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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Comox Valley Arts
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260302T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260302T210000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174017
CREATED:20260217T002353Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T002353Z
UID:10000826-1772478000-1772485200@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:Artful : The Poets Featuring Landon Norris
DESCRIPTION:Artful : The Poets welcomes Landon Norris as feature poet\, with host Diana Kolpak\, on March 2\, 7-9pm. \nLandon Arora Norris is a visual artist\, actor\, and poet\, bringing an abundance of energy and colour to the stage\, with vibrant brush strokes and line-work\, wordplay\, quirky subject matter\, and eye-catching composition\, leaving the ear a myriad of details to explore and become lost in. Landon mixes her personal experiences\, interests in games and pop culture\, along with her affinity for literary exploration and play.\n\nLandon earned a BFA in Drawing & Painting from OCAD University\, while working steadily as a professional on-screen and voice actor. Her engagement in the artistic world quickly segued into music and poetry\, latching onto linguistic intricacies\, like anagrams\, palindromes\, and spoonerisms. She enjoys the carefree exploration involved in abstraction\, and cartooning\, while having a deep-rooted understanding of realism\, light and shadow. With this amalgamation of artistic expression\, Landon crosses the lines between free-spirited childlike poetry and highly technical lyricism and flow.\n\nLandon drove out from Toronto to Courtenay four years ago and planted roots on the island rather quickly\, enjoying the pace of life\, and the immediate connection to nature and the breathtaking outdoors this country is rich with. When she’s not glued to her creation station\, playing games of the board or video variety\, or out partaking in community events\, you’re likely to catch Landon slinging ice cream at Blue Spruce during the weekdays.
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/artful-the-poets-featuring-landon-norris/
LOCATION:Artful the Gallery\, 526 Cumberland Rd\, Courtenay\, BC\, V9N 2C7
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Artful-The-Poets-Landon-Norris-IN.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260307T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260307T210000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174017
CREATED:20260226T012757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260311T211244Z
UID:10000831-1772910000-1772917200@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:Poetry Reading and Book Launch
DESCRIPTION:Join host Kelly Madden at Artful : The Gallery for the poetry reading and book launch of Ed Varney and Dan Kirk. Guest poet Kristina Campbell will also join the reading for an entertaining trio of Comox Valley Poets.\n\nEd Varney was inspired to become a poet during his second year of University and has followed that idea over the past 60 years. Along the way he has learned printing technologies\, publishing strategies\, book binding skills\, graphics and fine arts\, arranged exhibitions\, edited anthologies\, founded small poetry magazines and published over 20 books and chapbooks of his own poetry. Varney reports that poetry continues to engage him and new poems emerge on sheets of paper in his studio. Varney’s latest chapbook is ‘Crossroads’\, published by the Poem Factory. It follows the path that thought takes as it expresses itself in words and how those words morph into poetry.\n\nDan Kirk has spent extended periods of time over the past 20 years reading American poets William Stafford\, Robert Bly and Emily Dickenson\, Spanish poets Antonio Machado and Juan Ramon Jimenez\, Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer and Norwegian poet Olav H. Hauge. They have informed and inspired Kirk’s writing in an ongoing conversation where he has responded to\, argued with and extended their words and ideas and brought them into his world. This volume ’Still Talking’ represents a distillation of his ongoing dialogue with these poets and others who evoke a response. Kirk founded and ran the Red Tree Poetry Series and co-produced the first two Cascadia Poetry Festivals in Cumberland\, B.C. with Adelia MacWilliam and Ed Varney. Reading in locations around Vancouver Island and Kelowna\, Daniel has enjoyed the varied audiences for poetry in these communities.\n\n\nKristina Campbell is an artist and therapist who has lived in the Comox Valley since 2017. In 2020\, Campbell established Artful : The Gallery to provide a home base for her multi-media art practice which includes painting\, poetry and experimental film. Campbell has reached back through her Danish ancestry to bring the Nordic gods to her mythopoetic sensibility as an artist. Campbell’s style is an expression of her belief that using mythological imagery can inspire and lead to the creation of new narratives. Campbell’s fascination with mythology\, symbols\, memory and dream imagery is a unifying theme throughout her work.\n\n\nKelly Madden is a Vancouver Island poet whose writing is raw\, unflinching\, and deeply rooted in place. She speaks for the overlooked: those lost to the overdose crisis\, those unhoused\, and the ecosystems we continue to erase.  Her work has appeared in numerous publications supported by the League of Canadian Poets\, Reckoning\, SAPPzine\, Island Writer’s Magazine\, CV2\, The Poet\, Drift\, Drunk Monkeys and elsewhere. She is currently working on her second collection of poetry.
