Friday, September 12 | 7:00 pm

The Inverness County Centre for the Arts is proud to present Rock Night Unplugged, a special evening of live music with local performer Christian Walker.

This concert celebrates the raw sound and enduring influence of ’90s rock. Christian Walker will deliver an intimate unplugged performance featuring music from Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and other iconic bands of the era. With stripped-back arrangements, the songs take on a new depth, highlighting both their power and emotional resonance.

Whether you’re a lifelong fan of grunge or simply looking for a night of great live music, Rock Night Unplugged promises an unforgettable experience in a unique setting.

Tickets are $10, and are available here, or at the door. Seating is limited, so we encourage you to arrive early.

Join us for an evening of celebration as we launch Anne Lévesque’s debut novel, The Secret Lives of Public Servants — the 10th title from Galleon Books!

Decades after leaving the public service, Lee Gaik Wah, Stephen Higdon, and Caroline Melançon are now Lost Annuitants. Art school graduate Del Charbonneau is the pension clerk obsessed with tracking them down. Wry, warm, and wonderfully strange, the novel interweaves the past and present of four unforgettable characters with a humorous, richly detailed depiction of life inside a large government office.

A meditation on work, the power of imagination, and the bonds that sustain us, this is a story full of wit, compassion, and surprise.

Praise for The Secret Lives of Public Servants:
“Darkly hilarious and unexpectedly poignant... a wickedly smart, slyly subversive read.”
— Tom Ryan, author of The Treasure Hunters Club

Come meet the author, hear an excerpt from the book, and celebrate with us! Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Come to the Centre this Friday and dance the night away (from 6-8PM) with your little ones! Put on your most dazzling pair of pyjamas, and shiniest pairs of shoes, and have a great time.

Join us this Friday, July 25th and get inspired with Anne Levesque - create something unique to you, inspired by our annual Hands Dancing exhibit!

“A uniquely thrilling and emotive fantasy ride along a sea-bordered highway

The wondrous rustic landscape of Nova Scotia bursts from the page in Vera Bushwack , where reality gladly gives way to fantastical flights of fancy before gently coming back down to earth. A chainsaw fires up and Drew’s vision blurs. Their body vibrates alive with the whrrr of the engine, the whiff of gas. Drew dissolves as their alter-ego, Vera Bushwack, takes charge. Assless-chaps-wearing, unflinching Vera slashes through thick trunks, felling trees righteously from the back of a majestic steed.

Vera’s here to help, of course. Drew needs to clear the land for their future cabin in the woods. And if it weren’t for Vera’s brazenness, Drew may, ironically, fall reliant on others to learn self-reliance. Nevertheless, men enter Drew’s orbit, all too eager to explain how things work―an aggravating occurrence that comes crashing into Drew as dependably as the nearby ocean waves.

Joy, anger, grief, and self-acceptance ripple through these pages with Sig Burwash’s hilariously expressive pencil drawings and flair for buoyant watercolors. Approaching something like liberation, our protagonist comes to terms with past traumas, boundaries, and the many expressions of themself.“ - Goodreads

Burwash will be in conversation with Amish Morrell - beginning at 7PM, this event is admission by donation.

The First Annual Inverness Sea Glass Festival, Saturday June 21st, 10am to 6pm.

ICCA will be hosting the first annual Sea Glass Festival celebrating the history and beauty of genuine, natural sea glass.

We will have artists and craftspeople, knowledgeable speakers, a sea glass contest, and more! A family-friendly event which includes activities for children.

Vendor application information can be found below:

First Annual Sea Glass Festival

The ICCA Board and Festival Committee are excited to invite you to our First Annual Sea Glass Festival. The Festival will take place Saturday June 21st. 10am to 6pm. Set up will start at 8am Saturday morning, or Friday evening starting at 6pm.

We will have a Sea Glass and pottery shard contest, guest speakers, demonstrations, kids activities and more. There will be a $2. entrance fee, children under 12 free.

Vendors will be asked to donate something for a gift basket which we will sell tickets on to help cover our costs. A food truck will be on site.

Priority will be given to products featuring genuine sea glass handcrafted by you, the artist. We will consider handcrafted products with a beach theme.

No manufactured objects will be accepted. There will be a discount for any vendors willing to give a demonstration. Tear down will be at 6 pm, not before. Please have your own table cover.

Fees:

1 - 2.5’ X 5’ table and 2 chairs $45.00

2 - 2’5 X 5’ tables and 2 chairs 65.00

*Please let us know if you need an electrical outlet.

