About Open Studio

Wonder'neath Open Studio is a free, all ages, a drop-in art-making program that takes place in an accessible working artist studio.

Since 2014 Wonder’neath Art Society has offered Open Studio as a space to gather through artmaking for both personal exploration and collaborative projects: a space in which each person entering will be welcomed as an artist and valued community member. It is open to all, with outreach specifically focused on those facing barriers to accessing the arts. Children are at the heart of our practice in the community and are central to our vision. Thanks to the incredible support of the Arts Nova Scotia, Halifax, 2482 Maynard and 4Cs Foundation, we have been able to welcome over 34,000 participants over this time with continuity as a creative resource to our neighbours, becoming a hub for neighbours and friends.

Please watch our social media pages to keep up to date on Open Studio safety protocols related to Covid.

Accessibility Guide. This guide provides information about Wonder’neath’s space, so you know what to expect upon your first visit. We strive to provide an accessible space for all who come to Wonder’neath.

What’s Happening

For the most up-to-date information follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

How OPEN STUDIO Works

HOURS

Fridays and Saturdays
2:00 - 4:30 PM & 5:00 - 7:00 PM
These sessions are a first-come drop-in program.
For updates, please reach us by phone at 902-454-6860 or email at info@wonderneath.com

We close between each session to sanitize and prepare for the next session, you are more than welcome to attend multiple sessions, but you will not have access to the space between sessions.

In our shared space, you will typically find tools and support for:

• wet and needle felting

• hand sewing, embroidery

• a sewing machine and lots of fabric

• acrylic, watercolour, and mixed-media painting

• a range of wet and dry drawing supplies (ink, oil and chalk pastels, charcoal, conté, pencil crayons, markers, calligraphy pens, etc)

• printmaking techniques including screen printing, linocut printing, relief printing

• a range of sculpting and building materials

• hand tools (including several saws, clamps, drills, sanding blocks, hammers, screwdrivers, etc)

• a large selection of paper for wet and dry mediums

• collage materials

• our beloved typewriter (when we can find ribbons!)

• a library of art books

• healthy snacks

We supply a wealth of interesting and odd materials in our storage bins, free to combine in any way you wish. There are lots of connecting materials, including adhesives of all sorts, wire, string, elastics, zap straps, etc.  

There is a weekly featured project to get your creativity flowing, but it's just one of many options.  We welcome self-directed inquiries and projects of all sorts – provided the materials you are bringing are appropriate for a shared studio space. Please, no toxic or hazardous materials. 

Artist facilitators, as well as occasional volunteers, are on hand to assist at every session. We'll share our knowledge, experience and ideas, help you problem-solve, find space to work and feel at ease. No experience necessary! Feel free to share with us your knowledge and passion as well! We are an all-ages space, but caregivers are asked to stay close to their young participants to support them in their art explorations. We try to maintain a balance between children, youth, and adults.

We are a scent-free zone due to allergies. This also includes natural scents; please avoid all products containing Patchouli.

If you have any questions or feedback regarding Open Studio, please get in touch with us here. We welcome all ages of participants. A responsible guardian must accompany children under 12 years old. We are open most weekends; you can stay up to date by checking our social media pages.

Our Covid-19 Response in open studio

When Covid-19 concerns caused us to close our facility to the public, from March 13th, 2020 to August 28th, 2021, Wonder’neath Open Studio Artist’s created free take-home Art Kits for children, youth and families which were available weekly. Until we were able to safely welcome folks back into the studio. We created 66 unique kits, with 12,000+ distributed to the public weekly over this time period.