Oak Bay's Free Summer Concerts in Willows Beach

Summer Concerts at Willows Park

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Oak Bay Parks, Recreation, and Culture spoils us in Oak Bay with free concerts on the beach throughout the summer!

The musical line-up is chosen to support established, as well as up and coming local talent who blend musical styles. Audiences can expect something different each time and a chance to enjoy music outdoors.

Bring a blanket and a picnic, and enjoy live music in a beautiful setting. Expect a variety of musical styles by local performers. Willows Beach Park is located at Dalhousie Street at Beach Drive.

All concerts in the series will take place at Willows Beach Park, starting at 6:30pm.

Oak Bays Artists' Studio Tour

Annual Artists’ Studio Tours

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Oak Bay’s art scene truly is unique! Resident artists of Oak Bay open up the doors to their homes and studios several times a year and invite the public in to view and appreciate their art.

These tours are self-guided and free. There are around 25 local artists that participate, showing paintings in watercolour, acrylic, and oil, as well as ceramics, jewelry, photography, fibre art, paper castings, art cards, woodcuts and more.

Participants are invited to walk, bike, or drive the streets of Oak Bay at their own pace to view the art, meet the artists, and learn about artists’ inspiration and process.

This unique event is organized and produced by Oak Bay Parks, Recreation, and Culture.

In addition to the displays in their home studios, artists also exhibit a selection of works in the Neighbourhood Learning Centre (adjacent to Oak Bay High School). Oak Bay is proud to support local artists share their art with the community, and to provide education about art and its many expressions.

This event is free to the public. Printed brochures are available at the Oak Bay Recreation Centres, Oak Bay Municipal Hall, and the Oak Bay Library as well as at local businesses and through participating artists prior to the show.

Bowker Creek Brush Up Oak Bay

Bowker Creek Brush Up

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Each August during Oak Bay’s Arts & Culture Festival, Bowker Creek comes alive with artists and art enthusiasts. Over 40 artists come down, set up their easels, display their art, and paint away – providing demonstrations and insight into how their create their art.

More than 2000 spectators come through this beautiful event along the creek. It’s a wonderful event to explore your creative side, ask questions of the artists, and take home some art!

There is food and drink available, and a live band!

For more information, contact the Oak Bay Community Artists Society.

Painted Pianos Oak Bay

Outdoor Painted Pianos

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The avenues of Oak Bay are about to get a little more musical in the summertime. The public painted piano program is one that brings joy and energy to our beautiful community. Each year, four to five new pianos are purchased and painted by local artists. They are then placed in chosen locations along the coast, in the parks, and around Oak Bay Village.

The pianos are placed outdoors in July and they remain there until September. Anybody can play the pianos from 10 a.m. to dusk daily when they will be covered for the night.

The program is organized by Oak Bay Arts Laureate, Barbara Adams, in partnership with Oak Bay Parks, Recreation, and Culture.

ArtsAlive Outdoor Sculptures

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Oak Bay will always have art in its heart.

Each year the Arts Laureate of Oak Bay and Oak Bay Parks, Rec, and Culture organize a public outdoor sculpture program of up to 14 new pieces of art brought into Oak Bay from all across the country. Each piece unique, each piece with a story, each piece incredible. Find them all along the avenues, the beaches, the parks, and just around every corner.

Local businesses sponsor each piece of art (and its shipment to Oak Bay) to be on display for one year. Each sculpture has an information plate with a QR code for voting. There are also ballot-boxes in certain locations around Oak Bay for visitors and residents to vote for their favourite piece. The piece with the most votes is purchased by the Municipality of Oak Bay to become part of its permanent public art collection, and often times Oak Bay residents purchase (sometimes collaboratively) pieces that they want to stay in the community.

The Avenue Gallery

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One of the premiere boutique galleries in the Pacific Northwest, The Avenue Gallery, in Victoria, British Columbia, has been showcasing contemporary Canadian fine art since 2002. Patrons from around the world are treated to ever-changing exhibits and have access to unsurpassed collections by painters, sculptors, and glass and jewellery artists. This impressive gallery carries a broad spectrum of modern art that appeals to people new to the contemporary art scene as well as knowledgeable collectors.

Please see our current exhibits.

Side Street Studio

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Side Street Studio specializes in unique, locally-crafted and original pottery, jewellery, textiles, glass-art, wood turnings and bowls, carvings, sculptures, west coast photography, art cards and books; all unique and one-of-a-kind. There are gifts for every occasion; birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, house-warmings, romantic events, thanks you’s, good luck and just for you!

If it is not made in British Columbia then it is not sold at Side Street Studio.