For more information, or to register as a vendor, please contact Beth Ryan:

bethryan199@gmail.com

The Cabot Trail Writers Festival is delighted to host a reading, conversation and audience Q&A with the three authors nominated for the 2025 Alistair MacLeod Prize for Short Fiction: Allison Graves (Soft Serve), Amanda Peters (Waiting for the Long Night Moon) and Susie Taylor (Vigil).

The evening will be hosted by author Alexander MacLeod. We’re very pleased to bring these three extraordinary writers (see below for their bios) together to share their work and celebrate their nomination for an Atlantic Book Award particularly dear to Cape Breton hearts, named in honour of one of our most beloved authors and now administered by the Cabot Trail Writers Festival.

This event will be pay-what-you-can (recommended: $15). All proceeds will go towards the award and event costs. Books will be available for sale, a cash bar will be open, and light refreshments will be served. Our thanks to the Inverness County Centre for the Arts for generously opening their doors to welcome us into their space to share this beautiful evening of laughter, inspiration and stories..

The Municipality of Inverness County is hosting an engagement session for youth aged 16 - 30 at Inverness County Centre for the Arts on December 20th, 2024. For more information and to register, click the link here

Join us for an evening of drinks, light snacks, a silent auction, and live entertainment on December 14th to fund raise for our 2025 season! The night will feature live music with local musicians, Claverhouse band, and Abbey Mullendore with Steve Luxton. We hope to see you there!

Tickets are $30, and are available here.

Calling all newcomers, volunteers, community leaders and inspiring professionals!

Looking to expand your network or eager to help others make meaningful connections in Municipality of the County of Inverness? Join us for a relaxed and engaging meetup!

Connect with your Cape Breton Connector Program Program coordinator, the Cape Breton Welcome Network, and a community Connector. It’s the perfect opportunity to share stories, build relationships, and grow your network in a friendly, welcoming environment!

Our annual Elves Fair market will be taking place on November 17th, from 12:00 - 4:00PM

All of the markets throughout our community are a great opportunity to engage and support with our local crafters and businesses, as well as a chance to find the perfect gifts for all of your loved ones with Christmas around the corner

VENDOR APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Vendor applications are now open and ongoing until all spots are filled. To apply for a spot, please email Olivia MacDonald at olivia@invernessarts.com outlining your business, craft, or goods. Primary and secondary producers are welcomed at the market, meaning that we expect our vendors to grow, make, or finish their products themselves. You can apply for a maximum of (2) tables. The cost is one table for $30, or $50 for two. We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us for an evening of celebration with Tom Ryan and Kate Beaton in the release of Tom Ryan’s newest novel “The Treasure Hunters Club”. Tom and Kate will be discussing some of the inspirations behind TTHC, with books available for purchase. This is a non-ticketed, free event for the public.

In "Far Out!", author Chris Murphy has captured a fascinating but under-reported period in Nova Scotia’s recent history - the unlikely story of hundreds of “Back to the Landers” who migrated from the rest of Canada, US, and Europe to rural corners of the province in the late 1960s and 70s.

This mainly young, urban cohort had rejected their parents’ 9-5 “rat race”, the demands of the consumer society, and political conflict over the Vietnam War. Instead, they sought an “alternative” - a more peaceful, simple, and independent existence, living off the land, 

         Nova Scotia in the late 60s offered them the chance to realize their romantic rural ideals. But despite cheap land and funky old farmhouses they bought for a song, most were ill-equipped to attain their dreams. One or two Maritime winters sent most on other life paths. But a surprising number adapted, thrived, raised families, and contributed in different ways to their new communities.

         Chris and his brother Peter Murphy interviewed and filmed more than 50 remaining “landers” whose personal migration stories shatter tired stereotypes about "naive hippies" and "draft dodgers". In a series of events around the province this autumn, Chris will read excerpts from “Far Out!” and be interviewed by Costas Halavrezos, former host of CBC Radio's Maritime Noon. Also, Peter will preview a brief related video from the documentary project. A Q&A with the audience will follow readings, and the book will be available for purchase at the events (cash or debit preferred). 

        "Far Out!" is illustrated with many period photographs as well as original sketches by artist Anna Syperek, who also created the striking cover art.

For interviews or information, contact Chris Murphy: 902-210-0429 or cjamesmurphy46@gmail.com. Also, explore the backtotheland.ca website.

