CKCA Q&A Session
2025-01-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Vancouver) | Online
Do you have an idea for a project that focuses on arts and culture? Grants from the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) could help.
These grants—funded by Columbia Basin Trust and managed by the West Kootenay Regional Arts Council—are available for all art disciplines, for both individuals and arts and culture organizations in the Columbia Basin.
Q&A sessions
To learn more about these grants and how to apply, attend one of our FREE question-and-answer sessions. The events all take place online through Zoom.
REGISTER NOW IN THE ONE THAT WORKS FOR YOU!

Wednesday, January 15, 2025: noon Pacific / 1 p.m. Mountain
Wednesday, January 29, 2025: noon Pacific / 1 p.m. Mountain
Monday, February 3, 2025: 4 p.m. Pacific / 5 p.m. Mountain
Wednesday, February 5, 2025: noon Pacific / 1 p.m. Mountain

Before you attend a session, we encourage you to watch the video about the specific program you’re considering applying to. To find the video, select the program that interests you and navigate to that program’s page. Afterwards, come to the Q&A session with your questions.
If you have questions about your specific project, rather than the programs themselves, contact us directly instead of asking them during a session.

Visual Exploration Club (Ages 9-12)
2025-01-15 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-01-22 15:30 - 16:30 (America/Vancouver) | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
About Visual Exploration Club (VEC):
Students can expect to learn about other artists, experiment with various materials, and make mistakes. Each participant receives a sketchbook to track their skill development in a wide range of materials such as drawing, painting, printmaking and 3-dimensional art.
This session is for ages 9-12, or intermediate students in grades 4-7.
Workshop Dates:
Wednesday afternoons
January 8 – June 4, 2025 (20 sessions)
3:30pm-4:30pm
No classes during SD20 Spring Break; March 19 & 26, 2025

Minimum 5 students, with a maximum of 12.
Class Fee:
$200 per participant
All supplies are provided
Where:
VISAC Gallery – Under the red gallery awning
1501 Cedar Ave, Trail
Lower Level of Selkirk Building
Register here:
https://revenue-can.keela.co/visual-exploration-club-january-june-2025-9-12
About the instructor:
Erin has a BFA in Studio Arts from UVic and a Masters of Illustration from Falmouth University. Her classes focus on process-based activities that don’t have a set outcome, fostering creativity and a low pressure environment, encouraging exploration and making mistakes!
If you have any questions, reach out to info@visacgallery.com

DANNY FLOYD COLE
2025-01-15 19:00 - 23:00 (America/Vancouver) | The Royal, 330 Baker Street Nelson, BC V1L 4H5, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 4H5, Canada
Danny’s career as a recording artist initiated at a young age; his first full-length album was released in 1996 with pop punk trio, floyd. In ’98 after graduating from Radio & Television Arts at NAIT, he began working professionally as an audio engineer/music producer at the award winning studio, Homestead Recorders, under the legendary Barry Allen. A few years later, Danny fronted the band Coldspot; they released a full-length disc and followed it up with an AFA funded second release, Like There Was No Tomorrow, in 2005. Danny also contributed bass guitar and vocals on two full-length recordings in the band, Drive the Day. The project Calan & Cole never officially released any recordings but Jamie and Danny still write and perform together and have plans to make some of their original material available to the world under the band name, Redemption.

Visual Exploration Club (Ages 13+)
2025-01-16 15:30 - 16:30, 2025-01-23 15:30 - 16:30 (America/Vancouver) | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
About Visual Exploration Club (VEC):
Students can expect to learn about other artists, experiment with various materials, and make mistakes. Each participant receives a sketchbook to track their skill development in a wide range of materials such as drawing, painting, printmaking and 3-dimensional art.
This session is for ages 13+, or secondary students in grades 8-12.
If your child is 16 or older, they can also participate in adult classes such as pottery workshops or any drop-in groups.
Workshop Dates:
Thursday afternoons
January 9 – June 5, 2025 (20 sessions)
3:30pm-4:30pm
No class during SD20 Spring Break; March 20 & 27, 2025
Minimum 5 students, with a maximum of 12.
Class Fee:
$200 per participant
All supplies are provided
Where:
VISAC Gallery – Under the red gallery awning
1501 Cedar Ave, Trail
Lower Level of Selkirk Building
Register here:
https://revenue-can.keela.co/visual-exploration-club-january-june-2025-ages-13
About the instructor:
Erin has a BFA in Studio Arts from UVic and a Masters of Illustration from Falmouth University. Her classes focus on process-based activities that don’t have a set outcome, fostering creativity and a low pressure environment, encouraging exploration and making mistakes!
If you have any questions, reach out to info@visacgallery.com

Fall into Fall FREE Thursday evenings
2025-01-16 16:00 - 20:00, 2025-01-23 16:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, 502 Vernon Street, Nelson, V1L 4E7, Canada
The Nelson Museum is open late on Thursdays and admission is FREE from 4-8pm. Explore the new gallery exhibitions — A Crack in the Mirror in Gallery A and Within This Earthen Vessel in Gallery B — discover the region’s history in the 2nd Floor Museum Exhibit, and shop work from over 120 local artists in the Gift Shop.

