The Neighbours Art Hive with the LivingRoom Community Art Studio

The gallery invites you to join us for artmaking and community connection in The Neighbours Art Hive between 12-3:30pm every Friday from January 10 to February 14, 2025. Passionate and helpful volunteers from the LivingRoom Community Art Studio will be onsite to support your creative explorations and cultivate a warm and welcoming environment for all. Participants are welcome to take their projects with them or hang them up for everyone to enjoy!

The Neighbours Project, installed at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (February 2024).

What to expect:

Everyone is welcome; no art experience required.

These drop-in events are free.

You’re welcome to come and go as you please.

Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be served.

What is an art hive?

Art Hives are safe, accessible spaces that enable people of all ages to participate in free public relaxation. In an Art Hive, traditional hierarchies, processes, and ways of being can be deconstructed and re-imagined in playful, personal, and compassionate ways.

The Neighbours Project, installed at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (February 2024).

The Neighbours Art Hive is a temporary installation at the RMG that transforms the gallery into an active studio space with help from the LivingRoom Community Art Studio. Outside of these facilitated sessions, we also invite all our neighbours to drop in any time during operating hours to make use of the free art materials on their own time. The RMG is located at 72 Queen Street, Civic Centre in Oshawa, across from the McLaughlin Branch of the Oshawa Public Libraries. The Neighbours Art Hive is in Gallery A, which is located on the lower level of the RMG. It is accessible by stairs or elevator. Between the elevator and Gallery A, you’ll pass our public washrooms. We have an accessible single-stall washroom as well as gender-inclusive multi-stall washrooms. Read more about our facilities here.

Upcoming Sessions:

Friday January 10, 2025

Friday January 17, 2025

Friday January 24, 2025

Friday January 31, 2025

Friday February 7, 2025

Friday February 14, 2025

Presented by The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation.

Oshawa Camera Club: Celebrating 100 Years of Oshawa with Pictures

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery and the Oshawa Camera Club are pleased to present an exhibition in honour of the City of Oshawa’s 100th anniversary that celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of Oshawa through photos. This exhibition will feature photographs from the City of Oshawa’s 100 Centennial Photography Contest.

The Oshawa Camera Club was founded in 1938 as the General Motors Camera Club. It is one of the oldest camera clubs in Canada. They support photographers with skills ranging from novice to expert through exhibition opportunities, social connection and education. Join us for the opening gala on December 12th at 6pm to celebrate the opening of the exhibition and the prize winners!

Seniors Spring Social Event

Let’s celebrate spring together! Back by popular demand, this free event encourages seniors (age 55+) to spend the afternoon curating their own program.

Participants may choose do the exhibition tour then have tea and snacks, do one or both of the workshop activities, do one of the workshops and then go on an exhibition tour, it’s a matter of preference.

Event options include:

  • Tours of the RMG current exhibitions at 1pm and 2pm
  • Two different drop in art making workshops
  • Light refreshments available in our onsite Arthurs Restaurant 1-3pm

In the Lookout (lower level) join guest artist instructor, Jade Wysotski from 1:30pm-2:30pm to create an adorable realistic kitten!

Working with black and white drawing media on toned paper, this piece will have a soft and realistic look. Participants will be provided with simple line art and use mark making techniques to communicate texture and form. This activity is suitable for all drawing abilities!

In the studio (lower level), participants are encouraged to make unique cards!  Create stamp printed leaves on a watercolour background. This workshop is supported by the Learning and Engagement team!

In Arthurs, enjoy light refreshments.

Join us at 1pm and 2pm for tours of our current exhibitions.

Seniors Programming has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Sienna for Seniors Foundation.

March Break Art Camp 2025

Ages 5 to 7

Ages 8 to 12

$225 Members/$250 Non-Members

9am-4pm

Do you want your kids to dive into creativity? Are they looking for exciting new adventures? Our popular camp encourages campers to explore and interact with art in fun and playful ways as they share their thoughts, and express their ideas. We will create messy and imaginative artworks with fine art materials that will truly inspire all budding artists. Spaces are limited.

Sign up here!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions or concerns that aren’t addressed here, please feel free to contact the Learning Department. More detailed information about camps and the Learning Team will be sent to registered families prior to the first day of camp.

I see that you do online registrations, can I register in-person or over the phone?

