifax Dance has several dance companies that perform. One of them is the Young Company, which tours schools in Nova Scotia and performs The Nutcracker every year. Another important dance school is at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts.
Many immigrant communities in Halifax also have their own dance groups. These groups perform traditional dances from their home countries. For example, the Romiosyni Dance Group performs traditional Greek dances at the annual Greek Festival and other events. They wear beautiful costumes from different parts of Greece.
Music Scene
Halifax has a wide variety of music, from classical to Celtic and Acadian traditional music, and many kinds of indie music. It is the home of Symphony Nova Scotia, which has been around since 1897. Many of its musicians also teach at Dalhousie University.
Halifax has a lively music community with many talented artists. Some famous musicians from Halifax include Buck 65, Wintersleep, April Wine, and The Joel Plaskett Emergency. In the 1990s, Halifax became known for its exciting indie rock scene, with bands like Sloan, Thrush Hermit, and singer Sarah McLachlan.
Every fall, Halifax hosts the Halifax Pop Explosion, a big indie rock festival. It brings in thousands of people and features new and upcoming bands. Famous bands like Arcade Fire and K'naan have performed there. Halifax also hosted the Juno Awards of 2006, which are Canada's biggest music awards.
Sometimes, very famous bands come to Halifax for concerts. The Rolling Stones played a huge concert on the Halifax Commons in 2006, which was the biggest concert the city had ever seen.
Visual Arts in Halifax
Halifax is a great place for visual arts, with a famous art and design school and over 30 art galleries.
The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) has been very important for visual arts in Nova Scotia since it started in 1887. Many NSCAD graduates stay in Halifax and work as designers, photographers, filmmakers, and artists.
Halifax has many art galleries, both public and private. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia is a large gallery with a permanent collection of more than 15,000 art pieces. There are also private galleries like Zwickers Gallery and Studio 21. You can also find many public art pieces displayed around the city.
Universities in Halifax also have their own art galleries. NSCAD has the Anna Leonowens Gallery. The Dalhousie Arts Centre has the Dalhousie Art Gallery. Mount Saint Vincent University and Saint Mary's University also have art galleries.
Film Industry
Halifax has become a popular place for making movies. Many American and Canadian filmmakers use the city's streets because it's often cheaper than filming in other big cities. Because Halifax is a port city, it's also a great spot for movies about ships. Parts of famous films like Titanic (1997), The Shipping News, and K-19: The Widowmaker were filmed in the area.
The Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative, started in 1974, helps filmmakers by providing equipment and facilities. They also run the Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival. The Centre for Art Tapes (CFAT) is another group that helps artists who work with video, audio, and new media.
Museums to Explore
Halifax has many interesting museums. The Halifax Citadel is a large historic fort and museum that overlooks the city. The province's Natural History Museum is also nearby.
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is the oldest and largest museum about the sea in Canada. It explores Nova Scotia's history with ships and the ocean. You can even see a real museum ship, the HMCS Sackville, which is Canada's naval memorial, docked next to the museum. The Naval Museum of Halifax also shares the city's rich naval history.
The Pier 21 Immigration Museum is located in a former building where immigrants arrived by ocean liner. It tells the story of Canada's immigration history. Across the harbour, the Dartmouth Heritage Museum preserves the history of Dartmouth.
The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia in Cherrybrook celebrates the history and culture of African Nova Scotians. There are also smaller community museums like the Fultz House Museum in Sackville and the Musquodoboit Railway Museum. For aviation fans, there are two museums: the Atlantic Aviation Museum near the airport and the Shearwater Aviation Museum.
Tourism and Culture
Tourism plays a big role in Halifax's cultural activities. Visitors attending festivals and events help local businesses like shops, restaurants, and hotels, especially in downtown Halifax and Dartmouth. In the summer, street performers entertain tourists and cruise ship passengers. Popular spots like the Public Gardens, Point Pleasant Park, Casino Nova Scotia, Citadel Hill, and especially Peggys Cove, all benefit from visitors enjoying the cultural scene.
Festivals and Events
Halifax Harbour has hosted the amazing Tall Ships Challenge many times, with beautiful tall ships sailing into the port. There are also exciting yacht races like the biennial Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race.
For over 30 years, Halifax has hosted an international military show called the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. It's a spectacular event with military bands and performers from around the world.
Other important festivals include the Atlantic Jazz Festival, the Atlantic Film Festival, the Multicultural Festival, the Greek Summerfest, Halifax Pride, and the Lebanese Festival. The annual International Busker Festival brings street performers from everywhere. Halifax also hosts the Halifax Pop Explosion, a new music festival, every fall.
The Halifax Port Authority is developing a waterfront area called the Halifax Seaport. It's becoming a cool, artistic area near the cruise ship terminal and Pier 21.
Entertainment and Nightlife
Halifax is known for having many bars and live music venues. Many bars feature live music every night, with artists playing all kinds of music. The city's late closing times mean that people often stay out enjoying the night until the early morning. A popular spot after leaving the bars is Pizza Corner.
The Split Crow Pub is a historic tavern that opened in 1890. It was named after the oldest pub in town, which was the first place in Nova Scotia to get a liquor license.
Performance Venues
Outdoor concerts often happen on the Halifax Common or on the slopes of Citadel Hill. For big indoor concerts, the Scotiabank Centre downtown is the main spot.
Other places to see performances include:
- Dalhousie Arts Centre at Dalhousie University is home to Symphony Nova Scotia.
- The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium is the largest concert hall in Nova Scotia, with 1,023 seats.
- The Sir James Dunn Theatre has 230 seats.
- Seton Auditorium at Mount Saint Vincent University is a unique round auditorium with 1,000 seats.
- Spatz Theatre at Citadel High School has 780 seats.
- Bella Rose Arts Centre at Halifax West High School has 600 seats.
- McNally Theatre at Saint Mary's University has 600 seats.
- Ondaatje Hall at Dalhousie University is a large lecture hall with 535 seats.
- Neptune Theatre is the top theatre company in Atlantic Canada.
- Fountain Hall has 479 seats.
- The Studio Theatre has 163–200 seats.
- Paul O'Regan Hall at the Halifax Central Library has 300 seats.
- Alderney Landing in Downtown Dartmouth, Nova Scotia is a centre for conventions, art, markets, and theatre, with 285 seats.
- The Music Room is known for its excellent sound quality, with 110 seats.
- The Halifax Pavilion is an all-ages club that helps new bands perform and build a community for indie and punk musicians.
- The Paragon (formerly the Marquee Club) is a popular spot for bigger indie bands in the North End. It's considered one of the best live music venues in Atlantic Canada.
- The Khyber is an arts and performance centre on Barrington Street.
- Casino Nova Scotia has several venues for concerts and events, including the Schooner Showroom and Compass Room.
