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Warmer weather is on its way and summer plans are in the works! We are happy to share what is on and what is upcoming. In case you missed our April 1 post featuring April Brush (pictured above) you can enjoy a laugh via Facebook or Instagram. Thank you to our operational partners for your ongoing support. Your funding and partnership provide crucial support for LAC in maintaining and growing capacity for ongoing development, implementation, and delivery of professional artistic programs and services for our community and the local arts sector. We extend our gratitude to our strategic programming partners whose generosity helps us support the local arts community and artists with meaningful programs and opportunities. COMMUNITY ART INSTALLATION PROJECT Michael Czupryna is a lens-based artist working in London, Ontario, creating images inspired by nature. His exhibition, Oddkin, is on at RBC Gallery from January – April, 2026. All exhibit dates/times are available through the link below, check it out before the exhibition wraps on April 30. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR MUSICIANS NOW OPEN – LBMX Musicians Mentorship Program Apply by May 1, 2026 at 4:30pm Are you part of an emerging band? The 2026 LBMX Musicians Mentorship Program is an immersive artist development initiative designed to support emerging bands in London, Ontario and surrounding First Nations (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Munsee-Delaware Nation). The program equips rising musicians with the practical skills, professional assets, and industry knowledge needed to advance to the next stage of their careers. ARTS ACTIVATIONS With performances added to the calendar on an ongoing basis, check out who's performing in our community and support local talent. Psst, if you are heading to Covent Garden Market or White Oaks Mall this Saturday, live music awaits you! Check out the link below for full details. NEWS Announcement - Eunju Yi to serve on AACO Coordinating Circle We are excited to announce that Eunju Yi, our Executive Director, was nominated to serve on the Coordinating Circle of AACO (Alliance of Arts Councils of Ontario). This opportunity will ultimately allow the LAC to better represent the needs and voices of London's arts community in the provincial conversation and collaborate with regional arts councils to support the professional growth of the regional arts sector. Learn more about the work of the AACO via the link below. Mass Culture AI Curiosity Poll for Artists - Deadline: April 27 Are you an artist? Would you like to give your perspective, thoughts, and questions on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the arts? Mass Culture, an arts-supporting nonprofit organization has put a poll together to collect this data. If you are an artist and you believe that the voices of artists must be heard, take 5 minutes and share your perspective by April 27. RESOURCES The “London Arts & Community: Funding Programs and Support Available in London” resource page is available. The webpage brings together key information shared during the Information Session - London Arts & Community, hosted by the London Arts Council in partnership with the London Community Foundation and the City of London’s Neighbourhood & Community Wide Services on March 4, 2026. The session was designed to help artists, artist collectives, and community groups better understand how to access and combine funding, resources, and supports for arts and community based projects in London. CONNECT WITH US Never miss a beat by following along on social! Click on the icons below:

The Gallery In response to demand from local artists for exhibition space and to promote and celebrate our talented local artists, the London Arts Council and the City of London Culture Services have collaborated with RBC Place London to pilot The Gallery program at RBC Place London as part of our London Arts Live (LAL) program offerings. The purpose of The Gallery is to promote the work of artists and creators residing in London and surrounding First Nations to display original artworks for exhibition, with sales opportunities, on highly prominent and specially designated wall space within this municipally owned building. For the eighth exhibition, The Gallery featured artworks created by Michael Czupryna, a lens-based artist working in London, Ontario, creating images inspired by nature. A recent awakening has drawn his attention to the forest, in particular, trees and water. This perspective has been developed through lived health experiences, the pandemic, and learning that trees contribute directly to human well being, while also forming a seemingly intelligent ecosystem. “Growing up in London’s suburbs, nature was not a part of my life. I never went hiking or camping. My limited experience was the carefully arranged gardens and the strategically placed trees of the urban environment. During the lockdowns of the pandemic, curiosity led to a nature walk for the first time. The woods felt disorienting, like a kaleidoscope of limbs engulfing me, but later a sense of calm strangely emerged. I had never felt something like this before. I researched ‘forest bathing’ and discovered that trees emit phytoncides that reduce cortisol in humans and help our immune systems fight disease. It was a revelation to learn that trees actively assist me in fighting my ailments. Why would they do this? Writings by Donna Haraway, “Staying with the trouble: Making kin in the chthulucene” have influenced my perspective on these experiences - specifically her concept of seeing nature as our kin, inspiring me to name these portraits “Oddkin." My photographs are taken in environmentally significant areas here in London, Ontario.” - Michael Czupryna An Interview with Michael Czupryna Oddkin by Michael Czupryna (January - April, 2026) Q: You describe yourself as a lens-based artist. How long have you been working in this medium and how has it changed for you during that time? A: I discovered film photography in the 1980s at Fanshawe College and was immediately struck by how one could manipulate realistic images to express abstract ideas, such as putting two negatives together to create a new reality. There are many elements involved such as light and time that one can control. Film gave way to digital imaging, which I initially found less engaging because I preferred the tactile nature of working with film. Now, however, I can capture imagery with a digital camera that illustrates the concepts I wish to convey.   