Turret Arts Space

10/22/2026

One more week of bidding on The Turret: À l’intérieur Painting Auction! Online auction ends on Friday, October 30, 2026 at 5 PM (Atlantic).

This photo set features all the ~horizontal~ compositions in our exhibition and auction of 22 “plein air” style paintings.

Auction sales are split 50/50 between the individual artists and the Turret Arts Space.

Don’t miss your chance to take home a piece of iconic Halifax history.

Featured artists:
Noah Check Noah/Nick
Charlotte Salley Char’s Art 👩‍🎨
Roman Lecours Roman Lecours
Max Taylor Sparrow 🌙
Mariah Butler Mariah Butler
Callista Welsh-Marshall Callista
Freya Poirier Freya Creates
Olivia Smith
Aeron Wang
Luke Fair Luke Fair

📸 Natalie Goulet natalie goulet

ID: Photo 1: A group of students paint on easels in a light filled room with historical architecture and semi-deconstructed walls. Photo 2: A student and a teacher discuss a painting on an easel. Photo 3: Painting by Noah Check of the ballroom gallery. Photo 4: Painting by Callista Welsh-Marshall of a red room. Photo 5: Painting by Aaron Wang of the interior of a turret window. Photo 6: Painting by Noah Check of a red room with arched windows. Photo 7: Painting by Luke Fair of a storage room with a pink door. Photo 8: Painting by Noah Check of an arched window with light pouring in. Photo 9: Painting by Charlotte Salley depicting the ballroom gallery.

10/17/2026

We are at Nocturne!!! Support the beautiful work of these students and our cause! Tonight we offer guided tours of 1588 Barrington, the home of the Turret Arts Space and an in-person viewing of the beautiful paintings by NSCAD students. The auction is on until October 30th ~ bid on some work, call your MPs, and show your support for the arts!

10/14/2026

Join Turret Arts Space for 🌙 Nocturne: Embodied City on Saturday, October 17 from 6pm until midnight! We’re venue no. 229 on the Nocturne map! Nocturne: Art at Night

Nocturne at Turret Arts Space is your chance to see the brilliant paintings in The Turret: À l’intérieur in person. Come check out the “en plain air” style paintings of interior architectural scenes at the Turret Arts Space.

We’re also hosting guided tours of all three floors of 1588 Barrington Street all night. Nocturne visitors will learn about the past, present, and future of Turret Arts Space during this rare opportunity for a sneak peek into one of Halifax’s most beloved historical buildings.

Featured artists: Featured artists: Mariah Butler, Noah Check, Luke Fair, Roman Lecours, Freya Poirier, Charlotte Salley, Olivia Smith, Max Taylor, Aeron Wang, and Callista Welsh-Marshall

https://nocturnehalifax.ca/projects/2026/the-turret-%C3%A0-lint%C3%A9rieur

10/02/2026

Announcing The Turret: À l'intérieur Painting Auction! Online auction open until October 30, 2026.

https://www.32auctions.com/turretpaintings

Showcasing new works by the students in Luke Fair's Summer 2026 Painting En Plein Air class at NSCAD University created at the Turret Arts Space. On rainy days, students in Fair's class had the unique opportunity paint interior architectural scenes in the Turret Arts Space.

Auction sales are split 50/50 between the individual artists and the Turret Arts Space.

Don't miss your chance to take home a piece of iconic Halifax history.

Featured artists:
Noah Check
Charlotte Salley
Roman Lecours
Max Taylor
Mariah Butler
Callista Welsh-Marshall
Freya Poirier
Olivia Smith
Aeron Wang
Luke Fair

Shannon Miedema Laura White, Councillor for Halifax South Downtown Lisa Lachance, MLA Halifax Citadel-Sable Island The Khyber Centre for the Arts Halifaxnoise Downtown Halifax Discover Halifax NSCAD University

Silent auction 'The Turret: À l'intérieur Painting Auction' hosted online at 32auctions.

06/11/2026

JOIN US!
@ 1588 Barrington Street, 9:30AM, June 12th!
To celebrate the launch of the Turret’s stamp within the Places of Pride Stamp series!

Brit Fox of Turret Arts Space Society, Robin Metcalfe a local historian and member of Take Back the Turret, and Lisa Liu from Canada Post will be speaking to media about the Turret and its history. A tour of the building will follow.

We will have a selection of free First Day Covers free to the public!

The event is open to all.
Access notes: The main floor of the building is only accessible a set of 10 stairs, and the press conference is on the second floor with a flight of stairs in between. There are no onsite washrooms.

06/05/2026

The Turret Club (1976-1982) is featured in Canada Post’s Places of Pride four-stamp issue released today!

