Maple Ridge to host inaugural Community Canvas Art Fest

Maple Ridge will hold its first Community Canvas Art Fest on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The ACT Arts Centre. The free, family-friendly event will bring together residents, local artists and community organizations.

The program includes hands-on artmaking, collaborative public art, showcases and a live dance performance launching The ACT Art Centre’s 2026-27 performance season. Mayor Dan Ruimy said the festival is intended to make arts and culture accessible to people of all ages and experience levels while connecting residents with local artists, organizations and creative opportunities.

Visitors can join free drop-in artmaking stations led by artists in residence Alex Neff and Colleen Brown and other local artists. Maple Ridge-based Guildhouse Project will turn The ACT spaces into interactive public-art experiences. At 2 p.m., Vidya Kotamraju will perform the solo dance work Trei, meaning “three,” in The ACT Gallery within Laurence Belzile’s exhibition Créatrices d'images.

Arts, culture and events manager Russ Brummer said the event will bring artists, performers and residents together in a welcoming setting while helping launch a new ACT season. More information is available at MapleRidge.ca/CommunityCanvas.