Q: You mention that you grew up in London, Ontario’s suburbs. How has London shaped your creative output do you think? A: I grew up in London's east end, where the urban met the industrial landscape and the examples of real nature were the small patches of wild trees and bushes growing behind the fences of corporations that cautioned "no trespassing" to me. This experience created my view of a human-made world of concrete and asphalt with rigid edges and harsh geometry, in contrast to the distant wild nature.   Q: Walk us through the creative process behind this work. How do you go about capturing images like this? A: Discovering nature walks during the pandemic and ruminating on health issues, I found myself drawn to the water below me, which mirrored the trees and sky, and also acted as a lens exposing the detritus below the water's surface. Blending these elements together, the images capture light and water movement to suggest a kind of "life" to the trees.   Q: You mentioned the writings of Donna Haraway in your artist statement. How do these philosophical texts affect or translate into a visual practice for you? A: I believe that she is suggesting a way of being that unites humans and the environment in a way that is transformative for our shared ecology. Her concept of "oddkin" proposes new ways of relating across species, reframing the relationship between humans and more-than human ecologies through care, responsibility, and co-existence. Connecting humans with our odd kin.   Q: Why does creativity matter to you? A: Creativity and Imagination are important because they take us to places that we wouldn't otherwise go. Imagination is the way we conceive of a new reality and creativity is the engine that makes that happen.   Q: What gaps currently exist when it comes to supporting the Arts? What kind of support is needed? A: More funding and exhibition spaces for emerging artists in London.   Q: What do you envision now for your future in the Arts here in London? A: I am very happy to be able to share my perspective on nature and photography in the Gallery at RBC, and hope to find other opportunities in the future. I see unlimited inspiration in the Forest City and will continue, with a renewed perspective, to record the wonders of our natural ecosystems.   Q: What made you most excited about putting yourself out there to work with the London Arts Council and RBC Place London for this exhibition? A: The opportunity to share newfound knowledge and share the images that were created from that experience. Contact: Website: https://michaelczupryna.com Instagram: @michael.czupryna X: https://x.com/McArts1000 View Oddkin at RBC Place London on the following dates: January Jan. 10 (11:00am - 4:00pm) Jan. 11 (11:00am - 4:00pm) Jan. 15 (11:00am - 2:00pm) Jan. 22 (11:00am - 2:00pm) Jan. 26 (11:00am - 5:00pm) Jan. 27 (10:00am - 2:00pm) Jan. 29 (11:00am - 2:00pm) February Feb. 4 (5:30pm - 8:30pm) Feb. 5 (11:00am - 2:00pm) Feb. 6 (9:00am - 5:00pm) Feb. 7 (5:00pm - 10:00pm) Feb. 18 (9:00am - 5:00pm) Feb. 19 (9:00am - 8:00pm) Feb. 20 (9:00am - 2:00pm) Feb. 26 (11:00am - 9:00pm) Feb. 28 (5:00pm - 9:00pm) March Mar. 2 (10:00am - 4:00pm) Mar. 3 (9:00am - 4:00pm) Mar. 4 (9:00am - 2:00pm) Mar. 5 (11:00am - 2:00pm) Mar. 6 (8:00am - 10:00am) Mar. 12 (9:00am - 2:00pm) Mar. 13 (9:00am - 4:00pm) Mar. 19 (11:00am - 2:00pm) Mar. 26 (11:00am - 2:00pm) April Apr. 1 (9:00am - 3:00pm) Apr. 2 (10:00am - 3:00pm) Apr. 7 (9:00am - 5:00pm) Apr. 8 (8:00am - 4:00pm) Apr. 9 (10:00am - 3:00pm) Apr. 10 (10:00am - 6:00pm) Apr. 11 (10:00am - 6:00pm) Apr. 12 (10:00am - 4:00pm) Apr. 16 (10:00am - 3:00pm) Apr. 17 (8:00am - 8:00pm) Apr. 18 (8:00am - 8:00pm) Apr. 19 (8:00am - 4:00pm) Apr. 23 (3:00pm - 8:00pm) Apr. 24 (9:00am - 8:00pm) Apr. 30 (11:00am - 2:00pm) **enter via the main doors on York St.** The objectives of the Gallery program are: to create a beautiful, unique, and cultured atmosphere; provide compelling experiences for local, national, and international visitors; educate the public by presenting a series of diverse artworks created by local professional artists; and provide professional opportunities for local artists, including increased promotion, sales, and career enhancement. For more information about this project or inquiries regarding purchasing artworks, please contact the London Arts Council at info@londonarts.ca

Apply by Friday May 1, 2026 at 4:30pm ​ The 2026 LBMX Musicians Mentorship Program is an immersive artist development initiative designed to support emerging bands in London, Ontario and surrounding First Nations (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Munsee-Delaware Nation). The program equips rising musicians with the practical skills, professional assets, and industry knowledge needed to advance to the next stage of their careers. Through a combination of live performance opportunities, professional coaching, brand development, and industry-focused workshops, the program replicates the early-career experience of a signed artist and prepares participants for the realities of today’s music industry. ​ Now in its fourth year, the LBMX Musicians Mentorship Program continues to strengthen London’s music ecosystem by helping emerging bands build professional experience, develop their artistic identity, and expand their industry networks.