Culture of Halifax, Nova Scotia
Hosting the region's largest urban population, Halifax, Nova Scotia is an important cultural centre in Atlantic Canada.
Halifax is home to a vibrant arts and culture community that enjoys considerable support and participation from the general population.
As the largest community and the administrative centre of the Atlantic region since its founding in 1749, Halifax has long-standing tradition of being a cultural generator.
While Halifax is not as multiculturally diverse as its larger Canadian counterparts, this is slowly evolving, particularly as the municipality and province place more emphasis on attracting immigrants.
From 1876 until its demolition in 1929, plays, concerts and even operas were performed at the Academy of Music building near the corner of Barrington Street at Spring Garden Road.
Reflecting the change in popular taste, the Academy building was torn down to make way for the Capitol Theatre, a movie house.
Halifax Dance offers recreational classes in ballet, modern, jazz, creative movement, tap, hip-hop and physical theatre.
Their costume collection comes from the various regions of Greece and their repertoire includes a large number of traditional Greek dances.
The musical scene in Halifax is broad and richly varied, from European classical to Celtic and Acadian traditional to the various forms of indie.
Many of its musicians have joint teaching appointments at the Dalhousie University School of Music and the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts.
Although it never managed to achieve Seattle's musical fame, a number of artists did emerge, including Sloan, Thrush Hermit, and Sarah McLachlan.
Past performers include Arcade Fire, K'naan, The Hold Steady, Pains of Being Pure at Heart and hundreds more.
Many NSCAD graduates have remained in Halifax and practiced as graphic designers, photographers, film-makers, muralists, ceramicists, jewellers and weavers.
The tourism industry has had a strong influence on the region's cultural activities in recent decades and provides important spin-offs from attendance at various festivals and events throughout the retail, restaurant and accommodation sectors, particularly in the downtown urban core of the former cities of Halifax and Dartmouth.
In the summer, downtown vendors and buskers cater to cruise ship passengers and tourists, while destinations such as the Public Gardens, Point Pleasant Park, Casino Nova Scotia, Citadel Hill and most-famously Peggys Cove all benefit from visitors attending cultural events.
Halifax is reputed to have one of the highest number of bars per capita of any Canadian city;[citation needed] even its QMJHL team is named after a New Brunswick beer company, Moosehead.