Turret Art Space is delighted to celebrate the momentous commemoration of 2SLGBTQIA+ spaces alongside these iconic locations that fostered community and solidarity. We were overjoyed to attend the launch at last night!

Places of Pride 2026 features:

🌈 The 519 in Toronto
🌈 Metamorphosis festival in Saskatoon
🌈 Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium in Vancouver
🌈 The Turret in Halifax

Canada Post The 519

Image 1: The Turret stamp. Stamp designer: Kelly Small | Intents & Purposes Inc. Stamp illustrator: Tim Singleton

Image 2: Stamp illustrator Tim Singleton poses with the Turret stamp

Image 3: All fours stamps from the 2026 Places of Pride issue

Image 4: Turret Art Space project manager Alexis Cormier with the Turret Stamp

Image 5: MP Kristyn Wong-Tam speaks at the Places of Pride Launch event Kristyn Wong-Tam

Image 6: Minister Evan Solomon speaks at the Places of Pride Launch event

Image 7: Day of Issue graphic for June 6, 2026 for the Places of Pride 4-stamp issue

05/16/2026

Exciting stuff over the next few days!!! 💫

Tonight we will be at The Turret (1588 Barrington) giving tours! Come say hi and learn about the history of this q***r landmark 🏰
5-7pm

Monday we are partnering with Good Robot for trivia night!! Bring your team & Come have fun🎉
7-9:30 pm

05/16/2026

🤩 Upcoming Turret events! ⭐️

Tonight (Sat, May 16) drop by the Turret for free tours of the building from 5-7pm at 1588 Barrington Street. Free and open to the public. Access notes: building entry and tour includes stairs.

✨✨✨

Monday, May 18 - Trivia Night at Good Robot on Robie Street hosted by comedian . Good Robot is donating $1 from every drink sold to Turret! Register your team for trivia at goodrobotbrewing.ca

04/30/2026

📣📣📣 Take Back the Turret Fundraising Update 📣📣

We’ve raised over $40K in support for the Turret since starting this community coalition-led campaign in March. Here’s a breakdown of funds raised:

⭐️ $26,391 in pledged donations (pledge on the condition that HRM halts legal and administrative action to repurchase 1588 Barrington Street)

⭐️ $10,247 in cash donations, including merch sales and event ticket sales

⭐️ $4,100 in in-kind donations, including local business donating raffle prizes, artists donating performance fees, and venues donating space

❤️ BIG THANKS to everyone who has contributed so far! We are reveling in the joy of this community support. Over 50 groups have supported the campaign including 2SLGBTQIA+ orgs, arts orgs, and local businesses! Too many to tag you all but we are so grateful for your support!

Can you help us get to the next milestone of $50K? Make a pledge and share our campaign today ✨

💌 Let’s keep the pressure on HRM Council! Use our template to send your letter today to tell HRM Council to halt the buy-back!

The Khyber Centre for the Arts LOVE - Nova Scotia The Youth Project Halifaxnoise



[ID: Promotional graphic with the title Take Back the Turret Fundraising Update. A math equation shows $26,391 + $10,247 + $4,100 = over $40K in community support for the Turret since March 2026. The colours are pink, red, teal, and black.]

04/14/2026

Take Back the Turret's Statement on Homophobic and Transphobic violence.

On Sunday, March 22, outside Stardust on Barrington Street, patrons of the Take Back the Turret fundraiser event were physically and verbally assaulted by a group of individuals, who uttered homophobic and transphobic slurs. This incident of hateful violence was immediately met with de-escalation by other eventgoers.

Event organizers and volunteers helped the injured patrons seek medical attention. When the event concluded, Youth Project staff coordinated safe rides home for the young people in attendance.
The patrons who were assaulted were supported and received the care and attention they needed. They have asked Turret to let everyone know they are okay, albeit emotionally and physcially hurt.

Turret is making a public statement to let our community know:
1. We won't stay silent about hate-fueled violence. No one should be expected to tolerate slurs.
2. Safe spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ people remain necessary.
3. We've taken steps to improve safety planning at our events, which was put into action at our most recent event at Rumours.

We recognize the broader forces at work: cuts to youth programming, arts and community services; the lack of comprehensive 2SLGBTIA+ content in curricula; and the politicized spread of misinformation embolden and increase real-world harm.

Across the many lives of the building we are trying to reactivate - the Turret Club, Dr. Bob's clinic, Wormwood cinema, AFCOOP, and the Khyber - communities have found refuge and a place for self-determination, care, and collaboration. We remain committed to protecting and growing Q***r and Trans+ space within it, to caring for each other, and to resisting the political and social forces that enable hate.