Join Bella Doyle and the Nanaimo Collage Club for another meetup! It is free to attend, and all materials are provided. This is a space for everyone and anyone, always. You can bring your own project to work on - collage based or otherwise - or join in on the art prompt for the event!
Ever wonder how a creator can jump from photography to painting to printmaking, or textile design to collage, without skipping a beat? Well, the truth is it's all about one of the foundational building blocks we use: Composition… and it's one of the best things to just play with, too! Join multi-disciplinary artist Jamie Ashton, Founder of Unknown Studio and President of the Nanaimo Arts Council, to explore this creative principle in a fun, hands-on, all-ages demo. No prior art experience required. You will be guided through a facilitated session and have the opportunity to try out different layouts using simple, colorful paper pieces and shapes. The best part? You’ll get to glue down your favourite design to create a mini-masterpiece to take home. Here are all the details—we hope to see you there! When: Drop-in anytime between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM Duration: Each interactive round lasts around 25 minutes. Join for one or stay for a few. Who: Kids, adults, and everyone in between is welcome! How much: Free!
Collage Club is a free creative gathering of anyone who is interested in making art and meeting other creatives. The focus is on collage because it is a low barrier and accessible way for everyone to get creative - but any creative project is welcome. This meetup will have a project for you to get started with if you’re feeling stuck or want to learn. The main goal is to meet and build our community and create a safe space to express being a human. Looking forward to having you join us at this event!
Join the Nanaimo Arts Council as we celebrate the incredible intersection of visual art and the written word at our annual Ekphrastic Poetry Awards Ceremony. Over the past months, local writers have crafted original poetry inspired by stunning visual pieces from our community artists featured in the Purple Urchin Gallery, and it is finally time to honor their work. The afternoon will be emceed by our wonderful Program Coordinator, Lillian Morpak, and features the live announcement of this year's contest winners. Come out to support Nanaimo’s vibrant literary and visual arts community, hear live readings of the winning poems, and enjoy an afternoon of creative celebration. Everyone is welcome!
Looking for a fun, creative, and family-friendly activity during your Commercial Street Night Market stroll? Join the Nanaimo Arts Council and Collage Club Nanaimo inside the Nanaimo Art Gallery’s dedicated Art Lab space for a hands-on art demonstration. Led by talented featured collage artist Bella, who leads the Nanaimo Collage Club, this interactive evening is entirely free and open to children, families, and creators of all ages and skill levels. Drop in anytime during the night market to explore the tactile world of collage, experiment with new techniques, or simply drop by to watch the demo and say hello to the team! It should take about 15-20 minutes to complete the activity of the night, and we would love to see you there and create something beautiful together.
The Artwalk weekend of events. Updates will be posted here when venues, artists, and exhibiting times have been confirmed. You can read more on our Artwalk page in the interim: https://nanaimoartscouncil.ca/programs/artwalk/