Welcome to The Hub Nanaimo, your weekly insider guide to the best of community arts and culture. Did a friend forward this email to you? Subscribe to this newsletter.

Artists Kiranjot Kaur and Jackie Wong will explore Nanaimo’s cultural history as two artists selected for the City of Nanaimo’s Temporary Public Art projects in 2025.

Kiranjot Kaur’s project, “Histogram Histories” will provide people with “the opportunity to experience statistical data in an artistic form” and add their own data, such as where and when they were born, to be included in the display.

"Lost Intersections” by Jackie Wong will highlight the history of Nanaimo’s old Chinatown and contributions of Chinese people to the city. QR codes will allow people to learn more about the history of three locations at installations where the old Chinatown used to stand.

Wong says her project is “intended to heighten the awareness of the invisible histories of the local Chinese communities."

🖊️ What you said ⌨️

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"Good array of groovy stuff!."

— From our newsletter survey

🎵 Listen 🎤

Tuesday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.: Open mic and jam at the Terminal Bar. Acoustic acts from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and open jam from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Free.

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m.: Weekly open mic night at The Vault Cafe.

Thursday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.:  The Harpoonist will play “gritty, tough-assed swamp music with an edge and off-the-wall lyrics” at Sound Heritage.

Friday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m.: Singer songwriters Amy Blanding, Melissa Walker and Genevieve Jaide will play at Beacon House on Protection Island. Tickets cost $25, email summer.laurie@gmail.com for tickets.

Friday, Nov. 8, 8 p.m.: The Lestranges and The Ticks will play an all-ages show at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $10. 

Friday, Nov. 8, 9 p.m.: Finger-style guitar champion Dan Ross will perform with Jule Malischke at The Lighthouse Bistro. Tickets cost $30 in advance or $35 at the door.

Saturday, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.: Moon Grove, Juice and Juniper Smile will play at The Globe Live Studio. TIckets cost $10.  

Saturday, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.: The Mark Crissinger Band plays at The Queen’s. Tickets cost $15. 

Saturday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.: Pianist Joshua Holloway will play a concert at 2020 Estevan Road. Tickets cost $25.

Saturday, Nov. 9, 10 p.m.: Bianca Oblivion, Jennay Badger and Bitchin’ will spin at The Queen’s. Tickets cost $25.

Sunday, Nov. 10, 2 p.m.: The Bluegrass BayBilly Choir Band will play a “mini-concert” in Nanoose Library Hall. Free admission. 

Sunday, Nov. 10, 3 p.m.: The Malaspina Choir will sing Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A mass for Peace and Mozart’s Te Deum at St. Andrew’s United Church. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $13.50 for youth aged 12-24, and free for children under 12. 

Sunday, Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m.: Washboard Union plays The Port Theatre. Tickets cost $59. 

Sunday, Nov. 10, 8 p.m.: Hawksley Workman plays The Queen’s. Tickets cost $35.

Got the inside scoop of an event you think should be shared? 

Let us know by sending Mick an email.

🎭 View 🖼️

November: Rod Corraini’s exhibit “Travelling to a place called B.C.” depicts the odyssey of two green aliens on vacation in British Columbia and will be on display all month at Art 10 Gallery in Nanaimo North Town Centre. 

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 6 p.m.: The Vancouver Island University (VIU) Muslim Women’s Club presents the film Ticket to Jerusalem at VIU’s Building 200, room 203. Free entry, $5 for popcorn and drinks

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m.: The VIU theatre department’s production of Our Town, the Pulitzer Prize winning play by Thornton Wilder, will premiere at the Malaspina Theatre at VIU’s Nanaimo campus. The play runs until Nov. 9, and tickets cost $11.30 or are free for VIU students and staff.

Wednesday, Nov. 6 to Friday Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.: The Golden Girls are back at The Port Theatre for three shows this week. Miami’s sassiest seniors have returned for one more hurrah with Sophia out on bail, after being busted by the DEA for running a drug ring for retirees. Blanche and Rose have founded CreakN, a thriving sex app for seniors, and Dorothy is trying to hold it all together, with help from her much younger, sex-crazed love interest. Tickets cost $53. 

Friday, Nov. 8, 6 p.m.: VIU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams play the Douglas College Royals at the VIU gym. Women’s game at 6 p.m., men’s game at 9 p.m. Tickets are free for VIU students, $6 at the door or two for $10.

The Coast is Queer is encouraging people to wear pride gear to show support for Harriette Mackenzie, a star forward on the VIU’s women’s basketball team, who recently spoke out about being targeted for being a trans woman at a previous game.  

Saturday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m.: VIU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams play the Douglas College Royals at the VIU gym. Women’s game at 1 p.m., men’s game at 3 p.m. Tickets are free for VIU students, $6 at the door or two for $10.

⛹️ Meet 🎲

Saturday, Nov. 9, 2 p.m.:  Barcelona Red Metallic author Christine Cossack will speak at the Gabriola Island Library.

Tuesday, Nov. 12, 6 p.m.: The Nanaimo Art Gallery is holding a two-part collaborative painting workshop where people learn how to create quick paintings and a series of small artworks which will be featured in the Nanaimo Artwalk Exhibition. Registration costs $110.

See you around town,

— Mick and The Discourse team

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