Curious about local art? We are too!

When it comes to the arts, Nova Scotia is spoiled for talent, and we're pleased to feature local art in many of our Library spaces.

From The Sunroom at Central Library to art displayed in our branches, we want to give local artists space to connect with our community and share their vision.

Current exhibits

The Sunroom at Central Library

On display May 21 – June 27, 2026

In The Sunroom: Out of Bounds

On the periphery of the basketball court is a supportive spectator, an injured player, a proud parent, an intense coach. A reflection of ongoing conversations between multi-disciplinary artist and designer Duane Jones (Art Pays Me) and textile/quilt artist Andrea Tsang Jackson  (3rd Story Workshop), Out of Bounds looks at passion, tenacity, discipline, risk-taking and creativity in both art practice and commitment to sport.

Through their works, Duane and Andrea recognize the dynamic nature of “baller” as an identity, the soft boundaries of a game that has hard rules, and the role of improvisational decision-making inside and outside of the game. These ideas are all heightened through their roles as parents—being on the sidelines while having skin in the game.

Somewhere between graphic design, craft, painting, and sculpture, the diversity of media in this exhibition speaks to the tensions within themselves: raw and rough, delicate and strong, planned, and improvised.

Learn more about the artists., opens a new window

Alderney Gate Public Library

Information on next display coming soon.

Captain William Spry Public Library

On display May through June 2026

McIntosh Run Trail System Photographs by Graeme Coxon

Graeme is a Halifax-based photographer with a special interest in landscapes of the wilder parts of Nova Scotia, from stormy coasts to coastal barrens.  

A separate but complementary interest is still-life work with plant subjects in emulation of the botanical illustrations of earlier eras. 

He has also been drawn more recently to photograph scenes of discomforting urban development. 

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Cole Harbour Public Library

On display April through June 2026

Art by Matthew Mongraw

Matthew Mongraw is a self-taught artist from Dartmouth who works primarily in acrylic paints, pencil and pen. Born in 1984, Matthew has been artistic throughout his life, and has worked in mediums including acrylics, pen, pencil, charcoal, pastel, and watercolour.

Matthew's works consist of Landscapes and portraits reflecting the people and places around him with a focus on a representational yet impressionistic style. He has completed commissions for portraits and landscapes for private commissions, as well as album artwork and concert posters.

Matthew's work has been commissioned by the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly, to be included in the permanent collection and Gallery at the Nova Scotia Province House. His work has been exhibited at Argyle Fine Art, The Craig Gallery, The Teichert Gallery, The Dart Gallery, Woodlawn Public Library, Lawrencetown Beach Cafe, Zatzman Sportsplex, included in the Mosaic for Mental Health through the Canadian Mental Health Association, and featured on CTV Morning Live. Matthew has participated in group and solo exhibits at galleries throughout Nova Scotia.

Follow Matthew on his artistic journey:

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J.D. Shatford Memorial Public Library

Information on next display coming soon.

Keshen Goodman Public Library

Information on next display coming soon.

Musquodoboit Harbour Public Library

Information on next display coming soon.

Sackville Public Library

Information on next display coming soon.

Tantallon Public Library

On display May 2026

Art by Sherrie Redden

It all started with a pen, a quiet moment, and a need to slow down. Sherrie is a self-taught dot artist with roots in Nova Scotia, where she returned to in 2018 from Northern Ontario. In her creative practice, which began with Zentangle-style drawings and doodles, she grew onto canvas and, most recently, a series of wooden fish brought to life with mandala-inspired dots.

“I paint for the calm it brings, letting each piece evolve naturally. I don’t really know where the pattern will go next, it just comes together.” 

Sherrie is a member of Brushstrokes by the Bay Artists and the Peggy’s Cove Area Art Society and supports CMHA’s annual Mosaics for Mental Health fundraiser.

“What I love most is when people reach out and touch my art…feeling the raised dots, tracing the movement of the design. My art is meant to be experienced.” 

This summer, you can find Sherrie’s work in the Peggy’s Cove Area Festival of the Arts Studio Tour, July 17-19.

Woodlawn Public Library

On display March through June 2026

Art by Briana Scott

Briana is an author and artist who lives near Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. Her world is filled with islands, wild horses, seals, birds, tangled weeds, fog, oddly shaped trees, and the sea. She paints from life, and as she walks along the Atlantic coast near her home. She takes these sketchbooks full of words and images, and returns to her studio to write the stories that turn into poems, picture books, animations, patterns and paintings. The subject of her works is an exploration of images that she pulls from her “happy island,” a place in her mind where she goes to finalize her images and stories.