HOLD FAST 2026: Workshop and Event Schedule
HOLD FAST Festival Launch Party
Wednesday, August 12th, 2026, 5-7pm @ Theatre Hill Cafe, 390 Duckworth Street
Join us at Theatre Hill Cafe on August 12th, from 5-7pm for our Festival Launch Party! This event will feature music by Samuelle, readings by Riddle Fence, a meet and greet with our HOLD FAST Featured Artists. We hope to see you there!
This event is strictly scent-free; please do not come wearing any scented products, including scented sunscreens.
Access info: All entrances, bathrooms, and the café have button-activated doors. The café’s washrooms (gendered and gender-neutral) are accessed with a chair lift. The bar is also accessible via the chair lift.
Workshop: Fred Schmidt-Arenales & Chelsea Dab Hilke, Mask Making
Wednesday, August 12th, 1-3pm @ Eastern Edge Studio, 72 Harbour Drive, REGISTER HERE
In this workshop, participants will create masks and props for Fred and Chelsea’s Art Crawl Project: SOMETHING’S HAPPENING IN THE BATTERY (and there’s nothing you can do about it). The workshop will have guided as well as self-guided options with the goal of building community around the “Protect the Gateway to the Battery” movement.
Access info: A ramp in the front of the building leads from the outside parking lot through glass double doors, with push-button access. They lead into the main hallway of the building, where you will find double doors leading to Eastern Edge Gallery on your right, and Eastern Edge Studio on your left. There is a slight ramp down to two gender-neutral bathrooms. The first bathroom is small and inaccessible; the second bathroom is larger with an accessible push-button access door. EE Studio also has a garage door that is 3m wide but has a 12-inch step up from the parking lot outside. For our full accessibility info including door, hallway, and bathroom measurements, click here.
Workshop: Shanelle St. Hilaire, Make your own Mini Beaded Waterfall
Thursday, August 13th, 10:30am-1:30pm @ Eastern Edge Studio, 72 Harbour Drive, REGISTER HERE
“Make your own Mini Beaded Waterfall” is a 3-hour-long workshop that teaches students how to fringe-bead a miniature waterfall wall-hanging of approximately 2”x6”. The workshop will begin with bead selection and pattern planning. I will then demonstrate fringe-beading, attaching the thread to a dowel, then finish off the beadwork.
Access info: A ramp in the front of the building leads from the outside parking lot through glass double doors, with push-button access. They lead into the main hallway of the building, where you will find double doors leading to Eastern Edge Gallery on your right, and Eastern Edge Studio on your left. There is a slight ramp down to two gender-neutral bathrooms. The first bathroom is small and inaccessible; the second bathroom is larger with an accessible push-button access door. EE Studio also has a garage door that is 3m wide but has a 12-inch step up from the parking lot outside. For our full accessibility info including door, hallway, and bathroom measurements, click here.
Workshop: Nora de Mariaffi’s, Life in plastic, it’s fantastic!
Thursday, August 13th, 3-5pm @ East Coast Quilt Co, 343 Water Street, REGISTER HERE
Life in plastic, it’s fantastic! This workshop will be an intro to working with clothing pattern pieces on a miniature scale. Taking place over 2 hours at East Coast Quilt Co., participants will be able to choose from a selection of paper pattern pieces to create an outfit of their choice for a Barbie or Ken doll, choose and cut out the pieces from a range of fabric, and put them together using a mix of machine sewing and glue! All materials will be provided and each participant will get to bring home the doll they dressed. Come learn the basics in mini!
Access info: East Coast Quilt Co has a single glass automatic door entrance. The full shop, including classrooms are one-level, with intentionally wide pathways through the shop. There are two gender-neutral bathrooms located mid-way through the shop, on the left, up a small ramp.
Workshop: Melissa Tremblett, “What to choose when the choices are unlimited”
Friday, August 14th, 10:30am-1:30pm @ First Light, 42 Bannerman Street Entrance, REGISTER HERE
I learned photography using my dad’s old 35mm Nikon camera from the ‘90’s. There wasn’t anything fancy; it didn’t have a zoom lens or flash, but it shaped my approach to photography. Every frame I took mattered and was carefully composed and fully considered. When you can take a dozen photos and choose the best one, where does the intentionality go? If you could only take one photo, what would your main considerations be? The aim of this workshop is to support arts literacy by asking how the analog approach of film could be extended to digital photography.
This workshop is strictly scent-free; please do not come wearing any scented products, including scented sunscreens.
Access info: The entrance at 42 Bannerman Street has several steps leading to the door and a stairwell inside. For elevator access, please follow the sidewalk to the left of the building, which leads to the accessible entrance at 1 Stewart Avenue. There is a Ring doorbell labelled “programs doorbell” that can be used to notify staff of your arrival, and they will come to assist with the door. Upon entering, stay to the right to reach the elevator for accessing the Event Space on the 2nd floor. The door in the landing directly in front of the elevator doors leads to the Event Space and gender inclusive multi-stall and single-stall washrooms. Staff are on site to assist patrons who may need to use the accessible entrance. Please feel free to contact kellyyoung@firstlightnl.ca if you have any questions, concerns, or would like to request specific accommodations.
Fancy Artist Talks
Friday, August 14th, 7-9pm @ Eastern Edge Gallery, 72 Harbour Drive
Fancy Artist Talks are the calm at the eye of the storm: a breath of stillness before the colourful, vibrant chaos of Saturday’s Art Crawl. For featured artists, this evening is a time to share stories about themselves, their process, and their work. For attendees, it’s a chance to dress up in whatever makes you feel comfortable, sip unique artist-themed mocktails, and gain a deeper appreciation for the art you’re about to see! You won’t want to miss this magical night!
This event is strictly scent-free; please do not come wearing any scented products, including scented sunscreens.
Access info: A ramp in the front of the building leads from the outside parking lot through glass double doors, with push-button access. They lead into the main hallway of the building, where you will find double doors leading to Eastern Edge Gallery on your right, and Eastern Edge Studio on your left. There is a slight ramp down to two gender-neutral bathrooms. The first bathroom is small and inaccessible; the second bathroom is larger with an accessible push-button access door. EE Studio also has a garage door that is 3m wide but has a 12-inch step up from the parking lot outside. For our full accessibility info including door, hallway, and bathroom measurements, click here.
HOLD FAST: Art Crawl
Saturday, August 15th, 2-6pm @ Various Locations throughout downtown St. John’s
The Art Crawl is the culmination of HOLD FAST. From 2-6pm on Saturday afternoon, downtown St. John’s will come alive with free public art installations and performances, all staged in non-gallery venues. This will highlight the work of our four featured projects by: Chelsea Dab Hilke & Fred Schmidt-Arenales, Melissa Tremblett, Shanelle St. Hilaire, and Nora de Mariafi, as well as including Pop-Up projects by additional local artists and community organizations.
Stay tuned for the full art crawl schedule, map, and accessibility information! Coming Soon
