Make · Share · September Invites Port Coquitlam to Create and Share Art
- POCO LIVING
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Creativity is taking the spotlight in Port Coquitlam with Make · Share · September, a month-long community initiative inviting people to create, participate, and share whatever art means to them.
Hosted by Poco Living in collaboration with local artist Feona Schalk and the Tiny Studio, the project offers two ways to participate throughout September. Community members can share their creativity online through Poco Living or take part in free creative activities at the Tiny Studio.
Painting, drawing and poetry may be familiar forms of art, but creativity has no limits. Photography, music, dancing, theatre, baking, cooking, crafting, skating and many other forms of expression can all be part of Make · Share · September.
If you create it and consider it your art, the community wants to see it.
What is Make · Share · September?
Make · Share · September is a Port Coquitlam community art project created to make creativity feel accessible to everyone, not only people who consider themselves artists.
The initiative has two connected parts:
A digital community showcase through Poco Living, where people can share their creativity with a wider local audience.
Free in-person activities at the Tiny Studio, including creative stations, art supplies, and a large collaborative Community Canvas.
There is no required art form, experience level, or artistic background. The goal is to remove barriers, encourage people to create, and celebrate the many ways creativity exists throughout Port Coquitlam.
Share your art through Poco Living
Community members can participate from anywhere by sharing their art on Instagram and inviting Poco Living to join the post as a collaborator.
To participate:
Create something you would like to share.
Publish it as an Instagram post or Reel during September.
Select Tag people and then Invite collaborator.
Search for Poco Living and send the collaboration invitation.
Poco Living will accept collaborator invitations for original work suitable for a general community audience.
Participants should use Instagram’s collaborator feature rather than only tagging Poco Living in the photo or caption. Once the invitation is accepted, the post can also appear through Poco Living and be introduced to its wider community audience.
The invitation is open to experienced artists, beginners, families, young creators and anyone sharing their creativity publicly for the first time.
What kind of art can be shared?
There is no single definition of art for Make · Share · September.
Your contribution could include:
Painting, drawing or illustration
Photography or video
Poetry, storytelling or spoken word
Music or singing
Dancing or theatre
Baking, cooking or food presentation
Sewing, knitting, crafting or woodworking
Skating or another creative form of movement
Digital art or animation
Floral design
Sculpture or pottery
Something entirely different
The purpose of the project is not to decide what qualifies as art. It is to give people the freedom to share what creativity means to them.
Free creative activities at the Tiny Studio
The in-person side of Make · Share · September will take place at the home of the Tiny Studio, located at 1670 Taylor Street in Port Coquitlam.
During designated weekend hours throughout September, community members can stop by, create something at the free art stations, visit the Tiny Studio, and contribute to the collaborative Community Canvas.
The first in-person activities are planned for the three days of the Labour Day long weekend, from Saturday, September 5 through Monday, September 7. Additional weekend opportunities will continue throughout the month.
Specific visiting hours and updates will be shared through Poco Living and Feona Schalk’s social media channels. Readers can also return to this article as new dates, hours, and project updates are added.
Participation is free, and supplies will be available for the creative stations. A limited number of free art-supply bags will also be available through the Tiny Studio for community members who need materials to participate. These bags can be taken home and used to create something that can later be shared through Make · Share · September.
The Tiny Studio is a small public art-sharing space built around the invitation to make art, take art, and leave art. Anyone interested in learning more can read Poco Living’s article about the Tiny Studio in Port Coquitlam.
Where to find the Tiny Studio
The Tiny Studio is located at 1670 Taylor Street in Port Coquitlam.
Community members should check the latest Poco Living and Feona Schalk updates for the designated Make · Share · September visiting hours before stopping by.
Help create the Community Canvas
A large blank canvas will be hosted at the Tiny Studio throughout September, giving residents an opportunity to help create one collaborative piece of community art.
Participants can add one small contribution to the canvas. It could be a flower, word, shape, pattern, doodle, symbol, or simply a few brushstrokes.
