FEATURED ARTISTS PROJECTS
1.LAWNYA VAWNYA: 4Clift’s-Baird’sCove //2-6pm
Oz [B.G Osborne], How does it sound/How does it feel?
“How does it sound/How does it feel?” is an immersive sound-based project created in collaboration with four LGBTQIA+ neurodivergent community members who, like Oz, experience auditory processing issues and/or hyperacusis. Each participant provided Oz with examples of sounds that elicit negative reactions, and Oz subsequently transformed them into customized soundscapes based on their auditory preferences.
The work is propelled by a desire to transform distressing and/or uncomfortable auditory stimuli into soundscapes that can help alleviate stress and anxiety, and to remind neurodivergent community members that they can experience relief and joy through sound art.
Recording and Composition by: B.G-Osborne
Mastering by: audio engineer Michelle LaCour
For HOLD FAST, Oz have provided two options for experiencing the soundscapes: via personal headphones and smart device using the QR code that will be provided in our festival pamphlets/ website and on posters along Water Street, or as an immersive sound installation at Lawnya Vawnya headquarters [ 4 Clift’s – Baird’s Cove].
Oz gratefully acknowledge the support of ArtsNL in the development of this work.
2.HARBOURSIDE PARK: Queen’s Cove //2-6pm
Khadija Aziz, Mirroring the Land Mirroring Ourselves
Mirroring the Land Mirroring Ourselves is an installation that reflects on community-building and identity formation as immigrants on Turtle Island. Drawing from South Asian textiles, it highlights the visibility of our multifaceted identities and cultural heritage in public spaces, countering internalized racism and fostering a sense of belonging.
Mirroring the Land Mirroring Ourselves is an ode to the recent immigrants of Canada, many of whom are fleeing
violence, human rights violations, or lack of opportunities, all of which are usually the aftermath of Western
colonialism, historic or contemporary. This installation is a reflection of Newfoundland and Labrador being a
popular entrypoint for many colonizers and immigrants. Today, through the Atlantic Immigration Program,
immigrants from the Global South call the province their home. This installation is about making space in
the region for our multi-faceted identities and cultures, seeking to prevent internalized racism by seeing our
culture in the public.
3. HOLLOWAY STREET TO EASTERN EDGE MURAL:
JolizDela Peña,When the Body Remembers//3:30-4pm
When the Body Remembers is a site-specific endurance performance that explores grief, resilience, and displacement through the act of dragging a large rock wrapped in barbed wire from one point to another. Through this physically demanding gesture, the work evokes the invisible labour of women in society, using struggle and repetition as metaphors for migration, attachment, and the weight of unresolved histories.
POP-UP PROJECTS
4. EASTERN EDGE: 72 Harbour Drive
Festival HQ, Merch Table & Silent Auction // 2-6pm
Stop by the EE+HF table for all of your merch needs! Pick up a festival pamphlet and art crawl map, talk to the EE board about how you can get involved, and ask all and any EE/HF-related questions here! Check out the Eastern Edge Memebrs’ Exhibition “Everybody Eats” and Silent Auction in the Main Gallery, and “Sensory Movements” by Raianny Quieroz in the rOGUE Gallery.
St. Michael’s Printshop Member’s Show Reception //4 – 6pm
Join SMP for the opening reception of the annual Members’ Exhibition! Check out what all of our favourite local printmakers have been up to over the past year. SMP is located just upstairs from EE, through the red door!
Salt Pages // Eastern Edge Studio // 2-6pm
Salt Pages is a non-corporeal anarchist bookselling operation based in St. John’s. We produce community-sourced zines on topics like ownership, home, work, and play. In summer 2025, we are soliciting anonymous answers to the question WHAT DO YOU VOTE FOR? to include in our upcoming zine, Ballot Box. Make your voice heard and get a discount on our selection of progressive, alternative, and radical books!
Kira & Gina, Performance // Eastern Edge Gallery // 4 – 4:30pm.