Apres FREE! Thursday evenings
2025-01-16 16:00 - 20:00, 2025-01-23 16:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, 502 Vernon Street, Nelson, V1L 4E7, Canada
The days are shorter but the Nelson Museum is open longer! Thursdays from 4-8pm is FREE admission to the galleries, museum and Shop, where you can explore the newest exhibitions, learn about local history, and shop over 100 local artists!

INVERMERE SNOWFLAKE FESTIVAL
2025-01-17 17:30 - 20:30 (America/Edmonton) | Kinsmen Beach, 1720 4 Ave, Invermere, BC, V0A 1K4
The annual Snowflake Festival is back on January 17th, 2025. The Snowflake Festival will kick off at 5:30pm! This fun winter celebration includes skating on the lake, live music, bonfires, ice carving, local food vendors & more!

Be the World – Album Release Concert
2025-01-17 19:00 - 22:00 (America/Vancouver) | Castle Theatre, 185 Columbia Ave., Castlegar
Let’s celebrate the release of Steve Marc’s new album, ‘Be The World.’
Doors open at 6:30, Music starts at 7pm sharp!
Advance Tickets $15 – (No Refunds)
– The Old Castle Theatre –
Arts. Culture. Live Entertainment.
Steve Marc is an upbeat and uplifting World/Reggae Fusion band with hints of funk and grooves you can’t help but move to. Featuring a small but mighty horn section and luscious harmony background vocalists, Steve’s unique songwriting prowess will move you in more ways than one. This seven piece band brings fun, love and energy to the stage with creative arrangements of cover songs known and unknown, mixed in with mostly original songs you will surely come to love.
‘Be The World’ is more than just an album. It’s a chronicle of Steve’s journey learning to live with a chronic pain condition; his discovery of inner peace and happiness in the face of adversity. These songs all reflect certain aspects of his journey. They serve as reminders to self for when he falls astray as this path is one of constant effort and maintenance. The hope is that others might find solace or direction from his story and these songs to find a level of inner peace and contentment like he has, regardless of the adversities we may be facing.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevemarcg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevemarcmusic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SteveMarcG
Find Steve Marc on all streaming platforms…
Wild Will Kruse (the Tumbleweeds) will be opening the show with his rustic, old time country stylings. His deep and thunderous voice along with his wild and electrifying guitar licks on his original music are something to behold. Make sure you’re there to catch him at 7pm sharp.
Empire of Nothing will close the show. They are a 5pc band with a unique blend of original 70’s style rock with a little blues and funk sprinkled in. With impeccable vocals, ripping guitar, bass and horn lines, this band really knows how to rock out!

For the Love of Drag
2025-01-17 19:30 - 22:00 (America/Vancouver) | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
Get ready, Nelson! “For the Love of Drag” is coming, and it’s set to be a night of glitz, glamour, and unforgettable entertainment. This show promises to be bigger and better than ever, featuring a lineup of the most dazzling drag queens and kings from across British Columbia, including Victoria and Vancouver.
A longtime fan of the show, Alex from the Yukon, raves, “For the Love of Drag is pure magic. The performances are electrifying, and the energy is contagious. You leave feeling uplifted and inspired.”
Join us for an evening where artistry meets extravagance, and every performance is a work of art. Our talented performers will dazzle you with high-energy, show-stopping numbers that will leave you cheering for more. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of drag or new to the scene, “For the Love of Drag” is an experience you won’t want to miss.
19+
Capitol Theatre
Adult: $28; Senio: $25.50; Under 30: $10

CIRCLE OF MADNESS
2025-01-17 20:00 - 23:30 (America/Vancouver) | The Royal, 330 Baker Street Nelson, BC V1L 4H5, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 4H5, Canada
A free movie screening and party presented by The North Face and Baldface: A film by Cristoph Thoresen featuring athletes Victor De Le Rue & Markus Eder. Plus DJs and an opportunity to win a trip to Baldface Valhalla 19+

Winter Wonderland
2025-01-18 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | Whitewater Ski Resort, Whitewater Ski Hill Rd, Nelson BC, V1L 5R3
Join us for Whitewater’s Winter Wonderland, a fun-filled day featuring live pottery spinning, a snowman building competition, face painting, hot chocolate, and local live music!

