Call for pitches!
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We are getting started on the next issue of Visual Arts News magazine and are opening a call for pitches. We want to hear from writers, artists, and critics who are paying attention to what is happening across Atlantic Canada. That might mean spending time with an artist’s work, spending time with a show, or…
Want to feel more prepared for upcoming applications? Having a polished artist statement and CV at the ready makes applying for opportunities so much easier. If only it was easy to write them. Writing your Artist Statement and CV is an online workshop that will cover the proper format for your artist CV (it’s different…
Check out VANS’ Spring Workshop Series! We have really focused on getting you ready for the opportunities that arise (like a residency, an exhibition, a craft show, etc.) so that you feel confident when you apply. VANS is offering Writing Your Artist Statement and CV with VANS’ Programming Coordinator and Writing Tutor Carri MacKay (that’s me!), How to…
VANS is thrilled to announce Lisa Meecham as the newest VANS in Residence Artist, in partnership with the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design. Lisa will be in residence in Sydney from March 16 to April 16, 2026, dividing her time between her own practice (60 per cent) and leading community-based art education programming…
ALL HANDS ON DECK RALLY!
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ALL HANDS ON DECK! Together we can show the government how united we are. Join us at the last rally to protest this devastating budget. The All Hands on Deck rally is Friday, March 27 at noon at Province House in Kjipuktuk/ Halifax (rain or shine). Join us in advocating for saving the arts in Nova…
All-sector NEW BUDGET NOW rally March 10
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Thank you to everyone who came to one of the rallies and has contacted their MLA, the Premier, the Finance Minister, and the Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage to protest these devastating budget cuts. We know that the MLAs are feeling the pressure and some have been saying publicly that the budget cuts…
Save Arts and Culture in NS!
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Dear Artists, Arts Organizations, and VANS Members, Thank you for your continued engagement and advocacy during this challenging time. The proposed provincial budget includes a 30% cut to operational funding for (already underfunded) arts, culture, and heritage organizations and a $14M cut to discretionary funding within Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage (CCTH). These cuts will be…
Advocate for Arts Funding!
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This is a call for action from all of us involved in the arts and culture community in Halifax and the entire province. Arts funding at BOTH the Municipal and Provincial levels are under threat. Budget season for both municipalities and the province is upon us and there has been talks of a 10% reduction…
Take our Spring Workshop Survey
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VANS will be offering online and in-person workshops for our Spring Workshop Series in April and May. We’d love to get your feedback about which professional development workshops we should offer and when. Let us know what you would like to see VANS offer by completing the Spring 2026 Workshop Survey, here: https://forms.gle/7MHtMChW3T9QfXtc7. Then we would…
Advocacy Resources
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LETTER TEMPLATE WRITE YOUR MLA: Find out your Electoral district and MLA here: https://enstools.electionsnovascotia.ca/edinfo/. CC: FinanceMinister@novascotia.ca, MIN_CCTH@novascotia.ca, PREMIER@novascotia.ca Dear MLA ____________ (find your MLA here), The Honourable John Lohr, Minister of Finance, The Honourable Dave Ritcey, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism & Heritage, and The Honourable Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia, My name is…
It’s cold outside, so why not take the time to brush up on your skills (or learn some new ones) by taking the two NEW online info sessions in VANS’ winter series? Sign up for Writing for Accessibility in the Arts with Jacquelyn Miccolis (presented in partnership with Creative Community Impact Association) and Artist Inventories:…
Signatures’ By Hand Gift Show
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Discover 100% Canadian Handmade at Toronto Market Week. Signatures’ By Hand Gift Show is back January 24-27 at The International Centre in Mississauga, ON. By Hand is a thoughtfully-curated gift show celebrating Canadian makers, designers, and creative entrepreneurs. Bringing together a diverse mix of Canadian handmade goods, small-batch products, and emerging brands, the show offers…
PAINTS is accepting schools’ requests for workshops until January 30th. There are new workshops in our roster in a variety of media: textiles, clay, collage, drawing, painting, and more! We have great artists all over Nova Scotia who are eager to work with students. We will begin accepting requests January 6. Check out and request…
Be a part of our 50th Anniversary!
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You are invited to be a part of VANS’ 50th Anniversary logo! Better Drea.ms Design Studio is designing our logo to capture what we are celebrating – 50 years of Visual Arts Nova Scotia’s existence. Here is Better Drea.ms’ concept brief: “Using 50 unique interpretations of the ‘0’ in ’50’ becomes a living showcase of the…
VANS Holiday Office Closure
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The VANS office will be closed for the holidays between December 19, 2025 and January 4, 2026. Our last day in the office is Thursday, December 18 (so get your membership renewals in before then, if possible) and we will be back to work on Monday, January 5th. Thank you for your patience as we…
CFNS Holiday Party – You’re Invited!
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On behalf of the eight federations that comprise the Cultural Federations of Nova Scotia, we warmly invite you to our 2025 Holiday Party! Join us as we celebrate the culture, artistry, and heritage of Nova Scotia with an evening filled with festive cheer on Thursday, December 18. Drop in between 5 – 9 pm at the…
Support VANS this Giving Tuesday
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Visual Arts Nova Scotia is participating in Giving Tuesday on the global day of giving. As you know, VANS works to support artists though professional development workshops and our Mentorship Program, promoting them through the Artist Pages and Visual Arts News magazine, providing opportunities through PAINTS (Professional Artists in the Schools), advocating on their behalf, and more. We could use…
If you have purchased a VANS auto-renewing membership, you will be charged your membership fee for the full year ahead when your membership renews automatically each year, on December 1. It’s convenient and you never have to set a reminder – the VANS website processes your payment every year on December 1st (via PayPal). Not…
We can’t believe how fast 2025 has gone! As the end of the year approaches, remember to renew your VANS membership before it expires on December 31. If you selected an automatically renewing membership when you joined or renewed last year, then it will automatically charge your 2026 membership fees on December 1, 2025. No need to…
Remembering Andrew Terris
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Andrew David Terris, a tireless champion of artists and cultural programs, passed away peacefully on November 7, 2025 at the age of 82, after a terminal struggle with pancreatic cancer. Andrew chose Medical Assistance in Dying and was surrounded by close friends, love and dignity. He is survived by his beloved wife Janice Isabel Jackson.…