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Maple Ridge invites residents to inaugural Community Canvas Art Fest
The free, family-friendly event runs Sept. 19 at The ACT Arts Centre, with hands-on art activities, public art collaborations and a live dance performance.
The City of 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 is intended to celebrate local creativity, culture and community connection.
Residents, local artists and community organizations will gather for hands-on artmaking, collaborative public art, showcases and a live dance performance launching The ACT Art Centre’s 2026-2027 performance season. The event is designed to make arts and culture accessible to people of all ages and experience levels while introducing residents to local artists, organizations and creative opportunities.
Mayor Ruimy said the inaugural festival invites residents of all ages to connect, create and celebrate artistic talent across Maple Ridge.
Daytime programming includes Artist Try-Its, with free drop-in artmaking stations led by Maple Ridge Artists in Residence Alex Neff and Colleen Brown, alongside other local artists. The sessions are intended to encourage creative exploration and interaction with local arts practitioners.
Maple Ridge-based Guildhouse Project will turn ACT spaces into interactive public art experiences through collaborative activities where guests of all ages can contribute, create and connect.
At 2 p.m., audiences can see Trei, meaning “three,” a solo dance work by Vidya Kotamraju in The ACT Gallery. Presented within Laurence Belzile’s exhibition Créatrices d’images, the performance brings visual art and live dance together in an immersive setting.
Russ Brummer, manager of arts, culture and events, said the event creates opportunities for artists, performers and residents to experience the arts while helping launch a new ACT season.
More information is available at MapleRidge.ca/CommunityCanvas. The Maple Ridge ACT (Arts, Culture, Theatre) Arts Centre opened in 2003 and has served as a community hub for more than 20 years, hosting events ranging from local school bands and dance recitals to major productions and concerts. It also supports local talent through art exhibitions and arts programs. For information, contact TheACT@MapleRidge.ca, follow @ArtsMapleRidge on Facebook and Instagram, or visit MapleRidge.ca/ACT.