Guide Art And Culture
Art-BC
Facebook Istagram Mail
  • HOME
  • EXPLORE
    • Art Councils & Centers
    • Art Galleries
    • Artists & Studios
    • Education & Workshops
    • Getaways
    • Indigenous Culture
    • Museums & Heritage Sites
    • Theatre Arts
    • Tours & Road Trips
  • COMMUNITIES
  • EVENTS
    • Art Walks & Tours
    • Exhibitions
    • Festivals & Events
    • Workshops & Education
  • READ
    • Blog
    • Arts + Culture Digest
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ABOUT
    • The Founder
    • The Team
  • THE GUIDE
  • MARKETING
    • Art-BC Marketing Membership
    • Print Advertising
    • Display Advertising
  • CONTACT

Entertainment & Performing Arts in Nanaimo

Performance art is a powerful form of expression. Seemingly ordinary scenes become captivating, haunting, and insightful. British Columbia is a creative hub with hundreds of theatres, troupes, orchestras, and teachers across the province.

British Columbia’s theatre scene extends from intimate heritage stages to open-air amphitheatres beneath the stars. Across the province, community-driven performances, large-scale musicals, and professional productions bring powerful stories to life through live performance. From vibrant urban centres to smaller communities, theatres serve as cultural touchstones—places where audiences gather, connect, and share in the creativity, emotion, and storytelling that define BC’s performing arts landscape.

British Columbia brings the world to the stage, and with Art-BC.com you can see it all.

Nanaimo is situated on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. One of the main things to do in downtown Nanaimo is a visit to the Nanaimo Museum, located in downtown on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw Nation. The museum offers a variety of critically acclaimed exhibits including the ones being brought from the Canadian History Museum, the National Gallery and the Vancouver Art Gallery.   Other art attractions include the Nanaimo Ceramic Arts - Studio & Gallery which showcases ceramics, paintings, jewelry and fibre arts. The studio also offers 1-2 day workshops for all ages. Apart from museums, the city also has the Port Theatre, which is an 800-seat theatre located downtown. Additionally, the city also hosts the annual Jazz Festival that showcases many local artists   Beautiful scenery and a rich local culture make downtown Nanaimo a great destination for art enthusiasts.  

Nanaimo Jazz Fest Logo Festival 768x768

The Nanaimo International Jazz Festival Association

Nanaimo
No Reviews
Favorite
The Nanaimo International Jazz Festival Association plans annual jazz festivals in Downtown Nanaimo and professional jazz events throughout the year. OUR GOALS To present an annual jazz festival in Downtown Nanaimo To provide local opportunities for local and internationally known jazz artists To increase tourism to downtown nanaimo through live jazz performance To develop a greater appreciation and audience for Read more...

Upcoming Community Events

LPYwebimage 1 768x621

Biophilia | Nanaimo Art Gallery

Nanaimo Art Gallery
Nanaimo
Date:
August 1, 2026
-
October 11, 2026
No Reviews
Favorite
Image: Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun Lets’lo:tseltun, My world is the same as yours, 2025, acrylic on canvas, 80 × 60 in. Courtesy of Macaulay + Co. Photography by Byron Dauncey.   Biophilia is a touring exhibition from Musee d’art de Joliette that asks what it means to be connected with the natural world as it rapidly changes around us. Through painting, sculpture, installation, and Read more...
image8 768x503

VIS Studio: Fall 2026 Workshops

VIS Studio: Fall 2026 Workshops
Nanaimo
Date:
September 18, 2026
-
December 15, 2028
No Reviews
Favorite
New drawing workshops:  Darcy Johnson’s new workshop, “Responsive Drawing and Composition.”(September) In this inspiring, hands-on workshop, participants will explore pen and ink, graphite, and charcoal while developing their own visual language. We’re thrilled to introduce John’s new watercolour workshop. (October) With extensive experience in urban sketching and outdoor drawing across Alberta, B.C., and beyond, he offers a great opportunity to learn Read more...
Screenshot 2026 03 31 104124 768x389

Nanaimo Art Walk

Nanaimo Arts Council
Nanaimo
Date:
November 21, 2026
-
November 22, 2026
No Reviews
Favorite
Since 1998, the Downtown Nanaimo Artwalk has been an exciting cultural event for visual artists to display works of art for sale. This is a self-guided tour through artists studios and host locations, featuring a great variety of art with something for everybody’s budget. Read more...
View all
Loading...
No Records Found

Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.

Maps failed to load

Sorry, unable to load the Maps API.

  • HOME
  • EXPLORE
  • COMMUNITIES
  • EVENTS
  • READ
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ABOUT
  • THE GUIDE
  • MARKETING
  • CONTACT
Change Location
Find awesome listings near you!