Editing Barrie (section)

== Arts and culture ==
[[File:Barrie Canada Day Fireworks.png|thumb|Fireworks over Kempenfelt Bay during Barrie's [[Canada Day]] celebrations]]
Barrie is home to a number of performing and fine art venues.{{fact|date=June 2024}} There are a number of live performance companies including Theatre by the Bay, Talk Is Free Theatre and the Huronia Symphony. Grove Park Home is the practice hall for On-Stage Performance Group which performs in [[Cookstown, Ontario|Cookstown]]. The Strolling Youth Players and the Kempenfelt Community Players also all perform in Barrie. In addition, an annual live concert series is hosted by Georgian College.

=== Performing arts ===
There are two main [[performing arts]] venues in the city: the Five Points Theatre, and the Georgian Theatre. Originally, the Five Points Theatre was known as The Mady Centre For The Performing Arts, but it was renamed in January 2018. It is located in Barrie's downtown at the Five Points intersection and was completed in 2011. This modern facility is home to many professional and amateur cultural productions, [[film screening]]s, theatrical [[Play (theatre)|plays]], concerts, [[Dance|dance recitals]] and other performances. It is also the main venue for Theatre by the Bay and the Talk Is Free Theatre Companies. The venue features a flexible stage area with lighting and sound for professional theatre, music, dance, and other presentations, an automated riser/seating system with capacity for 120-200 seats and a sprung performance floor.

The Georgian Theatre is a professional performing arts facility located in Barrie's north end on the campus of Georgian College. The theatre features a proscenium stage, sound, lights, fly gallery and seating for 427 on the main level, with three pods that can be used to increase the seating capacity to 690. The Theatre is used both for theatrical and non-theatrical activity, including conferences and seminars.

=== Galleries ===
[[File:Spiritcatcher barrie wide.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Ron Baird's ''The [[Spirit Catcher]]'' (1986), installed along the waterfront in Barrie]]
The prominent [[MacLaren Art Centre]] is located in Barrie. This is an [[Art museum|art gallery]] that inspired the "Art City" project, which has had many different large sculptures installed around the city. These can be found in parks and along the waterfront.

Barrie is also home to many independent galleries and studios. A concentration of independent galleries, studios and boutiques is located in Lakeshore Mews. This area is located behind the downtown's Dunlop Street. Lakeshore Mews artists also organize the annual "Arts ce Soir"; an all-night contemporary art event in celebration of visual, musical, theatrical and literary art.

In addition, a studio tour in the Barrie/Orillia area takes place on the [[Thanksgiving (Canada)|Canadian Thanksgiving]] weekend every year. It is called the Images Studio Tour and has over 25 artists on average. [[Pottery|Potters]], [[Jewellery|jewellers]], [[Painting|painters]], [[Textile arts|textile artists]] and [[fashion design]]ers make up a few of the disciplines of the talents on display.

=== Festivals ===
Barrie is home to [[Kempenfest]]; one of the largest outdoor arts and crafts celebrations in Ontario. This festival occurs annually over the August long weekend and features over 300 artisans, an antique show, food demonstrations, children's activities and live entertainment, including an indie-music stage.

Since 2021, Barrie has held Open Air Dunlop, in which Dunlop Street downtown is temporarily [[pedestrianized]] to attract visitors to the downtown area.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.barrietoday.com/local-news/downtown-belongs-to-all-of-us-open-air-dunlop-returns-in-june-6828791 |title='Downtown belongs to all of us': Open Air Dunlop returns in June |website=BarrieToday.com |first=Nikki |last=Cole |publisher=Village Media |date=April 15, 2023 |access-date=April 15, 2023}}</ref>

=== Groups ===
Some of the main arts and culture groups in the city include:
* Barrie Art Club
* Barrie Concert Band<ref>{{cite web|title=Barrie Concert Band|url=http://www.barrieconcertband.org/|website=Barrieconcertband.org|access-date=September 27, 2015}}</ref>
* [[Barrie Film Festival]]
* Barrie Folk Society<ref>{{cite web|title=Barrie Folk Society|url=http://www.barriefolk.com/|website=Barriefolk.com|access-date=December 29, 2015}}</ref>
* Campus Gallery
* Caribbean Culture Institute
* Huronia Symphony Orchestra<ref>{{cite web|title=Huronia Symphony Orchestra|url=http://huroniasymphony.ca/|website=Huroniasymphony.ca|access-date=September 27, 2015}}</ref>
* Kempenfelt Community Players
* King Edward Choir<ref>{{cite web|title=King Edward Choir|url=http://www.kingedwardchoir.ca/|website=Kingedwardchoir.ca|access-date=September 27, 2015}}</ref>
* Lyrica Chamber Choir
* Simcoe Contemporary Dancers
* Talk Is Free Theatre
* Theatre By The Bay
* Kiwanis