CODE Connects Canadians

The Cultural Olympiad's digital edition (CODE) is a suite of programs best described by three words: Connect. Create. Collaborate. CODE creatively engages national and global audiences through digital technology. It’s a first for Canada and a first for an Olympic and Paralympic Games.

With the launch of the first project, Canada CODE, on May 4, Canadians everywhere were invited to submit images or words about their daily lives to contribute to a virtual scrapbook that reflects the stuff we Canadians are made of. Canada CODE tells the story of Canadian culture to the world. It brings the Cultural Olympiad to a whole new level and to Canadians through a whole new medium. The end result will be collaborative, remixed works of art that will be featured on jumbo public screens during the 2010 Winter Games.

Canada CODE will reach into all corners of the country, to people of any age, culture or language. Anyone with access to the internet and a desire to connect, can create or simply explore Canada CODE via vancouver2010.com/code. The site is accessible, inclusive and bilingual.

“CODE is about who we are. It’s the things we do every day. It’s the words we use to describe our selves and our communities,” explained Burke Taylor, VANOC vice-president, culture and celebrations. “The Canada CODE will reach into all parts of the country to truly make these Canada’s Games through the power of Canadians’ imagination and the Internet.”

Bridging the Vast Canadian Landscape

“Canadians are always looking for ways to reach across the huge land mass we inhabit to connect with each other,” said Rae Hull, director of CODE and originator of Canada CODE. “Historically, we’ve had the telephone and the train; today, we are one of the most wired nations in the world. The networked nature of the web is an ideal way to illustrate both the incredible diversity that exists in Canada and the way we knit it all together.”

Contributions to Canada CODE

Submissions will be moderated and uploaded within 48 hours. The contributor’s user name, as well as their location, will be tagged to their creative work and can be seen whenever a visitor to the site clicks on their submission. Canada CODE is the first of several CODE projects to be launched — others will be announced in the coming months.

Bell has been instrumental in facilitating the involvement of leading industry partners and BC-based companies in CODE. As the exclusive Telecommunications Partner to the 2010 Winter Games, Bell is helping to connect all Canadians to Canada CODE. Canada CODE is also connecting with Canadians through the assistance of the National Film Board of Canada, a major collaborator on the project through its network of studios and partner associations.

To kick-start the bilingual online art project this spring, a number of Canadian writers such as 2008 Giller Prize winner Joseph Boyden of Willowdale, Ontario, Vancouver’s Evelyn Lau and Montreal’s Nicole Brossard, have added their voices and vision to inspire others about their daily lives and neighbourhoods. A total of 49 Canadian writers helped launch the site, thanks to support from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Related links

Canada CODE