Latest news with #ThirdShift
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Saint John's Third Shift returns for 11th edition
Third shift, an annual contemporary arts festival put on by Third Space Gallery in Saint John, N.B., returned this weekend. The festival is once again bringing art to non-traditional spaces around the city. Johnny James spoke with organizers and participants about its impact and growth.
Hamilton Spectator
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Contemporary art festival evolves and revolves after 11 years
Saint John's nighttime contemporary art festival Third Shift is ready to make the city its canvas next month for its 11th year running. This year's festival, themed REVOLVE, will feature as many as 40 artworks in installations throughout the city's uptown core from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, and programming throughout the weekend including films and artist talks. The REVOLVE theme symbolizes 'ever-changing, constant flow of ideas' fuelling art, according to a press release. The festival, which drew an estimated 6,400 guests last year, has grown to involve around 100 artists in some shape or form annually, according to Manny Travers, executive director of the Third Space gallery, which organizes the event. Travers, in his fourth year helping coordinate the festival, says the annual event is 'often Saint Johners' most unique experience with contemporary art.' 'Because our festival ... moves around the city, it means that a lot of the projects in it are unique or one of a kind, not usually something you'd encounter within a white-walled gallery space,' he said. The festival has a peer-juried process involving community members, artists and past participants to pick which pieces are featured, according to Travers. 'This ensures that the selection is representative of our community as well as the theme and the needs of our artists,' he said, adding it's a 'low-barrier' process open to new artists. The addition of themes in 2021 helps keep the festival fresh, encouraging 'unique and exploratory' pieces to guide artists making new projects, Travers said. 'It also helps that Saint John has been a constant ever-changing landscape,' he said, offering a 'fantastic array' of urban spaces like parking lots and walls to utilize. Travers said the festival has made 'great strides' in location seeking with help from the city, and it's 'really nice' to have fewer 'construction hiccups' this year. The theme reflects the work of artist-in-residence Tony Nicholas, Travers said, whose project Cycles depicts the lifecycle of an Atlantic salmon with flipbook-style animation. Travers said Nicholas' works include plants and animals as well as 'the abstract and ambiguity.' 'It's a matter of recycling ideas, being born or reborn and being part of the greater ecosystems that we live in, like fish do,' Travers said. 'A lot of artists will have these ideas, they come to life, they come to fruition, and sometimes they evolve and other times they get set aside.' Artworks will be announced online leading up to the event, with festival associate Will Gallant recommending Let me be your punching bag! by Narges Porsandekhial, which invites guests to write their struggles on a boxing target and then take out their frustrations. Another festival associate Lila Vair, recommended While Supplies Last by Laura Paolini, who will laminate 'unconventional materials' like eggshells and hair, according to a posting. 'I think this is one of the most interactive festivals,' Gallant said. 'There's very few (pieces) that are static, I feel like this festival is definitely going to feel alive with how much is going on.' Vair said the pieces show 'how fun art can be,' including everything from tabletop roleplaying game character creation to 'weaving into a tent' and creating a cityscape projection. 'I'm really really excited for people to learn something new and realize that things they pursue in their day to day life or as a hobby can be art,' she said. Travers said the festival is a 'labour of love' for the artists and the gallery itself, which is a 'spaceless' organization that runs events throughout the year. 'Being able to put on a festival that is guided and created through the lens of an artist and not a commercial business, it really makes for an open-ended and accessible opportunity that anyone can partake in,' said Travers. The festival starts with the Third Watch film showcase at 7 p.m. Aug. 15 at the BMO Studio Theatre on Princess Street, continues with Third Shift itself on Aug. 16 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., followed by post-festival karaoke starting at 10:45 p.m. at Haven Music Hall on Union Street. The festival concludes with artist talks on Sunday, with all events free and for all-ages. Schedule information can be found at and on social media. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
