HOLD FAST 2016
August 18 – 21 2016
St. John’s, NL
Welcome to HOLD FAST 2016
St. John’s is a special place to host a contemporary art festival. Our city is ragged, rugged, on an island far away. Yet, nestled in the harbour, with bold art horizons in view, HOLD FAST celebrates our unique location with thoughtful art programming for all ages. Our four-day festival creates meaningful opportunities for exchange and builds new and lasting bridges between people in St. John’s and artists, curators, and writers living across Canada and internationally. All are welcome. All aboard!
Our 2016 artists are a wildly talented crew. We were thrilled to welcome visiting artists Life of a Craphead (ON), Versa (ON), Nadège Grebmeier Forget (QC), and Walter Scott (ON) to St. John’s for the first time. With closer connections to home, Kailey Bryan and Pepa Chan (NL) and Jonathan Green (NL + AB) round out our diverse roster.
This year, HOLD FAST shares its enthusiasm for the secret language of ships. The International Code of Signals (ICS) is a system of signals and codes ships use to communicate at sea. How can we re-interpret signal flag messages and find new ways to create meaning and share experiences using a language deeply embedded in our nautical history? From a ship’s mast to social media, what can we communicate in code?
#keepclosetoyouduringthenight
Penelope Smart, Director, Eastern Edge Gallery
April White, Festival Manager
Alice Hietala & Stephen Brace, Festival Coordinators
Foxtrot Oscar One, Eastern Edge wall mural design by Jonathan Green, pained by Liam Penney. Unveiling as part of HOLD FAST 2016.
HOLD FAST Contemporary Arts Festival
August 18-21 2016
HOLD FAST is a four-day celebration of contemporary art practice held in August in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. 17 years old, HOLD FAST is the province’s only festival dedicated to contemporary art. HOLD FAST regular events are free and open to all.
HOLD FAST transforms downtown St. John’s into a city alive with art and ideas.
Previously known as the Art Marathon Festival, HOLD FAST delivers accessible, meaningful and critically-relevant contemporary art programming across an array of media including: installation, performance, screenings, artist talks, music, dance, community events and artist-led workshops for people of all ages.
2016 ARTISTS
Life of a Craphead (ON)
Nadège Grebmeier Forget (QC)
Versa (ON)
Walter Scott (ON)
Jonathan Green (AB + NL)
Kailey Bryan + Pepa Chan (NL)
HOLD FAST @ The Ship Pub w/
Ritual Frames, Vocal X Choir, The Kubasonics
FEATURED EVENTS
Art Crawl
Bugs Film Screening
Fancy Artist Talks
Family Signal Flagging Workshop
Artist-Led Workshops
Pop-Ups
The Wandering Pavilion HOLD FAST HQ
BOATSHOES
+ much more
@holdfastfestival | @easternedge | #holdfast2016 #holdfastfestival #keepclosetoyouduringthenight
Design by Amery Sandford