While we prefer online registrations, we do accept in-person (cash, debit, VISA and Mastercard).  There is a mandatory registration form that needs to be completed fully for each camper at the time of payment. These forms are reviewed by staff and documented in order to ensure we know pertinent information. We may reach out to families if we have follow-up questions prior to camp.

What is your maximum capacity?

15 campers maximum per age groups listed

What if I have a child that is outside the age range, can they still join?

All of our camps are geared specifically for children within the designated ages. In order to ensure the best experience for everyone, participants must fall within the indicated age range.

Are pre- and post-care available?

No, unfortunately, we are not able to offer this service.

What type of activities have you planned, are campers outside at all?

We will have a gallery portion of the day where campers get to explore our exhibitions, get an exclusive tour and participate in an exhibition activity! In the studio, we will get messy and play around with a variety of art-making projects. We have a fenced in backyard, if weather permits we may spend some time outside to play.

Do you provide snacks/lunch?

Parents are asked to pack a water bottle, peanut free snacks and lunch daily. There are two snack breaks and lunch is from 12-1pm.

What else might my child need to bring?

If you believe your child may need a change of clothes please provide that.  The studio has fluctuating temperatures, your child may feel comfortable in layers. Please ensure your child wears art friendly clothing and comfortable footwear. If weather permits, we may spend some time outside to play.

What is the staff to camper ratio?

We aim for a minimum of 1 to 7 ratio.

Do you provide a “kiss and ride”?

Not at this time. Drop-off takes place from 8:45am – 9:00am. We ask campers are signed in with a staff member in the front lobby. Families can choose to escort their camper to the studio, or a camp staff member can ensure your child gets there!

We require all families to pick up their camper at the end of day at 4pm. Only authorized adults will be allowed to sign out campers (ID may be asked to be shown.)

*Cancellation requests received prior to the start of the program will receive a full refund minus a $15 administration fee. We do not issue refunds (partial or full) after the start of the program.

The RMG reserves the right to cancel programs if the minimum enrollment is not met. In the event of a program cancellation, a full refund will be given. If a program is cancelled, registrants will receive notice one week prior to the beginning of the program. 

PA Day Camp: Winter 2025

PA Day Camp is a day filled with excitement for campers! We will dive into the current exhibitions, drawing inspiration from the art to express ourselves. Let’s embrace the messiness, unleash our creativity, and experiment with various materials!

Ages 5-10

$50 Members/ $70 Non-Members

Sign up today!

*Cancellation requests received prior to the start of the program will receive a full refund minus a $15 administration fee. We do not issue refunds (partial or full) after the start of the program.

The RMG reserves the right to cancel programs if the minimum enrollment is not met. In the event of a program cancellation, a full refund will be given. If a program is cancelled, registrants will receive notice one week prior to the beginning of the program. 

Saturday Studio: Winter 2025

This class is full.

Welcome to your weekend art journey! Every week, we’ll dive into various techniques and materials, discover how we can harness art to express ourselves, ignite our creativity, and produce our own unique artworks.

Ages 5 to 7      10:30-12pm

Ages 8 to 12    1-2:30pm

$80 Members/$100 Non-Members (6 weeks)

Sign up today!

*Cancellation requests received prior to the start of the program will receive a full refund minus a $15 administration fee. We do not issue refunds (partial or full) after the start of the program.

The RMG reserves the right to cancel programs if the minimum enrollment is not met. In the event of a program cancellation, a full refund will be given. If a program is cancelled, registrants will receive notice one week prior to the beginning of the program. 

Homeschool Art Class: Winter 2025

Welcome to your school away from home for arts education! Together, let’s dive into various materials and hone our artistic techniques to craft imaginative works of art.

January 21, 2025 – February 25, 2025

6 Weeks

Ages 5-7
10am-11am
$50 Members
$70 Non-Members

Ages 8-12
11:15am-12:45pm
$80 Members
$100 Non-Members

Sign up today!

Bright and Merry Warming Station

We’ll be open from 5-7pm during the Bright & Merry Market!

Drop by for some cozy beverages and treats, enjoy a tour of our new exhibitions, and find holiday gifts at the RMG Shop.

Feed the Need Donation Box will be at the gallery for your donations.

The RMG reserves the right to cancel this event due to circumstances beyond RMG’s control or not reasonably anticipated, including but not limited, to weather, or inability of Facility to host Event.

