Portia Clark hosts Information Morning on CBC Radio on the mainland in Nova Scotia. It’s on air between 6 and 8:30 every weekday. You’ll often hear Portia doing interviews about the environment and issues related to it.

She grew up in Digby County. She has a huge appreciation of Nova Scotia’s natural spaces, as a camper, runner and beach lover.

Portia started her journalism career in Halifax, and after spending 18 years with CBC in Edmonton, returned to the airwaves here 7 years ago.

2024 JUNO-Nominated Mi’kmaq fiddler and singer Morgan Toney brings the fiery fiddling of Cape Breton Island with the old songs of the Mi’kmaq People together with brilliance and heart.

First Flight, Toney’s 2023 East Coast Music Award-winning debut album, celebrates language and heritage in Toney’s transformation of traditional songs like the Ko’jua and the Mi’kmaq Honour Song alongside highly original songcraft.

An established Mi’kmaq artist, Alan Syliboy’s work is influenced by the indigenous Mi’kmaq rock drawing and quill weaving traditions. Working in acrylic and mixed media, Alan creates vibrantly coloured images exploring the themes of family, searching, spirituality, struggle, and strength. The use of layering symbols and mark making creates depth and texture in Alan’s work.

We are honoured that Alan will be painting a drum during the event, and it will be auctioned off to attendees with 100% of the proceeds going to support the Nature Trust.

Holly has gained national acclaim for her unique style of silk painting. She has participated in numerous group and solo shows and continues to exhibit nationally. Holly has designed for theatre productions and large-scale public installations. In 2019 Holly won a Merritt Award for outstanding set design for “Half Cracked” a Neptune/Eastern Front collaboration. Her most ambitious installation to date is a larger-than-life environment created out of painted silk, “Light in the Forest” for Acadia University Art Gallery which has been redesigned as a mental wellness, multimedia production that she is currently touring all regions of Nova Scotia. Light in the Forest is also an award-winning children’s book and an App. Holly has partnered with the NS Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions and created a permanent touring Light in the Forest Exhibit that was on display at the NS Museum of Natural History, Fall, 2024. Holly partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association (NS Div) creating” The Comfort Tree” a story trails project for the Portapique Community. The project has been recently published as a children’s book. In November 2024 Holly was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her work with youth and mental wellness. Over the years Holly branched out into performance art, where she paints large works live on stage. Working with numerous musicians and performers including a cross Canada tour with Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Café, performances with world renowned violinist Min Lee in Singapore, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and her own show with Symphony Nova Scotia where she painted an 8 x 32-foot painting live with the orchestra. Holly has travelled internationally with her work, exhibiting, teaching and performing in Peru, Hong Kong and Singapore. Holly is excited to be back painting live with the National Art Centre Orchestra! Her work can be found in numerous private and public collections.

To learn more about Holly’s work visit, www.hollycarr.com and www.lightintheforest.ca.