Athletes aren't the only world-class talents coming to town for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games -- they'll be joined by hundreds of renowned artists who are participating in the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad. The international showcase, held Jan. 22-March 21, is hosting nearly 200 artistic events throughout the city, featuring visual art, music, dance, theatre, performance art and more. Some of the events are ticketed performances, while others invite the public to simply stop by. Here, we've compiled five of the most interesting picks from each category.

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  1. Hal Willner's Neil Young Project (ticketed)

  Feb. 18, Queen Elizabeth Theatre
  For Neil Young fans, it's hard to top a performance by the Canadian music legend himself. But, even for the most devoted fans, the unique and star-studded nature of this one-time tribute concert just might do it. With ambitious producer Hall Willner choreographing, performers such as Broken Social Scene, Joan as Police Woman, Lou Reed and Ron Sexsmith will put their mark on hits and obscurities from Young's prolific catalog.

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  2. The Magical Theatrical Vending Machine (public/free)

  Feb. 12-Feb. 27, various sites
  "Wild, spontaneous, colourful and hilarious" comes close, but doesn't quite do justice to this outrageous performance by Slovakia's Teatro Tatro, during which troupe members transform their cartoonish bus into a mobile sketch-comedy stage where anything can happen. Each show -- taking suggestions from the audience and basing sketches on Olympic sports -- promises to be an uproarious spectacle.

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  Cirque Éloize: Rain (ticketed)

  March 18, 19 and 20, The Centre for the Performing Arts
  A captivating blend of dramatic theatre and astounding acrobatics, Cirque Éloize's "Rain" takes a wonderful story to a whole other level with the beauty of its choreographed feats. The Montreal troupe delivers an emotional, visually gorgeous show that might make you revisit your youthful desire to run away with the circus.

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  4. Vectorial Elevation (public/free)

  Feb. 4-Feb. 28, English Bay, Vancouver
  From vantage points all around Vancouver, watch the sky above English Bay as it's illuminated by the changing designs of 20 robotic searchlights. This isn't your standard light show -- the patterns will be designed and submitted by people all over the world, changing every eight seconds to create a dynamic, international light sculpture.

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  5. The Candahar (ticketed)

  Feb. 12-Feb. 28, Playwrights Theatre Centre
  Chat with a Belfast-bred bartender and have a pint at The Candahar, an authentic Irish pub...or is it? This meticulously detailed re-creation functions as theatre, sculpture and functioning pub all at the same time. The portable bar raises questions about authenticity, community and reality and is a fascinating (and fun) work of art.

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  6. Raven Stole the Sun (public/free)

  Feb. 20-25, multiple venues
  Based on a traditional Tlingit tale, "Raven Stole the Sun" is one of the rare plays that captivate both children and their parents. The costumes, mythology and characters (especially the impish raven) provide a wonderful introduction to aboriginal culture and values, and the dancing and music is energetic enough to get the audience moving.

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  7. Ed Pien: Tracing Night (ticketed)

  Feb. 4-April 11, Museum of Vancouver
  Step into artist Ed Pien's maze of crinkled paper and fantastical figures in this incredible installation. Is it a dream? A nightmare? One of the most intriguing aspects of Pien's work is that visitors often exit the glowing maze with opposite impressions. To some, it is beautiful. For others, it's disturbing, or perhaps a mix of both. Come and find out how it will affect you.

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  8. Anthony Braxton's Sonic Genome Project (public/free)

  Jan. 31, Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre Festival Hall
  Besides being a highly anticipated project of a seminal composer and saxophonist, this concert offers the rare chance for audiences to become a part of an amazing musical experiment. More than 60 instrumentalists will attempt to act as a living sonic organism, moving into different cells and transforming during eight continuous hours (don't worry, you're not expected to stay the whole time!).

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  9. The Only Animal: NiX (ticketed)

  Jan. 22-Feb. 23, Lost Lake, Whistler
  The creators of "NiX" designed a formidable task for themselves: lure bundled-up audiences to a frozen lake for evening theatre and make it so enchanting that they feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It seems daunting at best, but Vancouver's The Only Animal theatre company has succeeded. The stunning set and whimsical apocalyptic story earned "NiX" a well-deserved five out of five stars from the Calgary Herald.

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  10. Art Under Foot (public/free)

  Feb. 1-Feb. 28, Sleep Country Canada
  Vancouver's public art has been known to stop passersby in their tracks. The most common culprit: the gorgeously intricate tile mosaics that adorn the sidewalks in several downtown neighborhoods. During this final phase of the project, visitors can watch local artists Bruce Walther and Liz Calvin painstakingly place each tiny tile while creating four new mosaics, each colourfully sprawling over nine square feet.