RMG Friday: Passages

Join us for the final RMG Friday of the year! The evening will kick off with a performance by RBC Emerging Artist in Residence Vanessa Godden followed by the O’Neill CVI Dance and Movement Studies students. In the Lookout, DRIFF will be screening Common as Red Hair by Robbie Robertson.

Enjoy food from local restaurant, Gabe and Pancha’s.

Vanessa Godden, Transference (2024), performed at the 7a*11d International Festival of Performance Art, October 13, 2024. Image by Henry Chan.

7-8PM Transference: A performance by Vanessa Godden

Transference is a performance by RBC Emerging Artist in Residence Vanessa Godden. Throughout the performance, Godden will submerge their body in containers of different sizes filled with salt water. The artist’s movement, and the resulting sounds, will interact with a sound composition produced in collaboration with Markham-based Visual and Sonic artist, James Knott. The composition includes audio collected by Godden during their residency at the RMG, field recordings from Trinidad and Tobago, experimental steel pan recordings, and a choir of sounds collected from Queer and Trans loved ones. The performance serves as a bridge between Godden’s Non-Binary Queer diasporic existence in the West and the lineages of movement instigated by colonization of South Asia and the Caribbean.

The RBC Emerging Artist Residency Program is generously sponsored by the RBC Foundation’s Emerging Artist Project.

The artist thanks the Canada Council for the Arts for their support of this work.

O’Neill CVI Dance and Movement Studies students perform, choreographed by Kiera Beaugh and Megan Nadain.

This piece dives into the language of anxious movements—the nervous ticks, repetitive gestures, and subconscious rhythms we turn to when unease sets in. Each motion draws from the tension between comfort and compulsion, exploring how, in moments of distress, we may find solace in patterns that are both familiar and self-destructive. This piece invites the audience to witness the complexity of self-soothing behaviors and the ways we navigate our inner landscapes in search of calm, even in places that may not offer it.

Kiera Breaugh is a dancer/choreographer whose style lives at the intersection of contemporary and hip hop. Kiera has a BA in Dance from LMU in Los Angeles. While in LA, she was a member of LA dance companies: the Young Lions, Immabeast, Immabreathe and MashUp Contemporary Dance Company.

Kiera has performed in Dance Matters, A Woman’s Work, the Toronto Fringe Festival, the Orlando Fringe Festival, the Vancouver Fringe Festival and Dusk Dances, Hamilton. She has choreographed for PRESENCE, a site specific series commissioned by Peggy Baker Dance Productions: ProArteDanza in their Choreolab and an original piece during the half-time of a Raptors Game. Kiera has completed the Hicks Choreography Fellows Program through Jacob’s Pillow and is in the middle of a two year residency at Assembly Hall in Etobicoke offered through Toes for Dance.

Kiera has worked with and danced for artists including Ian Eastwood, Brian Friedman, Janelle Ginestra, Kylie Thompson, Mary Ann Chavez and Monika Felice Smith. Her work often explores themes such as racial identity, female upward mobility, and other ideas that aim to empower the unheard.

Our Hearts as Planets” sets out to explore the deep comfort that can come from finding connectivity and community amidst a world that can often feel incredibly overwhelming. The weight of our struggles can cause us to feel isolated, alone or misunderstood, yet letting others in and finding common ground often leads to a lightening of our mental loads and we are often reminded that we are not alone. We explored gestures and movement phrases in isolation from one another eventually, slowly and sometimes sporadically finding their way into unison and harmony. Whatever is going on in our lives today, we strive to find gratitude to be where we are right now, with these people, dancing together, in this incredible space, for you. Welcome to our journey. I am grateful to dancers for their open hearts and minds, and for all of their beautiful contributions to the work. 

Jessica Baker Photography

Megan Nadain (she/her) is a Toronto-based dancer, choreographer and dance educator originally from North Vancouver, BC. She is a graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre and was the recipient of the The Hnatyshyn Foundation Developing Artist Grant. She was a company member with Dancetheatre David Earle and has worked independently with Darryl Tracy, Nicole Nigro, inDANCE, Toronto Heritage Dance and Miranda Abbott. She has the pleasure of being a faculty member at The School of Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre teaching Creative Movement and Modern and has directed CCDT’s Core Apprentice Program for the past 8 years; she is thrilled to take on the directorship of the Accelerated Training Program this year. Megan is also on faculty at Dance Arts Institute (formerly the School of Toronto Dance Theatre) teaching in The Professional Program and Adult Contemporary Dance. She has also worked as a dance educator at York University and The National Ballet of Canada’s In Studio program and facilitates the dance programs at several elementary and secondary schools in Toronto. Two projects that she has been involved with that she is exceptionally passionate about are Bridging Generations Through Dance with Dancing with Parkinson’s and Moving together: Choreographic mappings of children with diverse dis/abilities and their neurological responses to a dance-play event with Coralee McLaren.

