Eastside Arts Festival returns this July with new workshops

Vancouver's Eastside Arts Festival is expanding the scope of its programming for its sixth edition, taking place July 17–28 across East Van artist studios, breweries, galleries, and community spaces.

New initiatives include workshops designed to unleash one's inner artist: hands-on instruction on creating floral watercolour still-lifes, ceramic mini-houses, potted plant paintings, and glass frit fusing. Returning workshops will help participants hone skills in landscape painting, goldwork embroidery, indigo dyeing, porcelain slip casting, and textile printmaking.

Notable artists leading workshops include Janine Schroedter, Tara Pople, Pilar Mehlis, Naomi Yamamoto, as well as teams at Terminal City Glass Co-op and Sunfire Studios. Hosting venues range from East Van artist studios to Luppolo and Superflux craft breweries to Odd Society Spirits. Strathcona Park will offer an open-air plein air drawing workshop.

Highlights of the festival include live music in MacLean Park, public art tours of Strathcona, Chinatown, and Commercial Drive, poetry workshops, dance performances, food trucks, and interactive outdoor performances and installations.

One of the biggest events is the free all-day music festival in MacLean Park on July 25. The bill — put together in collaboration with the Rickshaw Theatre — includes Stephen Hamm: Theremin Man, Buddie, Wack, Big Rig, and DJing by scene veteran Jody Glenham.

Eastside Arts Society programs and development manager Sierra MacTavish said: "I'm continually inspired by the creative energy, experimentation, and sense of community that exists across the Eastside Arts District. What makes the Eastside so special is the density of creativity that exists here — artist studios, community spaces, and longstanding cultural histories all existing side by side."

Some events will be ticketed; many others are free. The festival draws the city deeper into the neighborhoods that make East Van a creative home.