Feona will facilitate the activity and help the artwork develop into a colourful piece representing different people, ages, and creative styles from across Port Coquitlam.
The canvas may also visit other community locations during September so people who cannot visit the Tiny Studio can participate. Any additional public locations will be announced once arrangements are confirmed.
By the end of the month, the canvas will be filled with individual contributions that come together to form one larger piece.
The intention is to have the completed artwork professionally framed and gift it back to the community for people to enjoy. Its future display location has not yet been confirmed and will be announced when more information becomes available.
The hope is that residents will be able to see the finished artwork in the future, find the part they contributed and say, “I made that little piece.”
Make Share September Port Coquitlam: Two Ways to Participate
The two parts of Make · Share · September allow people to participate in whichever way feels most comfortable.
Poco Living is leading the broader digital invitation, using its community platform to introduce local creativity to a larger audience. Someone can participate without attending an activity simply by creating something, posting it and inviting Poco Living as a collaborator.
Feona and the Tiny Studio are leading the physical activities, providing the creative setting, making supplies available, welcoming community members and facilitating the Community Canvas.
The initiative builds on Feona’s ongoing work to make art more approachable in Port Coquitlam. Readers can learn more about Feona Paints and her community-focused home art studio.
Together, the digital showcase and Community Canvas create an immediate opportunity to connect while also producing something that can represent the community long after September is over.
Make · Share · September at a glance
When: Throughout September 2026
First in-person activities: Saturday, September 5 through Monday, September 7, with additional weekend opportunities throughout the month.
Where: Online through Poco Living and during designated visiting hours at the Tiny Studio
Tiny Studio location: 1670 Taylor Street, Port Coquitlam.
Cost: Free.
Who can participate: Community members of different ages, backgrounds, and experience levels.
How to participate online: Share your original art on Instagram and invite Poco Living as a collaborator.
How to participate in person: Visit the Tiny Studio during announced hours, create at the free art stations, and add your mark to the Community Canvas.
Art supplies: Supplies will be provided at the creative stations, with a limited number of take-home art-supply bags available for people who need them.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be an artist to participate?
No. Make · Share · September is open to everyone, including people who have never shared their creativity publicly or participated in a community art project before.
What kinds of art can I share?
Any form of original creative expression suitable for a general community audience is welcome. This could include visual art, photography, poetry, music, dance, theatre, baking, cooking, crafts, movement, and more.
How do I add Poco Living as an Instagram collaborator?
When preparing an Instagram post or Reel, select Tag people, choose Invite collaborator, search for Poco Living, and send the invitation. Poco Living will review the post and accept community-appropriate original submissions.
Is there a cost to participate?
No. Sharing your art through Poco Living and participating in the announced Tiny Studio activities are free.
What if I do not have art supplies?
Supplies will be available at the free creative stations. A limited number of take-home art-supply bags will also be available through the Tiny Studio for community members who need materials to participate.
Where is the Tiny Studio?
The Tiny Studio is located at 1670 Taylor Street in Port Coquitlam.
When can I contribute to the Community Canvas?
The canvas will be available during designated weekend hours throughout September. Specific hours and any additional community locations will be announced through Poco Living and Feona Schalk’s social media channels and added to this article.
Do I need to register before visiting?
The activities are intended to be accessible community drop-ins unless a particular date or activity is announced differently. Check the latest Poco Living and Feona Schalk updates before visiting.
What will happen to the finished Community Canvas?
The intention is to have the completed artwork professionally framed and gifted back to the community for public enjoyment. Its future display location has not yet been confirmed.
Be part of Make · Share · September
Throughout September, Port Coquitlam residents are invited to make something, share it, and help celebrate creativity across the community.
Create something at home and invite Poco Living to collaborate. Pick up supplies if you need them. Visit the Tiny Studio and add your mark to the Community Canvas. Try an art form for the first time, or share something you have been practising for years.
There is no single definition of art and no single way to participate.
Whatever art means to you, Make · Share · September wants you to be part of it.
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