Internationally recognized artist Gina Burgess is a violinist and composer. A former member of the Iqaluit-based rock band, “The Jerry Cans” and collaborator with numerous ensembles. Her latest album, “ISNOW”, won an ECMA for fusion recording of the year. ISNOW mixes classical, Celtic, contemporary Inuit throat singing, and elements of jazz. Burgess’s original music has been described as ethereal and genre-bending.
Kira Sheppard is a multidisciplinary artist, harpist and songwriter based in St. John’s NL. Drawing from her classical music background, Kira creates intricately crafted harp melodies, insightful lyrics and beautiful vocals that never fail to leave audiences enthralled. Kira has toured extensively, has three independent albums and has appeared at numerous festivals across Canada. She has collaborated with a wide range of artists and is an innovative voice in the vibrant St. John’s arts community. Her latest album ‘The Internet Moon’ was released in 2023 and has received international acclaim for its ingenuity and unique voice.
Project-A vibrant mix of original and improvised contemporary harp and violin compositions. Gina and Kira will perform one another’s original compositions as well as fully improvised pieces. Innovative and fresh improvisations for harp and violin.
5.WATER ST. PEDESTRIAN MALL: Various Locations
NL Pipe Band, Performance //2 – 2:30pm
Opening Ceremony with the Newfoundland Highlanders Pipe Band.The Newfoundland Highlanders Pipe Band has been serving the province for over 50 years. We are made up of Scottish bagpipers, snare drummers, and a bass drummer.
Neighbours United Community Banner Mural //2-4pm
Join us to contribute to our banner mural, art supplies provided!
Live Printing with St. Michael’s Printshop //2 – 4pm
Join St. Michael’s Printshop on the Pedestrian Mall with their mobile press! Come see how a press works and get a free print!
Tour de Fleece with Christian Dauble //3 – 6pm
Christian Dauble is a nonbinary craftsperson, musician, scholar based in St. John’s. Join Christian Dauble and friends to celebrate the Tour de Fleece finale. This annual tradition involves yarn spinners from around the world spinning everyday of the Tour de France. Come see the results of a month of spinning and try your hand at the wheel!
Project-Join Christian Dauble and friends to celebrate the Tour de Fleece finale. This annual tradition involves yarn spinners from around the world spinning everyday of the Tour de France. Come see the results of a month of spinning and try your hand at the wheel!
The Lost & Found, Band Performances at //3pm, 4pm, 5pm
The Lost & Found is a Southern Gothic Folk band located in St John’s Newfoundland. With Pat Sloan (He/Him, Bass & Vocals) and Ben Chapman-Smith (He/Him, Guitar & Vocals) at the heart of the band, The Lost & Found features a rotating cast of strings, horns, and Musical guests. Collaborators Include: Gina Burgess (She/They, Violin), Olive MacPhail (They/Them, Tuba), Liza Konstantinova (She/Her, Clarinet), and Isaac Andrews Power (They/Them, Violin), with more to come soon.As official ambassadors of good times, The Lost & Found is dedicated to making audiences holler and stomp their feet with whatever line-up they perform with!
Project-The Lost & Found is a Southern Gothic Folk band with a rotating cast of members. As official ambassadors of good times,The Lost & Found is dedicated to making audiences holler and stomp their feet! Come grab a shaker or tambourine and play along with us!
Gutter Youth Choir // 196 Water St (Parking lot)// 4:30 – 5pm
Gutter Youth Choir is a St. John’s based screech folk band comprised of Munroe Molotov and Jo. In all its endeavors, Gutter Youth Choir has always been made up of queer artists and radicals and has held strong to its belief that art should be free, easy, and accessible.
Project: A live acoustic performance by local queer folk band Gutter Youth Choir. Half an hour of songs about resistance, despair, and hope.
Sewnology Fashion Show // 4:30 – 5:00pm
Sewnology is a slow fashion label where fabric becomes a medium of memory, movement, and meaning. Rooted in the belief that clothing is more than utility—it is language—each piece is handcrafted with intention, blending cultural nuance with contemporary design.
