July 2026
A Creative Summer
This July newsletter of 2026 features the president’s update, Kim D Arthouse’s photography, upcoming events in July/August, and some exciting ways to engage with the Nanaimo Arts Council going forward. If you’ve got an event or announcement, submit them to the linked forms to be included in next month’s edition!
President's Note
Summer is here, and the Nanaimo creative scene has been buzzing with activity. I have enjoyed attending a variety of local events including the NALT Sketchy Folks fundraiser run by Tina Johnson, a Collage Club meetup with Bella Doyle, and a botanical relief workshop at Lilach Lotan‘s wonderful studio. Bainzy Art Gallery and the Pacific Arts Market opened their doors this month, and I got to run a wonderful Art Demo in the Pacific Arts Market Gallery while the Commercial Street Night Market ran. The NAC is also hosting their own Art Demo at Nanaimo Art Gallery’s Art Lab at the end of the month – see details in the events section below and join us if you can!
As if that wasn’t enough going on, we hosted the Ekphrastic Poetry Celebration last weekend. It was a fantastic afternoon, listening to readings by the authoring poets and awarding the winning placements for the 2025 competition. With more upcoming events on the horizon for the late summer and fall, including the 28th year of Artwalk, there is so much I am feeling grateful for as an artist in this wonderful town. If you have ideas for the NAC, or things that we can support you with in your work, please reach out to us at any time! Wishing you the absolute best summer season.Â
                                                – Jamie Ashton, President
Featured Artist
Kim D Arthouse
A neurodivergent photographer specializing in black-and-white composition, Kim was first introduced to photography in childhood and admired photographers like Ansel Adams and Annie Leibowitz. Kim studied art and poetry academically, but is a self-taught photographer, drawing inspiration from artists, writers, and photographers across cultures and disciplines worldwide. Photography serves as the artist’s primary mode of expression, offering a means to communicate perspective in ways that words often cannot. Kim strongly values community and mutual support within the arts and is grateful to be part of a welcoming and collaborative creative environment.
Want to be our next featured artist?
Upcoming Events
Urban Sketch Club
Beginner scribblers, seasoned professional artists, everyone in-between! Join us for another Nanaimo Sketch Club meetup, where people feel free to work on their sketch practice and connect with like-minded people in a friendly, inclusive, supportive environment. We’re meeting in Bowen Park for our July session – there are interesting buildings here, as well as the gorgeous park to sketch!
Satuday, 25 July, 10AM-12PM
Cost: Free
Art Demo: Collage
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.Â
Thursday, 30 July, 5-8PM
Cost: Free
Thinking with Ferns
Join internationally recognized, award-winning artist Katherine Melançon, for a hands-on workshop at the Nanaimo Arts Gallery, related to the upcoming exhibition Biophilia. During the workshop, Katherine will guide participants through how to learn from ferns. From discussion to drawing and writing exercises, Thinking with Ferns is a starting place for re-imagining our lives.
Saturday, 1 August, 2-5PM
Cost: $20
Summer Theatre Festival
 The Artists’ Collective Theatre is hosting the Island Summer Theatre Festival in Ladysmith and Nanaimo between 21 July and 2 August. See shows such as Thumbelina, The Not-So Secret Life of Rowena Riddle, and The Merry Wives of Nanaimo. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket, pack some snacks and enjoy live theatre in a beautiful waterfront setting.  Â
21 July – 2 August
Cost: $15 – $48
Got an event to add to the NAC calendar?
Announcements & Updates
Ekphrastic Poetry Celebration
Last weekend we hosted the Ekphrastic Poetry Celebration, awarding prizes and listening to readings by the winning poets. See the winning writers and explore the artwork from this year’s program.
NIFSS Season Tickets
Early bird season tickets for the 2026/27 season are still on sale for $95 until July 31st. Select the screening time of interest to you, and get a ticket to view all films for the season! Individual screening tickets also available.
Artwalk Early Bird Registration
Join the 28th year of Artwalk in Nanaimo on 21-22 November this year! Early bird registration still open until end of July, with all registration closing at the end of August.Â
Volunteer or join the NAC Board
We are always open to volunteers to join us in running our annual programming, and also have open positions on the board. If you are interesting in being more involved, reach out and lets chat!
Our Event Calendar is live
We have put up a new Event calendar, listing all events run by the NAC, our members, and our partner organisations. Take a look to see what art’s programming is happening in our wonderful town!
Become the NAC's newsletter editor
This beautiful newsletter needs someone to be the dedicated editor for each month’s edition! It would be best suited to a someone who enjoys digital curation and communication. Small honorarium available.
Got an announcement to share?
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