UVic Hosts Sixth Annual Ideafest, March 6-11

Weeklong festival offers more than 40 public events designed to inform and entertain

 What’s behind the surge of support for Trump, Brexit and anti-immigration policies? How are Indigenous artists reshaping our vision of Canada? How can we protect the fragile ecology of the BC coast from increasing human activity? What does it feel like to dive into a galaxy? Do those old photos and documents in your attic have historical value?

 These are just a few of the many topics to be featured at the University of Victoria’s sixth annual Ideafest, March 6-11. More than 40 events—all free and open to the public—will showcase the world-class research, innovation and creative activity underway by UVic faculty members and students, and the impact their work is having on our world and our lives.

 A variety of panels, hands-on workshops, exhibits, performances, screenings and tours will cover topics such as: global migration; noise in the ocean; why art matters in turbulent times; eco-spirituality on the West Coast; Indigenous economic reconciliation; languages of the world; life-changing, hands-on experiences in international research; sustainable living in the Victoria region; the rise of cyber smart systems; plastics in the marine environment, and many others.

“Ideafest has become a cherished opportunity for UVic researchers and artists to celebrate and share their knowledge with the community,” says Oliver Schmidtke, UVic’s acting associate vice-president research. “Among its many events, this year’s Ideafest will prominently feature the exchange of ideas on some of the burning issues of our time—Indigenous reconciliation, environmental sustainability and the challenges to liberal democracy such as the rise of ‘angry populism.’ We encourage everyone to visit the website and check out the full schedule of events.”

View the full Ideafest schedule at www.uvic.ca/ideafest, searchable by day or category. The schedule scales to all mobile devices.