The 2009 Squamish Wild at Art Festival will take place March 6th to the 15th, with the umbrella theme: Local Colour. ‘It’s time for our local talents to get main stage and be front and centre,’ said Board President Sonja Lebans. ‘This year we want to really brand our festival as local.’ With the festival dates confirmed and a ‘buy-local’ attitude, Wild at Art volunteers are set to put these words into action.

Choirs, musicians, bands and DJs from Lion’s Bay to Brackendale are invited to participate in the Wild at Art 2009 festival by submitting an application to Performing Arts Coordinator Kyle Coulter  (go to www.wildatart.ca for the application form and submission details). The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2008 and the final selection will be announced by December 1, 2008. All applications will be juried and those selected will receive a performance honorarium and the opportunity to perform at a festival venue in Squamish during the 2009 festival. Those selected will also be promoted on the Wild at Art Festival website with artist bios, photos and sound bites.

All applicants are encouraged to also enter the Wild at Art ‘Local Colour’ song contest (refer to the Performing Arts Application posted at www.wildatart.ca ). Wild at Art is looking for a newly composed song that best represents the spirit of Squamish. The winner will receive $1000 and will be scheduled to perform at the festival main stage located at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. The deadline for song contest submissions is November 1, 2008. Those without a demo CD will be given the option to audition live at the OP Pub on November 2nd (with the sound system provided by Noisy Boyes Music). For a song contest form go to www.wildatart.ca . Please note that all contestants must pre-register for the live audition.