Richmond Artists Alliance

Artists, Artisans, and Makers

Author: Archie Nadon

  • We Wrote a Letter to Our MLA Over Cuts

    Below is a copy of the email we sent to our MLA Trevor Boudreau, along with his office’s reply that he is willing to meet. Some of the cuts have been restored but not for the arts, so there are things to discuss. If you are part of our Alliance or just concerned, your comments are welcome. If you would rather email us, we’re at info@richmondartistsalliance.ca

    Our email:

    March 2026

    Mr. Trevor Boudreau

    Member of the Legislative Assembly

    Richmond County

    Dear Mr. Boudreau,

    The Richmond Artists Alliance is one year old. We formed fast because the need was already there. Artists and craftspeople across the county wanted to connect, to share what they know, to break their isolation of living in a sparsely populated area. We now have 63 members, excellent attendance at all our events, and many programs in the works, including ones for children, seniors, and newcomers. All of this says something about Richmond County and what it needs.

    Richmond County is not Halifax. There is no redundancy, no network of institutions to absorb the loss when opportunities evaporate. Our members tell us time and again that making art and spending time with other artists keeps them well. Participation in groups like ours reduces isolation, supports mental health, and keeps people functioning in their communities. In other words, it keeps people out of the health system in the first place. Cutting funding to arts and culture to save the health system is just bad math.

    Groups like ours were finally recovering from COVID — not just financially but in terms of audience habits and volunteer energy. How quickly our membership grew attests to the readiness of people to gather again. These cuts are a devastating second blow to us and our fellow arts groups.

    Then there is the poor timing. Canadians are travelling at home right now in ways they haven’t in years. Maybe ever. Richmond County has something real to offer — and now is the moment to support it. Our first gallery in D’Escousse was getting noticed and bringing in income for our artists and craftspeople. It has been closed since December but reopens on Mother’s Day. Other venues we hope to develop will get even more tourist attention. But it takes support, in particular, our government’s support. These cuts strip that support away at the exact moment we are getting started.

    We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you directly, and formally invite you to attend a general meeting of the Richmond Artists Alliance, where our members have the chance to hear how you intend to represent their interests on this matter.

    Sincerely,

    The Richmond Artists Alliance

    Richmond County, Nova Scotia

    MLA Trevor Boudreau’s office’s reply.

    Hello Mr. Nadon,

    I received a response from MLA Boudreau regarding your email. He would like to meet and has asked if you could please provide some dates that would work best for you and/or the group to meet with him. Please send a few dates and times that would work best and I will find out what is mutually agreeable.

    Thank you,

    Colette

    Colette Orfeo

    Constituency Coordinator for

    MLA Trevor Boudreau, Richmond County

    10095 Grenville St., Unit 9

    St. Peters, NS, B0E 3B0

  • Want to Do Workshops or Courses for the Municipality of Richmond County?

    Here are the guidelines and forms. Note, you will have to have liability insurance. Be aware that this was uploaded on February 04, 2026 and may be out of date by the time you’re seeing this. Contact the Municipality for up to date info.

    MOCR Instructor Booklet 2025 (Sept) (1)Download
  • RAA to Date — Our first Newsletter-esque post

    RAA to Date — Our first Newsletter-esque post

    We don’t have a newsletter yet, but with the whirlwind pace of stuff happening we wanted to put out some announcements and updates. Some of the items will open a new page.

    The Richmond History in Art Project: Seniors New Horizon Grant Application

    We think this is a great project for the RAA. Despite the firehose of information inundating us from the Internet, we are losing our history. And the problem with books, recordings and photographs is that they usually spend their entire existence on shelves or in archives. But when you turn history into art and place it in a public space it continues to speak to the community. #RAArichmondhistory

    The Workshop Committee

    At our meeting in Point Michaud in August we began putting together a workshop committee. So far we have four people: Anne Rogal, Rita Warner, Elaine Mandrona and Archie Nadon.

    The first thing we did was get on a Zoom meeting with Jack Leonard, the president of ArtWorks East in Guysborough. They have an enviable workshop program and put on over 100 last year and Jack shared the lessons they’ve learned and some great tips.

    So, the goal of the committee is to dream up, fund and market as many workshops as we can to: 1) share our artistic skills with the public; 2) aid our members professional development; and 3) put money into the pockets of artists so they can keep on making art.

    We have one application in so far, the Seniors New Horizon Grant, and we will be tackling more once we have a chance to meet regularly.

    The Meet Our Artists Night

    two women laughing in an art gallery
    ArtWorks East’s Lee Leonard having a laugh with Shirley Bonin at the event.

    Our gallery’s first Meet Our Artists night was a great success. Of course, with a new group every project is the first and you always feel like flying by the seat of your pants.

    For example, I bought two cases of wine for a two hour meet and greet, not knowing how much wine artists would drink in two hours. It’s not 24 bottles, I’m happy to say. It was five.

    So many thanks to this guy, Ronnie Leblanc, who shared his event planning expertise but was also the sommelier.
    Three board members, from left: Breann Calder-Pottie, Elaine Mandrona and Colleen Dewolfe.

    The Gallery

    Alvina Samson at work in the gallery. Next year we’ll have a more structured staffing, but for this year we’re relying on heroes like Alvina. If there’s no one to run it, there’s no one to make sales.

    The gallery has been a great success. Everybody loves it. The two comments we hear most is: “It’s so great that this is here” and “I didn’t know this existed.”

    From the moment Daphne Pottie-Campbell told Breann Calder-Pottie (sounds a little like a Doctor Seuss book doesn’t it?) that there was a space for us at the D’Escousse Civic Improvement Society Hall for us if we wanted it, we’ve been huffing and puffing to keep it going.

    A venue was on the top of the wish list when we canvased potential members last January and February, but we didn’t think it would happen so soon.

    What some people don’t realize is that it was the second one that was offered to us. We were offered one in Port Hawkesbury by a real estate company but insurance (of course) became the obstacle.

    Getting the word out has been a challenge and publicity is dependent on a very small core of volunteers and of people posting and you folks liking and sharing what we put up.

    New stuff always interests customers and they are starting to come back to see the latest art. Here Tess MacDonnell of Perch Mosaics is setting up her work.

    We do best when there is a big event at the DCIS Hall, like their breakfasts, but we have had walk-ins on a quiet day leave with $200-plus in purchases.

    It just shows, that the art is wanted. But how do we get people to make the trek?

    More Tracking for the Gallery

    We have ordered more picture hanging tracking and will install it later this month. This has been a gift from the D’Escousse Civic Improvement Society. We had already put up some tracking and Ronnie Leblanc liked it and suggested they could finish the rest of the gallery.

    Hours: Saturdays and Sundays:12-4pm

    And when there are events.

    #RAAgallery

    AGM in March Project

    Our plan is to have our first AGM in March 2025. We incorporated in March of this year so we think that a year is long enough to become known (or notorious) and for people to be excited (or alarmed) enough to want to have their say.

    We don’t even have a committee yet, but that will be coming soon.

    An Artists’ Gathering with Greg Davies from CBU

    Image courtesy of Greg Davies

    This will be our second show-and-tell type event but it will be special because our partner will be Greg Davies and the Cape Breton University Gallery.

    Greg is the curator of the gallery there and has put on many of this style of meetup. We will learn new things this Saturday. I guarantee it. Click for more