So many people ask me, “How did you ever come up with the idea to start the festival?” Living abroad for 13 years, I missed the gorgeous flowering cherry trees at home in Vancouver every spring. The Japanese diplomat I came to know as Knobu-san told me about the age-old Sakura festivals of Japan. Since the first of Vancouver’s 43,000 cherry trees originated as gifts from Japan, creating a festival in the city seemed like a perfect way to express our gratitude for this generous gift and to celebrate the beauty and joy they bring to everyone.
For centuries, the cherry blossom has been a source of inspiration for poets, visual artists, and performers worldwide. The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival has grown this artistic tradition over the past two decades by inviting local and international talent to engage with the blossoms through music, dance, theatre, film, visual and digital arts, poetry, photography, and cuisine.
Through accessible performances and exhibitions, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival encourages the general public to gather in shared appreciation of various artistic practices. Art is a springboard to new connections and increased understanding of one another. With particular attention to emerging artists, the festival facilitates exciting collaborations and bridges diverse cultures, art forms, and disciplines. We are proud to commission local artists and provide opportunities both for professional development and presentation at beautiful outdoor venues.
As the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, I have always been passionate about supporting artists in their creative practices and sharing their work with new audiences. I believe that art should be accessible to everyone, so the festival offers a variety of free, low-cost, and low-barrier engagement opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds. The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival connects myriad audiences through vibrant cultural and creative productions, illuminating the artist in each of us.
My belief in the power of the cherry blossom’s ephemeral beauty continues to drive me in this work year after year. I strive to produce a truly city-wide, uniquely west-coast, multi-disciplinary arts festival that will bloom for many generations to come.
Linda Poole
Founder
Creative Director