In 2022 and 2023 Arc’teryx asked us to curate the film and speaker series at the Whistler Convention centre for the Backcountry Academy. We also were tasked with putting on an art gallery in the lobby to create a space for mountain art to be displayed (2022) and indigenous art (2023). In 2023 the highlight was putting on a full indigenous night showcasing films from indigenous athletes Spencer O’Brien and Sandy Ward, and also hearing a keynote talk from Squamish Hereditary Chief Ian Campbell. It brought the house down.

In 2024 we helped move the event to Mammoth Mountain.

Audience watching a presentation on stage about backcountry skiing at the Backcountry Academy event with a large screen displaying the event name and visuals of skiers.
Indoor art exhibition filled with people viewing artwork and browsing booths in a spacious, modern venue with high wooden ceilings and large skylights.
A skier in orange gear and a black helmet skiing in deep snow through an icy landscape, with snow flying around.
People attending an art exhibition in a large, wood-ceiling building with hanging light fixtures and a stone fireplace. Artworks by Chris Benchtler are displayed on a white wall in the foreground.
A black speaker on a stage with a presentation screen showing an outdoor scene of a river and rocks. A man in dark clothing is standing on the stage speaking to an audience in a dark room.
Crowd of people dancing and socializing in a nightclub with green lighting, a DJ on stage, and decorative hanging ornaments.
Crowd of people at an indoor dance party or concert with colorful lights and a DJ on stage in a large hall or auditorium.
People walking through a village with a banner overhead promoting the Arc'teryx Backcountry Academy event from February 23-25, 2024, in a town surrounded by trees and buildings, with some blue and yellow lights and snow on the mountain in the backgro