A summery (get it?) of recent news from Thinking Rock Community Arts (TRCA)! Read on for details about:

• The summer team

• Programming highlights

• Plots + Patches: adventures from the evolving gallery

• Save the dates: upcoming Open House events at TRHQ

• OAC Exhibition Assistance Program 2026-27 + outreach save-the-date

• Coming up next

Programming highlights

We’ve been hosting LOTS of programming, with partners across Algoma - here’s a quick recap of our recent work:

• Continued Social Fabric programming with long-time partners at Bruce Mines & Plummer Additional Union Public Library, Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site, Ketegaunseebee Public Library, Northern Community Centre & the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Northland Adult Learning Centre and Thessalon Public Library & the Town of Thessalon

• Attended monthly mends at Cafe 4 Good on March 9 & April 4

• Hosted a mending night with North Channel Food Co-Op on April 24

• Joined the hosting team for a special retreat - Grounding Ourselves in Spirit - at Northern Skies Resort from May 29 to June 1

• Hosted an inspired artmaking activity at Central Algoma Secondary School’s (CASS) Relay For Life on June 4

• Celebrated our 120th Making Night on June 16

• Hosted drop-in programming at the AlgomaTrad dances on April 10 & July 11

• Tabled - with crafts! - at The Klub’s Pride Fest on July 12

• Hosted an Open House at TRHQ for Thessalon Community Days on July 30

We’ve got tons of programming planned for the weeks, months and year ahead! Visit our website calendar, Instagram and Facebook pages, and our newsletter archive for details - we look forward to sharing space with you!

ID: Top to bottom: TRCA AD, Miranda Bouchard, weaving a yellow heart at CASS’ Relay For Life; an artwork co-created by retreat participants at Northern Skies Resort; making friendship pins at The KLUB’s 2026 Pride Fest.

Save the dates: upcoming Open Houses @ TRHQ

You are invited! We’re hosting Open House events at TRHQ (199 Main Street, Thessalon) on September 26th (10am to 2pm) for Ontario Culture Days, and December 10th (6:30pm to 8pm). We’ll gather to celebrate the works we’ve made to date as part of our Social Fabric project, share what’s new and next, and enjoy a creative visit together. Save the dates and plan to join us!

ID: Top to bottom: the programming space at TRHQ; Board member Jon Cada at our Winter Open House; a gathered group at our Spring Open House.

Coming up next

• We’re hosting a Communi-Bee at the 4th Annual Algoma Fibre to Fabric Festival, happening August 8th at the Johnson Township Community Centre in Desbarats

• We’ll be teaching at AlgomaTrad Family Camp 2026 from August 10th to 15th

• We’re hosting Moonbeads, a free beading workshop, led by Anishinaabe youth artist Devaney Boulter, on August 25th. Just a few spots remain - register today!

• We’re working on an immersive installation to be hosted at Galerie Sans Clous in October. Watch for details about public events to come!

ID: Top to bottom: Algoma Fibre to Fabric Festival 2026 poster; a programming participant at an AlgomaTrad dance, July 2026; detail of a quilt block collage created by a community participant.