Art Fest welcomes students from around HRM to create and explore

High school students participating in Art Fest are pictured at a long table working with art supplies.

The second annual Art Fest is giving students in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) the opportunity create, innovate and interact.

Art Fest is a collaboration between Halifax Regional Arts and the extended studies program at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). It provides workshops and instruction to art students from around the HRM.

Robin Jensen is a fine art specialist with Halifax Regional Arts. She said this year’s event welcomed more than 100 students.

“These are grade 11 and 12 students from visual art programs,” Jensen said. “They’ve joined us here for a day of workshops that are led by local artists and students here at NSCAD as well.”

Student Mostafa Mahmoud said Art Fest provides space to try art forms that aren’t often taught in a high school classroom.

“At the same time, you can do it with like, new people across the HRM,” Mahmoud said.

Student Basil McCarthy said she’s enjoying the chance to learn from the diverse workshops at Art Fest.

“A lot of times when you do art programs you only look into like, canvas and paint, so I really do like being able to explore stuff that’s not that,” McCarthy said.

Student Finley Faust said Art Fest is a chance to try something new with little risk.

“I’m not spending like $100 to buy new supplies or something,” Faust said. “I just get to do it and like, try it out, and it’s really fun.”

Jensen said the collaboration is an opportunity to connect students and build community within the visual arts in Halifax.

“Art fest is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for students to come together and celebrate the visual arts together and do it at a level that’s really appropriate to their skills and interest,” Jensen said. “There’s a level of expertise here that they can access that’s really excellent and amazing.”

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.