It’s the perfect family day out, so mark your calendars and bring the kids for a memorable weekend at Whitewater!

Guided Cold War Bunker tours
2025-01-18 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-01-25 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver) | Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, 502 Vernon Street, Nelson, V1L 4E7, Canada
During the height of the Cold War, in the 1950s and 1960s, nearly 50 bunkers were constructed across Canada. In 2017, the Nelson Museum began work on restoring the space and opening it to the public. You can join a tour of one of the Museumʼs best-loved spaces!
From iodine pills and Geiger counters to board games and ashtrays, visitors get a glimpse of the vast measures taken to create normalcy in an extraordinary time.
Email info@nelsonmuseum.ca to register. Adult admission required – children under 18 are always free!

Learn to Make an Axe Block
2025-01-18 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Vancouver) | Blewett, Nelson, BC, V1L 6X1, Canada
In this 3 hour workshop I will teach you to make your own axe block that is the perfect working height for you. The axe block is the mini work bench of the carving world. A simple but very functional piece of portable equipment that is necessary for an enjoyable carving experience. A properly sized axe block can make the difference between a sore body at the end of a session or not. We will cover mostly axe and saw work in this class.
This course is perfect for everyone, especially those that are total beginners and have perhaps never used an axe or knife to carve before. You will learn the confidence to handle sharp tools safely and by the end will be ready to do with your own home carving station.

Cara Luft Harmony Singing Workshop
2025-01-18 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Vancouver) | The Langham, 447 A Avenue, Kaslo, BC, V0G 1M0, Canada
Come to The Langham in Kaslo and experience the fun and unique qualities of singing with others in harmony and learn to capture the essence of a song with your voice. Join Cara for a fun and empowering experience! Everything is taught by ear and learned as a group.

Cara Luft’s 50 for 50 Kaslo Community Concert At The Langham
2025-01-18 18:30 - 22:00 (America/Vancouver) | The Langham, 447 A Avenue, Kaslo, BC, V0G 1M0, Canada
Cara Luft returns to the Kootenays as part of her “50 for 50” celebratory tour to her adopted town of Kaslo! Joining her for the show are some of Kaslo’s fave local musicians, as well as Cranbrook-based Clayton Parsons.

Dirt Relations Screening
2025-01-18 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Vancouver) | Nelson Public Library, 602 Stanley St, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 1N4, Canada
When we hear the words ‘truth and reconciliation’, we don’t automatically think of the mountain biking world. The documentary film Dirt Relations is about to change that. Screening at the Nelson Library, Dirt Relations is a 30-minute documentary that delves into the connection between mountain biking, reconciliation and healing intergenerational trauma. Following the screening, there will be a panel conversation. The event is free and open to the public.
Dirt Relations tells the story of three men: Patrick Lucas, an 8th generation Canadian from Courtney, BC, Thomas Schoen, a first generation Canadian, and Tom Eustache, a Secwepemc man and member of the Simpcw First Nation. Their unlikely friendship led them to create the Indigenous Youth Mountain Bike Program, and ultimately find themselves recognized as leaders in fostering meaningful reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
The friendship between the three men are an example of how to bring truth and reconciliation to all aspects of life. Schoen says: “Trail building is an amazing tool when it comes to reconciliation. We’re working side by side, in the dirt, we’re talking about the past, we’re talking about the pain, about the hurt. There’s no way to form a better bond than by working shoulder-to-shoulder to create something for the people.”
The Indigenous Youth Mountain Bike Program is a non-profit that assists First Nations in western Canada to develop world class multi-purpose nature trails that promote outdoor recreation and healthy living. Over the past decade the Indigenous Youth Mountain Bike Program has worked with dozens of Nations, trained hundreds of youth to build trails, and engage in the sport of mountain biking, and built more than 100 kilometres of trails.

Open Mic
2025-01-18 19:00 - 22:00 (America/Vancouver) | Slocan Lake Arts Centre, 408 Lake Avenue, Silverton, BC, V0G 1S0
Hosted by Jeff Bonner, this licensed evening of performances will be a delight and full of surprises! Come to play, or simply to enjoy the local talents.
Event takes place in our Slocan Lake Arts Center: 408 4th Street, Silverton BC
This happens every 3rd Saturday of the month!

THE BED HEADS, DAMIEN ALBLAS, TRISTAN HART PIERCE
2025-01-18 19:00 - 23:30 (America/Vancouver) | The Royal, 330 Baker Street Nelson, BC V1L 4H5, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 4H5, Canada
The Bed Heads are coming back from Spokane with their unique take on Indie-Folk rock!