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/poetry-reading-and-book-launch-2/
LOCATION:Artful the Gallery\, 526 Cumberland Rd\, Courtenay\, BC\, V9N 2C7
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Artful-The-Gallery-Poetry-Reading-Ed-Varney-Kristina-Campbell-Dan-Kirk-Kelly-Madden-IN.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260316T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260316T210000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174017
CREATED:20260217T010412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T010412Z
UID:10000827-1773687600-1773694800@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:Comox Valley Songwriters Circle
DESCRIPTION:Each month singer/songwriters gather to share their tunes at Artful : The Gallery. The range of abilities\, experience and genres welcomes musicians who appreciate the challenge (and the deadline!) of creating a new song each month. \nThe circle provides a place to be inspired\, seek feedback and to be\nable to hear what other creatives are working on. Most musicians bring along their\nguitars or ukuleles\, although some sing a cappella or use the in-house piano for accompaniment. \nHost Ashley Sykes’s love of connecting with other artists provides motivation to write\nand perform in the supportive group. The circle does not provide instruction; it provides an opportunity to perform your song\, and to be impacted by others doing the same. \nAttendance is by donation ($10 or pwyc). The group welcomes newcomers\, and the\nonly criteria is that the songs performed are original.
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/comox-valley-songwriters-circle-14/
LOCATION:Artful the Gallery\, 526 Cumberland Rd\, Courtenay\, BC\, V9N 2C7
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Comox-Valley-Songwriters-Circle-with-Host-Ashley-Sykes-at-Artful-The-Gallery-IN.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260317T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260317T200000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174018
CREATED:20260224T230519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260224T230822Z
UID:10000830-1773774000-1773777600@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:Lecture: Fishes of the Strait of Georgia
DESCRIPTION:In a presentation based on their book\, Fishes of the Strait of Georgia\, authors and marine scientists Dick Beamish and Jeff Marliave will share their observations about some of the 243 species that frequent the strait. \nThey will be speaking at 7:00 PM on Tuesday\, March 17 in the Courtenay and District Museum. \nBoth authors have spent their professional lives studying the bountiful natural aquarium that is the Strait of Georgia. Marliave has a PhD in Zoology from UBC and was VP of Marine Science at Vancouver Aquarium. Beamish also has a PhD in Zoology; he has received the Order of Canada\, the Order of British Columbia and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He was also a member of the International Panel on Climate Change that received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. \nCopies of Fishes of the Strait of Georgia (Harbour Publishing) will be available for purchase ($80.00 plus tax) and signing after the talk. \nAdmission to the lecture is $5 per historical society member; $6 for non-members. Advance tickets are strongly recommended. Doors open at 6:30 PM. \nFor more information\, or to purchase tickets over the phone\, call 250-334-0686 ext. 2.   \nThe Courtenay and District Museum is located at 207 Fourth Street in downtown Courtenay.
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/lecture-fishes-of-the-strait-of-georgia/
LOCATION:the Courtenay and District Museum\, 207 4th St\, Courtenay\, BC\, COURTENAY\, BC\, V9N 1G7\, Canada
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FishesoftheStraitofGeorgia.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260321T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260321T160000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174018
CREATED:20260219T002929Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T002929Z
UID:10000828-1774087200-1774108800@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace*
DESCRIPTION:On Saturday\, March 21st\, Courtenay printmaker Clive Powsey is having a one day pop-up exhibition of hand-drawn\, printed and tinted intaglio impressions at Artful : The Gallery on Cumberland Road in Courtenay. \nPowsey has used a ‘savage’ rigorous prompt to elicit critique and assessment of hundreds of his prints from the large language model\, ChatGPT. Only the highest scoring images will be included in the show\, the content of which was decided by AI. Also on hand will be the prompt\, an artist statement outlining the metrics of selection\, a curator’s statement generated by ChatGPT\, and samples of the critiques which are\, of course\, mindless probabilistic arrangements of words determined by the prompt and the training of the model on vast amounts of art historical and critical writing. \nThere will also be a folio of rejected images and sample critiques for comparison. The show’s name comes from the title of a 1967 poem by Richard Brautigan*. Beyond any questions that might exist regarding the art imagery\, the exhibition asks the question of visitors\, ‘How does human judgment and sensibility fare against that of machines?’ \nVisit the show and decide what you think.