From Vancouver Island: a dynamic female duo perform traditional pop, swing, and jazz in Cape Breton at the Inverness County Centre For The Arts.

Come join us for a night of amazing music with vocalist Angela Verbrugge (Best Jazz Artist nominee, Western Canadian Music Awards 2024), and pianist Ashley Wey.

Get ready to be swept away by their incredible blend of traditional pop, swing, and jazz music. With mesmerizing piano melodies and soulful singing, this event promises to be a night to remember. Don't miss out!

From Victoria, BC, Vancouver Islanders

ANGELA VERBRUGGE & ASHLEY WEY

~~~SWING, CHEMISTRY AND CHARISMA~~~

All the way from Vancouver Island, vocalist Angela Verbrugge and pianist Ashley Wey are in Atlantic Canada to perform for you for the first-time! Angela has been touring the world singing about love gone right (or very wrong!). Her lyrics range from humorous tales of romance while trying to eat buttery corn at a summer picnic, to the mad dash panicked adventure of being late, to sweet reflections newfound infatuation, to sour reflections on feeling wholly unloveable.

The whimsical style takes inspiration from vintage movie musicals (such as those with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers), traditional swing era pop and American songbook (such as those sung by Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and Julie London), and jazz standards (such as songs performed by Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé and Newfoundland vocalist Heather Bambrick).

Born in Kingston, Ontario, Angela has a penchant for drama having studied theatre in Toronto (and just generally being a dramatic person!) before moving to western Canada in 1997. Verbrugge has released three critically-acclaimed albums, in 2019, 2022 and the latest in May 2024 on USA-jazz labels. She won the JazzTimes’ Magazine poll for Best Female Vocalist, and was nominated for Jazz Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Rave reviews of her recordings have resulted in performance opportunities in far-flung places including Japan, Türkiye, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Taiwan, UK and many Canadian provinces, all in the last four years. Her music has been played on radio around the world including CBC, NPR, and she took the number one spot of the Earshot charts multiple weeks.

Angela is joined by Ashley Wey, a red-head, born-and-bred, infrared west coast pianist (yes, we love rhymes!). The vibrant, passionate and swingin’ pianist started at the tender age of 5, and turned pro at age fifteen, never looking back. She attended Humber under mentors such as Don Thompson before setting sail to play jazz on cruise lines and in Australia. Returning to settle in Victoria, she became one of the busiest most in-demand musicians as both a leader and an accompanist on Vancouver Island. An in-demand educators for all ages, Ashley spent several years as one of the captains of the ship at Hermann’s Jazz Club, helping it weather the pandemic storm… curating programming, doing sound and operations. In one moment she will deliver a ridiculously swinging Oscar Peterson tribute. In the next, she is a tasteful interpreter of soul/pop sounds. Ashley's on-stage charism and joy have built her a huge following in British Columbia.

The Vancouver Islanders offer the attendees a lively evening of fun and flirty classics with a modern twist to keep audiences on their toes, which incidentally will be a-tappin.

Tickets are available here

Inverness County Centre for the Arts welcomes Helen Tworkov for the launch of her memoir, Lotus Girl

Inverness, NS—The Inverness County Centre for the Arts, Inverness County’s arts hub, will host a book launch for longtime Inverness resident Helen Tworkov on Sunday, August 18.

Helen’s memoir, Lotus Girl: My Life at the Crossroads of Buddhism and America, is a moving and beautifully written account of her extraordinary life. As bestselling author Pico Iyer has said, “other books have told us, engagingly, of how West began to meet East in the 1960s and beyond. But none I have read cuts through every illusion and projection with the warmth, the clarity, the unflinching self-awareness of Helen Tworkov’s indispensable memoir. She takes us, exhilaratingly, to Kyoto, Saigon and Kathmandu and she offers us fond, indelible portraits of some of the seminal figures of our time. But the great gift of Lotus Girl is to share with every reader a wise, undeluded, deeply searching enquiry into mind and how we can start to transform it.”

Helen has been a part time resident of Inverness County since 1970, and, in addition to exploring her early years growing up in the New York art world, and her life spent at the centre of Buddhism’s flourishing in the West, her memoir is full of stories about her decades in Cape Breton. In a starred review, Publisher’s Weekly called it “a stimulating and elegant memoir.”

The event will run from 3:30 to 5:00pm. It will feature a reading by Helen, a conversation with Jared Bland, known locally for his interviews at the Cabot Trail Writers Festival, and a Q&A with the audience. Light refreshments will be served afterward. Books will be for sale, and Helen will be pleased to sign copies.