Joined by heartthrobs Damien Alblas and Tristan Hart Pierce, this will be an epic night to remember!
19+

Brasstactics @ The Rockwater
2025-01-18 22:00 - 23:30 (America/Edmonton) | The Rockwater, 429 9 Ave N, Golden, BC, V0A 1H0
Brasstactics is back in town!
Edmonton’s go-to brass party band. These guys are all about bringing the energy with their brass band originals and fun throwbacks from the ’70s through the ’00s. Whether it’s a pop-up show on the streets or a live party gig, they’re guaranteed to get everyone dancing and singing along.
10pm, $10 at the door !!

Newkeys Place presents, Blues in The Afternoon with Sam Hurrie
2025-01-19 16:00 - 19:00 (America/Vancouver) | New Key’s Pub, 16070 BC-3A, Crawford Bay, BC, V0B 1E0, Canada
Newkeys Place in Crawforbay presents, Blues in The Afternoon with Sam Hurrie, Like with friends.
Sundays 4-7

Zaynab Mohammed
2025-01-19 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
A journey of sound, sight and story about how one woman loses her innocence at a young age due to cultural inequity, whilst navigating a terrain foreign to her ancestors. Being displaced, moved from land, uprooted, is intergenerational. How does a young woman who’s been colonised for centuries free herself? This is her story. She finds her freedom by leaning on the art of listening to herself, to others and to the earth.
The Capitol Theatre
https://www.zaynabmohammed.com

Visual Exploration Club (Ages 5-8)
2025-01-21 15:30 - 16:30 (America/Vancouver) | VISAC Gallery, 1501 Cedar Avenue, Trail, V1R 2J5
About Visual Exploration Club (VEC):
Students can expect to learn about other artists, experiment with various materials, and make mistakes. Each participant receives a sketchbook to track their skill development in a wide range of materials such as drawing, painting, printmaking and 3-dimensional art.
This session is for ages 5-8, or primary students in grades K-3.
Workshop Dates:
Tuesday afternoons
January 7 – June 3, 2025 (20 sessions)
3:30pm-4:30pm
No classes during SD20 Spring Break; March 18 & 25, 2025
Minimum 5 students, with a maximum of 12.
Class Fee:
$200 per participant
All supplies are provided
Where:
VISAC Gallery – Under the red gallery awning
1501 Cedar Ave, Trail
Lower Level of Selkirk Building
Register here:
https://revenue-can.keela.co/visual-exploration-club-january-june-2025-ages-5-8
About the instructor:
Erin has a BFA in Studio Arts from UVic and a Masters of Illustration from Falmouth University. Her classes focus on process-based activities that don’t have a set outcome, fostering creativity and a low pressure environment, encouraging exploration and making mistakes!
If you have any questions, reach out to info@visacgallery.com

National Theatre Live: Present Laughter
2025-01-21 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | The Capitol Theatre, 421 Victoria Street, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 5R2, Canada
Noel Coward’s Present Laughter
An aging and self-obsessed actor finds himself in a situation bordering on farce when he is besieged by the demands of his estranged wife, women who want to seduce him, and a crazed playwright.
$15

Winter Fox Paint Night
2025-01-23 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Vancouver) | The Backeddy Pub, 1432 Columbia Ave, Castlegar, BC, V1N 3K3, Canada
Come paint with me! Grab a friend (or two) and join me at Backed Pub (Cartwright’s Pub) for an evening of fun.Event runs from 6 pm to 8 pm. Come early grab a set and have something to eat.

Evening includes: 11”x14” canvas, all materials to complete your masterpiece, step by step instructions and one beverage.(*Drinks are limited to pop, house wine, beer on tap, 1 ounce well drinks or Caesar.)

No experience required. This is fun art, not fine art!

$40/person

Please message for payment details to reserve your seat. These events can fill up quickly, prepayment will hold your seat.

(Please note: I do not offer refunds. However, if you give at least 48 hours of your need to cancel, I will credit your payment towards another event)

Empathy, Identity and Storytelling: Crafting Queer Characters
2025-01-25 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Vancouver) | Nelson Public Library, 602 Stanley St, Nelson, British Columbia, V1L 1N4, Canada
Writing diverse characters can be a struggle. So often a writer can be paralyzed by fear of getting it wrong or of being too didactic. For those who want some insight in how to write LGBTQ+ characters with thoughtfulness, the Nelson Library will be offering a free workshop.
The workshop will be taught by local author Ari Lord and participants will leave the workshop with practical tools to avoid stereotypes and tokenism and to represent queer people in all their glorious complexity. The workshop is free and open to all levels of writers, and open to all identities.
