Every Wednesday
Welcome Wednesdays
Did your beach day with the kids get rained out? This weekly initiative aims to invite young families, daycares and new Canadians to explore Halifax's nautical museum. Both staff-guided and self-guided activities are on offer, including a puppet theatre, colouring sheets, crafts and books. Books are available in French, English and Arabic. Maritime Museum of the Atlantic 1675 Lower Water Street
10am-12pm
various dates
June-August
Art on the Go!: Summer Workshop Series
Let's face it—air-conditioned galleries are great, but we don't want to spend all summer inside. As we all know, Halifax has a very small window of warm weather. Argyle Fine Art's new summer workshop series lets you enjoy art while enjoying the outdoors, as well as becoming something of an artist yourself. Art supplies are provided. There are a total of four confirmed workshops this summer, the third of which is "Art in Transit" on July 15. Participants will take the ferry from Halifax to Dartmouth to explore the waterfront and paint with local artist Caitlin McGuire. McGuire takes interest in painting the places people gather, as well as construction signs and detours around the city—and there's no shortage of those. Argyle Fine Art
1559 Barrington Street
OUT OF TOWN
Opens June 18
Art Shack
For something a little off the beaten track, take a drive to Margaretsville in the Annapolis Valley, where you'll find The Art Shack. It's a co-operative gallery run by The Artists' Circle, a group of contemporary local artists who work in various styles and mediums. It's only open during the summer months, so don't miss it. 37 Haddock Alley
Margaretsville
June 17-July 30
AgitProp: Soviet
Propaganda 1905-1945
This exhibit unpacks the role of propaganda from 1905-45, providing a window into what took place leading up to events such as the Russian Revolutions and World War I. Most of the images are from folios reprinted in the '70s, originally collected by the late David R. Jones. The collection of more than 40 posters is on loan thanks to Marcus Brauer of Dartmouth.
Saint Mary's University Art Gallery 5865 Gorsebrook Avenue
June 17-September 10
SakKijâjuk: Art
and Craft from
Nunatsiavut
Take a journey up north through SakKijâjuk ("to be visible"), the first major exhibition to highlight work from the Nunatsiavut region. The autonomous area is claimed by the Inuit people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and it achieved self-government in 2005. The Inuit artists and crafters have used a variety of traditional materials, such as stone, wood, fur, beads and saltwater seagrass. The results are everything from carvings to wearable art to basketry. The AGNS will also display more contemporary works, including painting, photography, ceramics and video.
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
1723 Hollis Street
June 19-July 15
The De-Celebration of Canada 150
Local artist Raven Davis reminds us of the necessary, under-discussed other side of Canada 150 with this provoking contemporary exhibition that critically explores Canadian propaganda and how
the celebration of Canada 150 perpetuates the erasure of Indigenous people.
Khyber Centre for the Arts
1880 Hollis Street
OUT OF TOWN
To June 19
Painting as an Art
Artist Steven Rhude meditates on the changing nature of the art scene, noting that websites and social media have created virtual galleries, and so many folks are seeing paintings on a screen rather than as tactile objects. Rhude has created 11 homage works—inspired by the likes of Manet, Picasso and Matisse—among other pieces. Harvest Gallery, 462 Main Street Wolfville
To July 6
CAROL BERNIER:
The Castoffs
This collection of soft and colourful paintings by Carol Bernier were inspired by her years as an elementary school teacher. The artistic work her young students left behind at the end of the school day moved her and, as the pieces were forgotten by their makers, Bernier dubbed them "castoffs." Though Bernier is teaching adults these days, she continues to explore creative play in her work, as exemplified in her mixed media creations made with the help of castoffs. Studio 21, 1273 Hollis Street
To July 9
Brenda Francis Pelkey: A Retrospective
As she made her home in different places across Canada, Brenda Francis Pelkey started photographing the areas where she lived—from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. She became involved in the photography community when she moved to Saskatchewan in 1980. Today, Pelkey lives in Windsor, Ontario and is internationally recognized. People were a subject in Pelkey's photographs until 1994, while landscape, place and architecture continued to be central themes.
A Retrospective features nine bodies of her work and is currently making a tour stop in Halifax. Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, 166 Bedford Highway
To July 16
The Long Time:
21st Century Art of Steele + Tomczak
Toronto-based artists Lisa Steele and Kim Tomczak reflect on their career together as well as the evolution of digital video. For the central part of the installation, the artists present themselves as the subjects. A multi-screen installation displays their past video projects: We're Getting Younger All the Time (2001), Practicing Death (2003) and Entranced (2012). The pieces form a trilogy, ...before I wake. Dalhousie Art Gallery
6101 University Avenue
OUT OF TOWN
July 22-23
Paint Sea On Site
For the last 17 years, dozens of artists have set up their easels all over Lunenburg and painted their surroundings for the Paint Sea On Site event. It's a great opportunity to explore the area and see art being made in real time. If you see something that catches your fancy, you're in luck—paintings produced are sold at a silent auction at the local community centre, with the cash split between the artists and the Lunenburg Art Gallery. lunenburgartgallery.com
