City Art Fest
December 11
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Bermuda National Gallery and the 70th anniversary of the Bermuda Society of Arts! Join us to celebrate this combined 100 years of art on Sunday, December 11, at the City Art Fest!
Come for an afternoon of gallery tours, workshops and live performances spanning art, poetry and music. Free activities for the whole family and free admission. Curated selections of arts and craft vendors and local artisan food and drink stands promise to satisfy your tastebuds and offer unique gift options for the festive season.
With the Bermuda National Gallery named Best Museum and the Bermuda Society of Arts named Best Gallery in the 2022 Best of Bermuda Awards, there is no better time to visit!
FREE WORKSHOPS
Ocean Plastics Photographic Workshop: Inspired by images created for her Flotsam & Jetsam exhibition, Biennial artist Meredith Andrews will be teaching children to create collages from ocean plastics that she has collected along Bermuda’s shoreline. The works will then be photographed. Ages 8-14 (or possibly younger if accompanied an adult).
Interactive Mixed Media Art Workshop: Biennial artist and art educator Louisa Bermingham will be hosting an interactive art experience. Participants will help build a multi-media surface using recycled card, fabrics and oil pastels that will then serve as a canvas for participants to leave their own mark. All ages.
Silverpoint Drawing Workshop: Biennial artist and BNG Founding Trustee Dr Charles Zuill will be presenting the ages old technique of metal point drawing, which was first used by medieval scribes before the invention of pencils. Ages 15 to adult.
Charcoal Drawing Workshop: Artist and art educator Richard Sutton will be teaching a traditional approach to drawing with charcoal. Participants will focus on layering to create a realistic shaded effect. Ages 15 to adult.
Sea Plastics Art Workshop: Biennial artist and Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation teacher Corrina Rego will be teaching children to create uniquely beautiful works of art using sea plastics found on Bermuda’s beaches. Ages 5 and up (or possibly younger if accompanied by adult).
Collage Workshop: Biennial artist Abi Box will be leading a collage and drawing workshop exploring the possibilities of shapes and composition through cutting, sticking and tracing to create abstractions and unlock creativity. Ages 10 and up (or possibly younger if accompanied by an adult).
Photography Workshop: Biennial artist and surf photographer Seth de Roulet will be leading a workshop on shape, line and texture and the way we use light to take better photographs. Ages 15 to adult.
FREE ARTIST TALKS
John Gardner on Rapid Sketching: Biennial artist and architect John Gardner will be discussing his rapid art technique. The artist, who taught Advanced Architecture at RISD, first developed the technique to break up the monotony of air travel during a period of regular commute between Bermuda and Rhode Island.
Charlie Godet Thomas on Art and Language: Biennial artist Charlie Godet Thomas will be talking about both the use and influence of language in his multi-media work. The artist, who lives in Mexico City, will discussing how he incorporates poetry into his work and what it means to work in a country where your first language isn’t the dominant language and the implications of this on his practice.
Meet the Artist: Graham Foster: Seven-time Bermuda Biennial artist Graham Foster, best known today for his Hall of History mural, which covers 1,000 square feet of the Commissioner’s House at the National Museum of Bermuda in Dockyard, will be on site to discuss his unique approach to painting.
LIVE ART
Photographic Portraits by Amanda Temple and Jacqueline Alma: Participants are invited to have their photograph taken by Amanda Temple in The Birdcage, a 2022 Biennial artwork by Jacqueline Alma which stands on the front lawn of City Hall & Art Centre. People can photographed alone or in a group and are encouraged to bring props to express their own versions of Past, Present and Futurein response to the theme of this year’s exhibition. Please register in advance with Jacqueline at j.alma.art@gmail.com.
Live Art with Dr Edwin Smith: Artist and educator Dr Edwin M.E. Smith will be creating an artwork entirely out of duct tape, inspired by Transience, a striking installation produced for the 2020 Bermuda Biennial. Watch the piece come together over a 2-hour period.
Live Painting with the Bermuda Plein Air Group: The Bermuda Plein Air artists, who meet each week to paint “en plein air” at locations across the island, will be painting live. Watch them capture various architectural aspects of the City Hall & Arts Centre in just two hours.
FREE GALLERY TOURS
2022 Bermuda Biennial | A Personal Perspective: Photographs by Richard Saunders | Masterpieces of the Renaissance: Selections from the National Collection | BSOA Winter Members Show
FREE POETRY READINGS
Tiffany Paynter | Andrea Ottley | Catherine Hay | Liana Nanang | Ajala Omodele | Yesha Townsend | Jessica Lightbourne | Venetia Furbert | Charlie Godet Thomas
FAMILY FUN
360 Photo Booth | Bouncy Castle | Free Face Painting
FOOD AND DRINK
Vegan food by Alkaline Triangle | Wood fired pizzas by J&B’s | Coffee by Cafécito | Craft beer by Bermuda Craft Brewing | Hand crafted cocktails and mocktails by Mixyz Bda | Hot chocolate, cotton candy and popcorn by Jazzy Treats
POP UP SHOP
Original artworks by Louisa Bermingham and John Gardner | Limited-edition prints by Graham Foster and Meredith Andrews | Curated selection of arts and craft vendors.
Join us on December 11 to celebrate 100 years of art!
The City Art Fest takes place at City Hall & Arts Centre, Church Street, Hamilton, on Sunday, December 11, from 12pm to 5pm. Free admission. Free parking at City Hall carpark.
Call for Volunteers
If you are keen to support the Bermuda National Gallery and the Bermuda Society of Arts and are able to spare a couple of hours on Sunday, December 11 we’d love your help at the City Art Fest!
There are lots of opportunities, including:
- Decorating City Hall & Arts Centre
- Welcome/Wayfinding
- Assisting with workshop activities
- Supporting arts & craft vendors
- Promoting the festival via marketing and flyer distribution
- Festival documentation
- Breakdown of the event
For further information please email projects@bng.com.
Thank you for your support!