Q: What is THIRD SHIFT: PERIPHERIES? Where does it take place?
A: THIRD SHIFT: PERIPHERIES aims to explore, imagine, and critique limits, boundaries, and structures that create experiences at, or with, the periphery. Throughout the area of Uptown Saint John, art pieces that delve into this theme are installed and displayed, many made interactively, allowing for viewers to immerse themselves in this concept of outer reaches. THIRD SHIFT not only includes an opening night of art, but workshop events, and community speaker panels, too, as it spans over the course of three days as a free festival for all ages.

Q: Wait – what is Third Space Gallery? Is that the same as THIRD SHIFT?
A: Not quite. Third Space Gallery is an itinerant artist-run centre located in Saint John, NB, committed to facilitating the education, understanding, and appreciation of contemporary art. It operates year-round, putting on members’ shows, art sales, exhibitions, book launches and much more in various locations throughout the Uptown area. THIRD SHIFT is one of its many, many projects.

Q: Can I become a member of Third Space?
A: Of course! Find more details here.

Q: Back to THIRD SHIFT: PERIPHERIES. When does it happen?
A: This year’s festival happens Friday, August 19th (7pm-12am) through Sunday, August 21st, 2022, in beautiful Uptown Saint John.

Q: Where does this theme of PERIPHERIES come from?
A: The aim for THIRD SHIFT’s theme is to seek out ways in which artworks explore different manners of seeing, employ obscurity and abstraction, or present things out of focus (as in peripheral vision). This also refers to geographical peripheries such as shared experiences in rural areas or spaces with borders, explorations of peripheries of reality and consciousness, or investigations of real and perceived power dynamics. For a second year in a row, THIRD SHIFT retains this elongated experience through a common theme, “PERIPHERIES”, and continues to curate a selection of works that present, challenge, and address these relevant and topical subject matters. 

Q: And PERIPHERIES means…what, exactly?
A: PERIPHERIES refers to a border, a limit, or boundary of sorts that limits the extent of our knowledge. Commonly known through our restricted peripheral vision, it alludes to subjects that are out of our line of sight, overlooked, or go unnoticed. This year’s artworks in THIRD SHIFT: PERIPHERIES challenge this theme through relevant subjects, from climate change, dreams, personal histories, soundscapes, movement, and more. The artworks on display explore the unknown depths of what we otherwise do not see, allowing light to shed on the nooks and crannies of the world around us.

Q: Fantastic! Where can I find a map?
A: Hold your horses! Maps, times, locations, details on artist talks and other information will be made available closer to the festival. You will be able to find it on this website and in our beautiful festival guides. In the meantime, you can find information about what to expect right here. As the festival approaches, we’ll update the site to show works-in-progress and more! Follow @thirdspacegallery on Instagram to stay in the loop. We also have a Facebook event that you can join here!

Q: What about accessibility notes?
A: We strive to make THIRD SHIFT as accessible as possible. In the weeks leading up to THIRD SHIFT, we will update this page and each individual installation with detailed notes regarding wheelchair access, washrooms, closed captioning, digital accessibility and more.

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