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Rio Welcomes The Launch Party For Inaugural ArtsGames

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The Olympics have come to Rio, amidst much fanfare and swarms of media attention. But there’s another hot ticket in town, and you’re going to be hearing a lot more about it in the near future.

The inaugural ArtsGames is a global competition that was created byOlympian Sylvia Sweeney. As the niece of the late and iconic jazz musician Oscar Peterson, Sylvia wanted to create an equally iconic event that would bring cultures together. And other than sport, what better way to do that than the arts?

With a mission “to provide a global platform to demonstrate the excellence that exists in all cultures,” the ArtsGames is ready to take on the world of arts in fine form. Sweeney has hosted several related events over past Olympics, however, this year marks the introduction of the formal ArtsGames, combining her love of sport, music and cultural togetherness.

The inaugural ArtsGames will be hosted in 2018, with the audition process beginning in 2017.

Liquid Capital has been a proud sponsor of the ArtsGames since 2008, and we wanted to showcase this event, bringing attention to its involvement at the Rio Olympic Games and how to get involved.

PLACE des Arts

What are the ArtsGames?

On January 12, 2018, the ArtsGames will be welcomed by host city, Montreal, Canada.

This spectacular 10-day event will feature over 20,000 competing artists from around the world, representing their countries in live nation vs. nation events spanning five categories: Music, Dance, Literature, Media Arts and Visual Arts.

Over the course of the ArtsGames, artists will compete in over 20 venues for one of the 144 medals that will be awarded.

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This is no small affair, as the ArtsGames committee anticipates  “1 billion+ online and broadcast viewers from 196 countries will watch as artists set a new standard for global excellence.”

Every two years, the events will be hosted in a new city and countries will have the chance to send their best and brightest artists to compete in what will surely be an awe-inspiring competition.

Competing and the “Audition” process

Just as with the Olympic Games, competition in the ArtsGames will be fierce. And qualifying to participate will require dedication and expertise in one’s field.

“Held every two years starting in 2017, The Auditions will host artists who have risen to the top in global competitions through our sanctioned federations, ArtsGames online competitions, and through ArtsGames Scouts-at-large.”

As the headquarter city for this new global event, Montreal will also play host to the final qualifying stage of The Auditions every two years. Touted for valuing “the arts as much as it values cultural diversity,” the city matches the founding principals of the ArtsGames.

Although the process doesn’t officially begin until August 2017, artists are already encouraged to follow ArtsGames for qualifying competitions.

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With Olympians on board and a full team in place, there is no better place to officially launch the ArtsGames than at Rio 2016. On August 11, 2016, the ArtsGames will be presented to the world, complete with star-studded performances.

As a proud sponsor of the ArtsGames, we encourage you to follow the organization and participate in events. Good luck to all competitors! 

Images via ArtsGames.com