DRIFF will be screening Common as Red Hair by Robbie Robertson.

About the film: The aftermath of an emotional funeral causes a grieving father and mother to reexamine their early life decision to have gender normalization surgery performed on their intersex infant.

Screening times: 8:00 and 8:45

Trailer

An anchor of the cultural calendar in Durham Region, RMG Fridays are free community events that bring together various art forms. Designed for all ages they feature a variety of live music, performances, film screenings with DRIFF (Durham Region International Film Festival), exhibition tours, artist talks, and highlight community partners and local businesses.

The RMG reserves the right to cancel this event due to circumstances beyond RMG’s control or not reasonably anticipated, including but not limited, to weather, or inability of Facility to host Event.

Convergence Music and Art Festival

Kick off Oshawa’s Convergence Music and Art Festival at the RMG! The launch party will be taking place at the Gallery on Friday, September 20. During the Festival on Saturday, September 21, find us at the ARTBLOCK and at the Family Zone.

RMG Friday: Convergence Launch Party

September 20, 2024
7-10pm
Location: The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

Join us to celebrate the launch of the Convergence Music & Arts Festival. Enjoy live musical performances by Joel Anderson, Christina Smith, and Desarae Dee* as well as art-making activities, exhibitions, and food from local restaurants.

* Please note: due to unforeseen circumstances Desarae Dee is unable to perform.

Joel Anderson is a songwriter with a rich, smooth tone that fuses elements from R&B and Gospel. His music, characterized by heartfelt storytelling and passionate delivery, deeply resonates with listeners through its authenticity and emotional depth.

Scarborough-born, Jamaican-raised Christina Smith’s unique sound is a combination of elements. Some of her musical influences include FKA twigs, Halle Bailey, Kathleen Battle and Qveen Herby. She describes her sound as classical fusion, pulling from the vocal technique and delivery of classical music, and the instrumentation of contemporary music (including, R&B, pop, house and rock).

Join local guest artist Chelsea Frattura in the art studio to get your geek on! Dive into the nostalgic world of 8-bit artwork as you design and create your own custom magnet. Using the grid method, you’ll bring your favourite pop culture icons to life—or invent your own design! Perfect for beginners.

ARTBLOCK

September 21, 2024
11am-7pm
Location: Former Oshawa GO Bus terminal

At the Convergence Music & Arts Festival, the City of Oshawa and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery are co-presenting ARTBLOCK, an art-centered festival Zone showcasing local artistic talent. This area will include a public art exhibition in the former Oshawa GO Bus terminal, art by local artists, participatory art activities and more!

Feature in ARTBLOCK: Points of Connection

For over 20 years, the Oshawa Bus Terminal served as the site for countless homecomings, goodbyes, greetings and adventures. Now no longer in use, it stands like a monument to past memories while awaiting its future redevelopment. For Convergence Music & Arts Festival, the terminal returns to its former glory, packed with people and stories, as the site of the art exhibition Points of Connection.

Points of Connection brings together work by locally connected artists to explore how our personal histories are tied to collective experiences and settings. The exhibition gathers us to reflect on the ways we seek connection; through personal histories, community, technology and nature.

This Bus Terminal connected Oshawa’s communities to and from, far and wide, making it a fitting location for an exhibition that considers how we as a community flourish through connections.

Presented by the City of Oshawa and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery.

Family Zone

Saturday, September 21, 2024
11am-7pm
Location: Family Zone

Join us in the Family Zone at the Convergence Music and Art Festival! We will be designing our own unique band t-shirt art using watercolour resist techniques to create awe-inspiring creations.

This event has been financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund a program of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation.

The RMG reserves the right to modify or cancel this event due to circumstances beyond RMG’s control or not reasonably anticipated, including but not limited, to weather, or inability of Facility to host Event.