High school students in the Central Okanagan got to experience some different kinds of culture late last week.

The 5th Annual Mayor’s Youth Forum was held May 9 and gave area high school seniors a chance to put together recommendations on how to market cultural programs to youth.

Linda Abbott-Simons, coordinator of the day-long event, says the forum brings the students together to find out ways to increase youth cultural awareness.

She says each participating school experienced a different art forum, such as photography and heritage, performance art, world drumming and aboriginal storytelling.

Life & Arts Festival organizers met with the groups and gave them a behind-the-scenes view of what it takes to put on a large-scale cultural event.

One of the recommendations stemming from the forum calls for increased marketing of cultural programs to youth. The students would also like to see more youth-targeted events, as well events that appeal to a combined youth and adult audience.

The students will bring forward their recommendations to City Council later this month.