6.CRAFT COUNCIL NL: 155 Water St.
Emily and Theresa Pittman In Your Hands – Opening Reception //2 – 4pm
7.JOHNNY RUTH: 183 Water St.
Jessie Donaldson, On foot – Installation //2 – 6pm
Jessie Donaldson is an artist and pedestrian. Her favourite thing is to toss a wood panel and pen into her backpack and wander around on foot until something catches her eye to stop and draw. She is beginning an MFA at NSCAD this Fall.
Project- On Foot is an ongoing series of freehand pen drawings on wood that began in January 2020. The drawings, started outdoors on location, are glimpses of life in rural BC, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia, where jessie has spent hours walking.
8.ROCKET BAKERY: 294 Water Street
Nasim Makaremi Nia, Dream Land – Video Installation // 2 – 6pm
Nasim Makaremi Nia is a multidisciplinary artist and art educator based in Newfoundland and Labrador. With an MSc in Solid-State Physics and an MFA from Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, her work blends scientific insight with creative expression through painting, drawing, printmaking, and textiles.
Her art explores themes of humanity, immigration, women’s emotions, and identity, often using symbolic materials like animals, sanitary pads, and folded paper to address censorship and connection to land. Nasim has exhibited across Canada and has received several awards, including the Emerging Artist Award at the 2022 EVA Awards, the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, and the ArtsNL Professional Project Grant.
Project- In this augmented reality video project, created during the 2023 Mainframe Residency at Eastern Edge, the artist explores themes of immigration, identity, and cultural duality. Using a 3D model of the Kalkhoran Sheikh monument from Iran and a dreamlike world of symbolic hybrid animals, the work reflects the emotional tension of living between Iran and Newfoundland. Local animals and environmental sounds are layered to represent shifting identity, censorship, and human sexuality. The final video blends digital and physical worlds, presented as a pop-up installation set on a Newfoundland shoreline.
9.NIFCO: 40 King’s Road
SJIWFF Films On the Go // 2-6pm
Join us for Films On The Go, featuring a collection of short films from the most recent St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF). About the lineup: Sweetgrass, perfect brows, the surprisingly queer life of a climbing clip, a giant imaginary bear, and one very bad day in 1986, this year’s Films on the Go lineup delivers seven short films packed with big emotion, sharp humour, and unforgettable moments. Crafted by filmmakers from Newfoundland & Labrador, Mi’kma’ki, Canada, and beyond.
10.ALT HOTEL PATIO: 124 Water St.
“Breaking Through” – A Story of Her Rise, Performance // 2:30pm, 3:30pm, 5pm.
Sai Nrityadhee School of Bharatanatyam (SNSB) is a classical dance school based in St. John’s, dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich tradition of Bharatanatyam. Founded and led by Shweta Mohan, SNSB offers training to students of all ages and backgrounds, nurturing not just technique but also storytelling, discipline, and cultural connection. Our performances celebrate heritage, empower expression, and bring the timeless beauty of Indian classical dance to diverse audiences.
Project-The performance follows the symbolic journey of a woman navigating societal constraints. It begins with her path being blocked by other women—those shaped by generational norms. She then transitions through roles forced upon her: a queen, a mother, a bride—each graceful, yet limiting. As she seeks change, she knocks on doors of opportunity, only to be met with silence. Behind invisible bars, she gathers strength. Finally, in a moment of fierce determination, she breaks free—into a vibrant world of flowers and flight, representing freedom, choice, and a future unbound.
11.LEYTON GALLERY: 6 Clift’s-Baird’s
Group Exhibition: From the land and the Sea // 11am – 5pm
From the Land and the Sea
The Leyton Gallery celebrates summer and the bounties of the land and the sea with a wonderful new exhibition. Running all summer, this new show offers glimpses of the life, land and experience of a sea bound province through the eyes of our talented artists. New works in painting, drawing, mixed media, clay, printmaking, photography and more offer something for every art lover. From the Land and the Sea is on display all Summer.The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, 11-5 and 24/7