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/all-watched-over-by-machines-of-loving-grace/
LOCATION:Artful the Gallery\, 526 Cumberland Rd\, Courtenay\, BC\, V9N 2C7
CATEGORIES:Exhibitions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Artful-The-Gallery-Clive-Powsey-Pop-Up-Exhibition-All-Watched-Over-by-Machines-of-Loving-Grace-scaled.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260321T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260321T140000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174018
CREATED:20260303T230523Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260313T214323Z
UID:10000834-1774090800-1774101600@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:Spring Fling and Easter Magic 2026
DESCRIPTION:The Courtenay Museum invites you to their annual “Spring Fling and Easter Magic” event on Saturday\, March 21st\, from 11 am to 2 pm. Admission is by donation. \nThis will be a fun-filled\, action-packed three-hour event. \nThe ever-popular petting zoo provided by Barnyard Party Animals gives folks a chance to meet ducks\, geese\, bunnies\, chicks\, guinea pigs\, and hedgehogs. \nWe have invited a special guest this year\, “Magician Donald Dunphy\,” who will be performing amazing magic shows. Audience participation is a must. There will be two magic shows\, one at 11:45 and the other at 12:45. Each show will be different. \nYou will have the opportunity to visit with volunteers and a rescue bird from MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre\, where you can learn about their amazing wildlife rescues. \nA couple of games are planned for the Fling\, including a scavenger hunt and guess how many treats contest. People can also enter to win door prizes. Don’t forget to bring your craft skills to make a cute Easter craft to take home with you. \nThe Elasmosaur mascot will be making an appearance for photo opportunities and handing out delicious chocolate treats.
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/spring-fling-and-easter-magic-2026/
LOCATION:the Courtenay and District Museum\, 207 4th St\, Courtenay\, BC\, COURTENAY\, BC\, V9N 1G7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Spring-Fling-Poster-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260322T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260322T170000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174018
CREATED:20260322T185644Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260322T185644Z
UID:10000839-1774166400-1774198800@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:Wading into Chalk Pastels
DESCRIPTION:Did you know that some of the most accomplished and famous artists in history used chalk pastels for sketching and finished works of art? Chalk pastels can be simple or complicated\, portable or cumbersome\, heavy-handed or light and airy. They marry well with other mediums and can express fine detail or swaths of raw colour. They are surface-sensitive and layer well when treated with care. Intrigued? Come and find out more and try your hand at a few simple pieces in this 4-day spring workshop that will have you set for some serious summer sketching!
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/wading-into-chalk-pastels/
LOCATION:Comox Valley Sports Centre – Aquarium Room\, 3001 Vanier Drive\, Courtenay\, British Columbia\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Classes / Courses
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/FBadv-Chalk.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Sandra Lamb":MAILTO:sandra@sandralamb.art
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260322T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260322T140000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174018
CREATED:20260304T035543Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T035543Z
UID:10000836-1774173600-1774188000@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:Unglued! Collage Creativity Gateway Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Creating with existing images can lower our inhibitions (which is great for those who want to be creative but don’t consider themselves ‘artists’) providing a playful experience of creating with curiousity and openness to the unexpected…just for fun! \nWe will use existing images\, scissors\, gluesticks and our imagination to complete several projects\, both independently and collaboratively. All levels welcome and all materials supplied. \nCollage is an art as old as paper…which is coming up on 2000 years. Collage is a great ‘gateway’ creative activity – it doesn’t require any technical proficiency beyond using a glue stick…the word collage comes from the french word ‘coller’ – (Koo-Lay) – to glue. \nSome of you have created scrapbooks or dream boards\, most commonly made by cutting out magazine images and then gluing them to a backing. This workshop uses those same techniques in a collaborative and playful way. \nWe will make three different collage projects. The first will be a collaborative collage poem\, using words. This will become the inspiration for our second project\, an individual  (and perhaps a little surreal!) landscape. Our final project is called Exquisite Corpse\, a collaborative art technique created by the surrealist artists in the 1920’s\, where participants add to the composition without seeing the previous contributions. The combined result is often delightful\, humorous and unexpected. \nUnglued is just for fun\, having some creative time with other people\, and learning a few techniques that you can use either by yourself\, or with your friends and family. \nI will have all the materials required\, just bring your enthusiasm. \nEmail: kristinacampbellart@gmail.com to register \n$75 workshop fee ($25 bring a friend discount)
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/unglued-collage-creativity-gateway-workshop/
LOCATION:Artful the Gallery\, 526 Cumberland Rd\, Courtenay\, BC\, V9N 2C7
CATEGORIES:Classes / Courses
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Artful-Existence-Counsellor-Kristina-Campbell-Unglued.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260331T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260331T203000
DTSTAMP:20260414T174018
CREATED:20260325T231338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T231348Z
UID:10000846-1774978200-1774989000@comoxvalleyarts.com
SUMMARY:Trans Day of Visibility
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/community-calendar-event/trans-day-of-visibility/
LOCATION:BC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://comoxvalleyarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/8473b28e-da68-7852-c62a-cafd638ddf67.jpg
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