Family pictures line the walls. Handmade cards, paintings, and elephant-themed motifs adorn the Pérusse-Shortte residence. Mirrors reflect light, and books line the cabinets. “When my mom walks in the room, people smile,” Siena Pérusse-Shortte, 11, said as she unpacks her school bag. Meanwhile, her mother, Moashella Shortte, adjusts an elephant ornament. “Elephants inspire me, they […]
Arts + Music
Live theatre, art exhibits, comedy, literary, spoken word – The Coast guide to Halifax and Dartmouth, NS . The downtown, local arts scene – plays, writers, actors, artists and performers. Painting, sculpture, photography, stand-up, stage.
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Here’s every 2025 ECMA-nominated Halifax musician and industry professional
The East Coast Music Awards are now underway. From May 7-11, artists from all over Atlantic Canada will meet in St. John’s, N.L., for a weekend of workshops, performances, and of course, an awards ceremony celebrating the best and brightest in the East Coast music scene. While this festival hasn’t been without its controversies—mainly, the […]
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This golden superstar is living up to the buzz(er)
In a heartwarming moment that had the East Coast buzzing, DeeDee Austin received the prestigious golden buzzer on Canada’s Got Talent last month—marking a milestone in the young artist’s already impressive career. With her soulful performance and powerful presence, Austin captured the attention of the judges, particularly Howie Mandel, who gave her the golden buzzer, […]
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Every big show happening in Halifax in May 2025
Temperatures are rising, the sun is shining and the shows coming to Halifax in May are hot! As always, The Coast has you covered with everything that’s happening in the city this month. Casey & Diana In 1991, at the height of the AIDS crisis, the residents of Casey House—Toronto’s first free-standing AIDS Hospice—receive word […]
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The beauty behind Bologna Colorado
You may not know what a Bologna Colorado is, but you’ll want to after you experience one of their live shows. The four-piece from Halifax is committed to bursting your eardrums with screeching guitar riffs, pounding drums and impassioned, raw vocals. All of this kinetic energy has been harnessed in the band’s latest single, “GET […]
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Braden Lam’s experience manifests in his full-length album, ‘The Cloudmaker’s Cry’
Braden Lam is exactly where he wants to be. The indie-folk musician who has called Dartmouth home for nearly a decade is nearly two weeks in from releasing his first full-length album, The Cloudmaker’s Cry. It’s a place he never could have imagined himself when he finished university and couldn’t find work at the height […]
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Local artist turns grief into a thing of beauty
The space feels sacred; the stories it holds makes the air thick. Each piece of art is given space and room to breathe. Each story is tragic and each painting is beautiful, somehow capturing the essence of the loss without descending into darkness. As I walk around the show at Applehead Studios on Barrington Street […]
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Step right into summer with Verry Gerry’s debut album Sunny Beaches
Although the weather would have you convinced otherwise, summer is indeed right around the corner. We’re halfway through spring—halfway to sun rays and shorts. Verry Gerry’s debut album, Sunny Beaches, may be exactly what you need to push yourself towards the finish line. Released last month, the 10-track album is a marvel of indie-pop bliss. […]
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Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival to celebrate 15th anniversary on National Canadian Film Day
It all started 15 years ago because people in Black communities had nowhere to tell their stories. That first year, the Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival screened about eight films. This year, they received over 100 submissions from all around the world. “This year, about 50 per cent of the films are local, but we […]
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Rose Cousins believes in love on ‘Conditions of Love Vol. 1’
Rose Cousins’ latest album proves that love is both undefinable and limitless Whether it be the ones closest to us, those too far to reach, or the harmony of lying under the sun, there is love all around us. Our parents, our children, our partners and our friends. Yet, when we try to describe our […]
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Every big show happening in Halifax in April 2025
Spring has sprung, the days are getting long and as the calendar finally flips from March to April, there’s a brand-new lineup of shows coming to Halifax. As always, The Coast has you covered at what’s happening in town: Crypthand Crypthand is a new Canadian play that imagines the early life of Anne Lister, a […]
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ZUPPA turns 27 but isn’t scared of dying
Turning 27 can be a cursed year for great creative people, but Halifax-based Theatre Company Zuppa Circus—now known as just ZUPPA— hopes to sail through the milestone without joining the ominous and infamous 27 Club. The Coast caught up with three of its members on a Zoom call, and they seemed healthy and happy. Their […]
