What Holds
Visual Arts Nova Scotia’s 2025-26 Mentorship Program Exhibition
The Craig Gallery, June 30 – July 26, 2026
Opening: Thursday, July 2, 2026, from 5 – 7 pm
Emerging Artist Talk (in-person at The Craig Gallery): Saturday, July 18, 1 pm 

You are invited to the 2025-26 Mentorship Program Exhibition, What Holds at The Craig Gallery June 30 – July 26. Highlighting the talents of emerging artists Jordan Johnson, Kamila Orbegoso, Shane Song, and Jessica Steele, What Holds also features their mentors Melanie Colosimo, Margarita Fainshtein, Mathew Reichertz, and Christopher Webb. Learn more about the artists and their work.

Since the Mentorship Program’s inception in 2006, Visual Arts Nova Scotia has paired emerging artists with established artists to take part in a 10-month mentorship. The Mentorship Program provides an exceptional opportunity for emerging artists to develop both their creative process and professional skills, thus building the foundation for a successful career in the visual arts. The program also offers established artists an opportunity to pass on their experience, resources, knowledge, and insight. For information on the program visit: visualarts.ns.ca/program/mentorship-program/.

Visual Arts Nova Scotia gratefully acknowledges core funding for the Mentorship Program and exhibition from The Craig Foundation.

The program is also supported by the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, the Halifax Regional Municipality, Canada Council for the Arts, and The Craig Gallery.

The Craig Gallery is located at Alderney Landing, 2 Ochterloney St. in Dartmouth, NS. The gallery is open to the public Tuesday – Friday: 10 – 5 pm, Saturday: 9 am – 1 pm, and Sunday: 11 am – 3 pm, Monday: closed. For further information on The Craig Gallery, please click here.

Check out the program participants here:

Jordan Johnson: @supportyourlocaljordan
Kamila Orbegoso: kamilaorbegoso.com, @kjotextiles
Shane Song: @shane.keyu.song
Jessica Steele: jessicasteele.ca, @artbyjessicasteele

Melanie Colosimo: melaniecolosimo.com, @melanie.colosimo
Margarita Fainshtein: margaritafainshtein.net, @margaritafainshtein
Mathew Reichertz: reichertz.ca
Christopher Webb: cwebb.ca, @thechristopherwebb

Want to learn more about the Mentorship Program? There will be a Mentorship Program info session over Zoom on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 7pm AT. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6zpQy23vR_qXLYygLP-Sjg.

For more information on this exhibition or the Mentorship Program contact:

Carri MacKay
Programming Coordinator
Visual Arts Nova Scotia
communicate@visualarts.ns.ca