Please join us tomorrow, June 21st, for the book signing of Alfred LeBlanc's newly released Portraits of Cape Breton photography book.
LeBlanc will be joining us from 2 - 4pm.
We look forward to seeing you there!

Portraits of Cape Breton
This book is a collection of intimate, true and honest black and white portraits of Cape Bretoners in their homes, workplaces and natural environments. Photographer LeBlanc, a native Cape Bretoner, has the unique gift of gaining the confidence and trust of his subjects.

About Alfred LeBlanc

I was born and raised in Margaree Forks, Cape Breton. I did university studies, with a focus on political science and economics, at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., Oxford (on a Rhodes Scholarship), and Queen?s University, Kingston, Ont. In my late 20s, I spent a further three years studying theology in Montreal and Toronto to be a diocesan Catholic priest, but decided against that option in the end and made my career in the public service in Ottawa.

Most of my professional career has been in various executive roles with the Government of Canada, based in Ottawa. My areas of work and expertise with the Government of Canada included federal-provincial relations and major transfers, innovation, science policy and national unity.

I was married to Jean Scott from Scotland in 1995. We have two daughters, both graduating in 2024; the oldest from medical school at McGill University and the youngest from veterinary medicine, at the University of Edinburgh. We also have two West Highland terriers — Hamish and Fergus.

In addition to photography, my interests include travel, reading and cooking. I have kept active over the years by running, biking, cross country skiing and rowing.

Al Golpe del Guatimé's concert "Son de Jade" is a project that celebrates the relationship between traditional Son Jarocho music from 18th century Veracruz in Mexico, and oriental music of the east. The Oriental influences are evident in Jarocho melodies, such as the Fandanguito, Cascabel, and Petenera, reflecting minor modes and the Arab-Andalusian heritage that traveled to Mexico during the conquest.

 The concert highlights an important oriental melodic base in this Mexican genre that is linked to mystical and profound evocations of moods, musical ideas, everyday moments, socio-political and even religious events, a heritage undoubtedly from the genre's oriental roots which are demonstrated in the Menoreados Jarocho songs such as the Fandanguito. In Jarocho music, music and poetry blend, forming an infinite symbol: poetry inspires the musician, music inspires the poet. This synergy is manifested in lyrics, sometimes inspired by music, sometimes by poetry.

Singer and requinto player José Ángel Gutiérrez, with over forty years of experience, has developed a strong Oriental melodic base and great improvisational ability, integrated into both traditional Jarocho music and his original compositions.

Catherine MacLellan - Holiday Tour

Friday December 2, 2022

8:00PM, Doors open 7:00PM

Tickets are $40 plus taxes

JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter Catherine MacLellan is bringing her Christmas Show to the Maritimes this year. Sharing beloved classics, self-penned holiday songs and some rare gems, Catherine will be joined on stage by her long-time guitarist Nick Gauthier. 

Catherine says, “I’ve always loved the music of Christmas, and the fun times singing in kitchens with friends and family over a glass of eggnog. That is the energy I’ll be bringing with me, hoping that people sing along and catch some of that holiday spirit!”

Last year, Catherine released her first Christmas album, a self-engineered and self-produced EP, which includes the original single ("Calling You Home (for the Holidays)") and three beloved classics ("In The Bleak Midwinter", "Blue Christmas", and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas").

"I love the coziness of winter, it’s a time for introspection but also a time for gathering around fires and feasts. Christmas shows bring in all of that for me, the balance between joyful silliness and the sacred. It makes me feel like a child again," says Catherine.

Elves Fair 2022

Saturday, November 19 from 12PM - 4PM

Vendors registration is filled, if you’d like to be placed on a waiting list please email us at info@invernessarts.com

Eligibility

Applications are open to artists, crafts people, authors, bakers/confectioners, etc., who produce handmade art and craft.

• Handmade means made by the applicant and may include the use of appropriate tools, including modern tools and methods of crafting.

• We do not accept items that have been purchases elsewhere for resale, even if those items are considered to be made by hand. Our show is designed to promote and assist local artists and craft makers.

• All merchandise in the Show must be hand‐crafted and offered in finished form. Kits, supplies and resale merchandise is not permitted.

• MLM and other distributor type products and services are not permitted.

