Peterborough Examiner: “This year’s Artsweek Peterborough to explore ‘Art in Unexpected Places’”

15 signature programs will feature 50 performances by 77 local artists during annual event.

By Mike Davies

(September 27, 2025) A lot of “F” words apply to the Artsweek kicking off in Peterborough on Sunday — fun, family-friendly and free!

This year’s theme, “Art in Unexpected Places,” transforms everyday spaces into stages, studios and spontaneous acts of poetry, visual arts, aerial arts, dance, theatre, sculpture, painting, live music and more.

The 15 signature programs feature 50 performances by 77 local artists in multiple disciplines, taking place from Sunday (Sept. 28) through Sunday (Oct. 5).

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Among the activities is a weeklong series of lunchtime concerts at Peterborough Square, performances and activities at the lift locks, Rotary Park, Porchapalooza — a series of porch performances at five homes in the teacher’s college area — a play in a storage unit on Lansdowne Street, a roving poetry cart where poets create poetry on demand, impromptu concerts across the city by the Blues in a Bottle jug band and a Trent Radio improv theatre series.

Other events occur outside the Silver Bean and inside too, in Millennium Park, the Downtown Farmers’ Market, on Armour Hill, at Trent University and more.

“Just imagine the city being turned into a series of stages, concert halls and art galleries,” said Su Ditta, executive director of the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) and Artsweek executive producer alongside Bill Kimball. “It’s fun. It’s family-friendly. It’s free. It’s just a rare opportunity to see an incredible variety of arts projects here in Peterborough.”

The inaugural Artsweek took place in 2005 as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations of the incorporation of the City of Peterborough.

Artsweek opening ceremonies take place on Sunday at 3 p.m. near the Silver Bean Café in Millennium Park. The event will include remarks by councillor and local artist Alex Bierk and will feature artists such as drummer Janet McCue. Clifford Skarstedt/Examiner

“The title of the overall event and the overall theme for the year was ‘Imagine Peterborough,’” said Ditta. “It was to signal that as we went into our 101st year, we wanted to recognize and acknowledge that Peterborough was not only a city of beautiful historic buildings and architecture and beautiful natural landscapes, but that it had an incredible creative community in terms of artists in every imaginable genre.”

Artsweek is a legacy project of the centennial celebrations and receives $57,000 in city funding to help operate the event. EC3 also receives $10,000 in federal funding, grants from the Peterborough DBIA, the Ontario Arts Council and numerous corporate sponsors who provide cash or goods and services.

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“It’s an opportunity for artists to get paid to make new work and to have that work free for every citizen of Peterborough to experience and take advantage of,” said Ditta. “And to put it in unexpected places so people who maybe don’t normally go to the Market Hall or Showplace or the Art Gallery of Peterborough have a chance to see the incredible work that is made by local artists.”

Artsweek opening ceremonies take place on Sunday at 3 p.m. near the Silver Bean Café in Millennium Park. The event will include remarks by councillor and local artist Alex Bierk, who will also present a proclamation on behalf of Mayor Jeff Leal.

There will be appearances by artists and performers Samantha Banton, Sahira, Janet McCue, Hank Fisher, Destiny, the Poetry Cart, Elizabeth Jenkins, Victoria Yeh, Caylie Staples, Blues in a Bottle, Josh Morley and more. There will also be cake and face painting.

For a full list of locations, program descriptions, participating artists and calendar of events, visit artsweekpeterborough.ca.