Art Takes Over: What’s Happening in Oshawa This August
- Will McGuirk
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
A couple of events of note at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in August include zine making and the monthly Fridays gatherings. Having always been intrigued by the creativity around zine making, and having published a few of my own — this workshop on Thursday, Aug. 7, run by a local young arts collective called Ruckus and Zene Magazine, has my full attention, and I’d suggest it should have yours, too. Zadeh is the editor-in-chief and co-creator of Zene Magazine, which focuses on underrepresented voices in contemporary art and culture. They host zine-related events across the city. Zene is an indie arts-focused magazine that catalogues the modern art scene across boundaries and borders. This workshop will explore themes of resistance, change-making, protest art, collaboration, community and the power of the collective. This kind of creativity is what makes Oshawa a maker’s city — from the early days of Col. Sam McLaughlin and the then-new technology of the automobile, to today’s grassroots art collectives. While Oshawa does not have a history of independent brick- and-mortar art galleries, every generation seems to create its own collective, from Painters 11 to Broken Arts to Ruckus. It’s a real DIY city.
The RMG Friday events, which run monthly, showcase this local ingenuity. This month’s event, on August 8, is titled From the Ground Up and will celebrate storytelling, dance and world culture. The always fabulous Durham Storytellers will be on hand with their wide-ranging repertoire of folktales, fairy tales, myths, legends, literary tales, fables, ballads, recitations and poems — guaranteed to enthrall and entertain. Also performing will be artist, dance educator and change maker Miss Coco Murray, who will present Moko Jumbie, a traditional stilt walk and dance accompanied by a West African drum and percussion ensemble.
Saturday, Aug. 16, marks the opening of local artist, educator and creative arts therapist Georgia Fullerton’s exhibit Being In and Moving Through. Fullerton is the first Black practising visual artist to sit on the Robert McLaughlin Gallery’s board of directors, and the first Black woman to chair its acquisitions and collection management committee. She also works as an expressive arts therapist at Station Gallery and is a faculty member in the School of Media, Art and Design at Durham College. Being In and Moving Through features abstract expressionist watercolours and collages, created with Fullerton’s hope of inspiring personal growth and self-healing. The exhibit runs until Jan. 11, 2026, with an opening reception on Sept. 28 and a workshop on Oct. 25.
On Tuesday, Aug. 19, the RMG will co-host the Seniors Art Competition and Exhibition 2025: Opening and Awards Reception in partnership with Oshawa Senior Community Centres and the Oshawa Public Libraries. On Wednesday, Aug. 20, the RMG and Oshawa Public Libraries will present Backyard Story Time at the gallery — a free event for families to enjoy books, songs, games and activities in the outdoor space behind the gallery.
August is also the last chance to see current exhibits Northern Shadows, Northern Spirits and Artists by Artists, which close Aug. 10, and Painters Eleven: Abstract Bonds and RESISTANCE, which close Aug. 24.
So August is the month for art, for gallery visits, and for discovering both national-level artists and the best of the local scene. And yes, the gallery is air conditioned — just sayin'.
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