The Cultch, Historic Theatre
14, 15-18 May 2025
IGNITE! is an eclectic festival that celebrates excellence in emerging art and that is programmed and curated entirely by members of the Youth Panel at The Cultch. It features theatre performers, filmmakers, writers, poets, dancers, musicians, drag and visual artists — all aged 13-30 — as well as participants from The Cultch mentorship programs. Celebrating its 24th Anniversary, the festival also includes the production of two new One Act Plays by local emerging playwrights and a Visual Arts exhibition
Visual Art Exhibition
Wednesday, May 14: Appetite, Opening Party
Thursday, May 15: Synapse
Friday, May 16: Pulse
Saturday, May 17: Resonance
Sunday, May 18: Puncture; The Big Finale
don’t miss out on western canada’s biggest youth-run festival
thursday, may 19
music
Argel MDR is a Filipino-Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor from Surrey, Canada. He was one of the Top 10 finalists of CBC’s Toyota Searchlight 2021. When he was 15 years old, he moved to Canada from the Philippines with his family to seek a better life and opportunities. As a young immigrant, Argel wants to use the power of storytelling to inspire Filipino youth and other immigrants through his music and theatrical performances. He is an advocate of representation, anti-racism work, and inclusion. Argel’s most recent single, ‘Sail Away’ was featured in Spotify playlists including Fresh Finds Philippines.
wednesday, may 18
Ignite!-curated shorts
Corinne Langmuir (they/she) is a video editor, multimedia creator, and writer. In 2020, they directed the introspective dance short Zì Jǐ with their collaborator Erin Lum. Corinne is studying at the University of Toronto. They aim to challenge the barriers of subconscious narratives through multimedia grounds.
wednesday, may 18
Ignite!-curated shorts
Erin Lum (she/her) is a dancer, writer, and filmmaker. Her instinctual love for movement has allowed her to explore the ways creative practices intertwine. With her collaborator Corinne Langmuir, she directed and danced in the F-O-R-M commissioned short, Zì Jǐ. Erin is currently studying at SFU and works as F-O-R-M’s Associate Producer.
