SPLASH (2021, 2022, 2023)

For a week in August 2021, Five Blue People explored different places in the North Okanagan and Shuswap, with unexpected appearances seen by unsuspecting people.

They then received an invitation to Oliver B.C., where they helped celebrate 100 x 100 - 100 years of the town, and 10,000 years of Nk’mip First Nation.

Curious to see more places, they travelled to Victoria where they were part of an impromptu Water Ceremony on B.C. Rivers Day, and they visited the forest near Fairy Creek.

In the spring of 2022, they visited the Songbird Forest near Gibson’s Landing and in the fall they sprung up in various sites in Vancouver.

The Blue People returned to the Okanagan and Shuswap in August 2022 then were off to Vancouver where many people were surprised and delighted by their appearances.

Then even more SPLASH people appeared in the Armstrong Wetlands, at a request from the Armstrong Wetlands Association, and at Riverside Park in Ashton Creek on World Rivers Day.

They are appearing at a World Water Day event in March 2023 in Peachland at the invitation of the Peachland Water Protection Alliance.

Masks designed by Cathy Stubington

Blue People Mariel Belanger, Tom Conlin Jones, Isabelle Kirouac, Molly March, Jaci Metivier, Sarah May Redmond, Cathy Stubington

Guest Blue People Woinshet Bayssie, Stephan Bircher, Mary Anne Domarchuk, Simon Fowler, March Hutchinson, Peter Grainger, Jo Natale, Michelle Johnson, Jasmin Wright, Mariah

Stage Manager Dalynn Kearney

Vancouver performers Matthew Ariaratnum, Nita Bowerman, Bella Casey, Sidi Chen, Leah Day, Olivia Etey, Chantal Gering, Thomas Conlin Jones, Isabelle Kirouac, Sarah May Redmond, Mohammed Zaqout

The experiment was made possible through British Columbia Arts Council’s Resiliency Funding and The Only Animal Theatre, and BC Arts Impact