Live music drifted from The Grawood through the empty halls of the Student Union Building at Dalhousie University on Friday, Oct. 4. The tables outside the bar were missing their usual Friday night studiers. Instead, students crowded in the bar for the second Festival of Art, an event run by the student society Dalhousie Creative Minds.
Art vendors filled the booths as musicians took to the stage.
Third-year University of King’s College student Charlie Graf was one of the many musicians featured during the night.
“We have played for three quarters of a year now together, doing shows, but I will never not be nervous,” said Graf. “Before every single show I am pacing back and forth, but this event was really nice.”
Playing with a band of five called Waking Up Biscuit, Graf was behind the microphone, guitar in hand, for most of the night.
Artists, friends of artists and those looking to appreciate art, crowded The Grawood. Some sat cross legged on the ground in front of the stage, others stayed further back, swaying to the music on their feet.
“It is really nice bringing [the music] first to my band and they’re like this is cool, let’s do something with this,” Graf said. “Then you work on it for like a week, two weeks, a month, and then you get to show it to people and hear how they react to it and see what parts they connect with. It feels really good.”
Dalhousie Creative Minds is a society on campus that promotes artists and creates a community of like-minded, creative individuals. It is the second time they have hosted this festival and they are hoping to host more similar events.
Third-year King’s and Dalhousie student Lola Drewery, the founder of Dalhousie Creative Minds, started the society in February 2024, which has since garnered major interest. She encourages people to follow the society’s Instagram to keep up to date on upcoming events.
“I thought that Dal needed some more societies that uplifted art and brought students together who like to do creative stuff,” she said.
As the night progressed, more people filtered in. The lights were dim as The Grawood staff hurried between tables and vendors to serve thirsty customers.
Vendors at the tables displayed their work and talked with those passing by who were interested in their art. They presented jewelry, clothing and drawings. Drewery’s own booth displayed her photographs taken during her summer tree planting work.
“I am a photographer,” Drewery said. “I have always taken photos, and I have always appreciated art. I’ve got childhood friends who like music. So, I wanted to do that type of stuff and meet people who do that type of stuff and I know other people want to as well.”
The event attracted creators of all different kinds. Fin Taylor, a fourth-year King’s student, is a visual artist who was selling decks of hand drawn tarot cards and doing readings.
He found Dalhousie Creative Minds at a career fair and noticed they were looking for vendors.
“I drew these when I was 12, actually, and I’ve just had stock in my basement since then. So, I figured I might as well try to get it back out there,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s table laid out his favourite cards in the deck for viewers as they meandered between artists. His drawings were full of colourful sketches and fun characters.
He explained how he got into tarot cards and readings.
“I found it at just the right time when I didn’t have anything going on with my summer. And I was like yeah I can draw a full deck of tarot cards, easy. And then I just did it.”
The energy in the bar was high all evening, bringing many artists together.
Drewery said, “I am just happy people are loving it as much as I do.”
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