Matthew Good - solo acoustic
@ Strathspey Place

Opening Act: Carly Thomas

Presented by ICCA / Sponsored by 101.5 The Hawk

TICKETS ON SALE JUNE 29, at noon
$45 General Admission - Available here

Bio

Matthew Good is one of Canada's most recognizable and relevant recording artists. He began his career as the iconic frontman of The Matthew Good Band, one of the most successful Canadian alternative rock bands during the 1990s and early 2000s, earning multi-platinum sales along with numerous awards and nominations.

Since disbanding in 2002, Good has enjoyed a successful solo career. He has released nine studio albums and has toured extensively throughout Canada, the United States, and the UK. His most recent album, Moving Walls, was released in 2020.

With six Juno Award nominations to his credit as a solo artist- and wins for Rock Album of the Year for 2011’s Vancouver and Video of the Year for 2003’s “Weapon” – Good has never been one to shy away from pushing musical boundaries.

Through his music, Good’s defiant spirit anchors his vulnerable, and at times, cinematic outlook on life. Never one to bite his tongue, his hyper-focused outlook on the world, including political and socio-economic issues, has earned him accolades for his thoughtful and deliberate approach.

Live music at ICCA is supported by Canada Heritage

NICK BEATON- COMEDY

From a blue-collar background, Nick Beaton cuts through the bullshit of an overly bureaucratic society that takes itself way too seriously. Whether it’s done through his opinionated rants, hard-hitting jokes, or his disarming "every man" personality Nick Beaton is a favourite wherever he performs. He has performed on 4 continents, 7 countries, and over 40 cities. His run at the Edinburgh Festival received glowing five star reviews, from both “Broadway Baby” and “Three Weeks,” the latter of which described him as having, “enviable confidence, timing, and manner of a comedian with decades of experience beyond his years.” Nick wrote for the hit show on CTV, Spun Out staring Dave Foley was a panellist on Match Game and was featured on CBC's The Debaters. He has performed at Montreal’s International Just For Laughs Comedy Festival three times, as well as the Halifax Comedy Festival, the Moncton Comedy Festival, the Sudbury Comedy Festival and the Icebreakers Comedy Festival. He has received numerous accolades for his comedy, including winning the 2007 Just For Laughs Toronto Home-grown Competition, and being nominated for two Canadian Comedy Awards, including one for his comedy special, “Comedy Now!” that aired nationally in Canada.

Lennie Gallant

8:00PM show, doors at 7:30PM

Tickets are $50, available here

BIO: Born in Rustico, Prince Edward Island, Lennie Gallant is a multi-award winning Acadian-Canadian singer-songwriter, folk musician and storyteller, a veteran performer and an “Order of Canada” recipient with both award winning english and french albums. As a successful solo artist, he is the recipient of 19 East Coast Music Awards and multiple JUNO Award nominations and his song Peter’s Dream has been entered into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame and he is also one half of the successful francophone duo, Sirene et Matelot.

His songs have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett, Measha Bruggergosman, The Rankins, Matt Minglewood and he has shared stages and played with Jimmy Buffett, David Foster, Patti Griffin, Lucinda Williams, Roger Hodgson and toured with Céline Dion and he has songs that appear in soundtracks for movies and television shows including Canvas, Conquest, Dawson’s Creek, Joan of Arcadia and the recent award winning movie, "Still The Water".

He wrote and performed Searching For Abegweit, a multimedia show that ran for 180 performances and toured Eastern Canada, has played for the troops in Afghanistan and performed at the Winter Olympics medal ceremony and has performed multiple times with symphony orchestras. His last show before the pandemic was two sold out Symphony Nova Scotia performances at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax.

Lennie has written songs with Gordie Sampson, Troy Verges, Myles Goodwyn (April Wine), The East Pointers, John Wiggins and he co-wrote the theme song , Acadie De Nos Coeur, for the first Acadian World Congress. (first massive Acadian/Cajun gathering since the expulsion of 1755). He also wrote and performed the theme song for the city of Halifax 200th Anniversary, accompanied by a choir of 2000 voices on a stage built on MacDonald Bridge especially for the occasion, as well as wrote the theme song for Pier 21, Canada’s Ellis Island, the gateway to Canada for immigration for decades.

PEI Red Cross Humanitarian Award was presented to him for his charity work and support for humanitarian causes and his CD ‘When We Get There’ was taken to the International Space Station as part of a small collection of Canadian albums for the astronauts to listen to. Lennie jests that his “songs from that album (When We Get There), circled the planet 248 times..How’s that for high rotation!”

Live music at ICCA is supported by Canada Heritage.