Eptek Art & Culture Centre
Eptek Art & Culture Centre is an exhibition facility that offers frequently-changing exhibits, a variety of programming, and a gift shop featuring a wide selection of Island-made fine art and craft, and books on Island themes. Exhibits and programming highlight visual art, craft, history, culture, and science.
Open year-round, Eptek offers weekday art and craft demonstrations in the summer months. In the winter months, Eptek Centre becomes a community hub with many events: exhibit openings, a weekly film series, monthly book club meetings, lectures, book launches, demonstrations, and other special events.
The gift shop has a wide selection of Island-made fine art, crafts, and local books.
Plan a visit a to the Eptek Art & Culture Centre to sample the rich Island culture. All are welcome.
2026 Hours of Operation
September to December 2026
- Tuesday to Friday Open - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Sundays Open - 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Mondays - Closed
Holidays and other closures
- November 11 - Closed in recognition of Remembrance Day
- December 24 - Closing at 12:00 p.m.
- December 25 to January 4 - Closed
Hours are subject to change. Also, closed on Sundays during holiday weekends and in between exhibitions for installation.
Admissions
June 1 - September 30 Rates
- Regular Admission: $6.00
- Children 4 and under: Free
October 1 - May 30 Rates
- Regular Admission: Pay-what-you-can
- Children 4 and under: Free
Exhibits
“In the Kitchen” by Summerside Art Club
Summerside Art Club’s exhibition, “In the Kitchen,” will be on display at Eptek Art & Culture Centre beginning on October 8th. The club has been cooking up artworks to share that will explore all things kitchen-related. Featuring work in a variety of styles and mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolour, and chalk, the exhibit is sure to leave you feeling full.
“Scotland: My ancestral home” by Ellen Martin
Eptek Art & Culture Centre’s newest satellite exhibition, held in the Harbourfront Theatre’s lounge gallery is “Scotland: My ancestral home,” with oil paintings by Ellen Martin. The collection is based on spiritual experiences Martin had during a recent trip to Scotland, and it endeavours to capture the magic and mystery she found in the ancient landscape. Its rugged and raw beauty gave her a sense of going back in time.
The exhibition includes large original oil paintings of Moy Castle, Duart Castle, associated with the MacLean clan, and Eilean Donan Castle, among other well-known Scottish landmarks. At Duart Castle, Martin observed swallows swooping and darting about, while sparrows had seemingly taken over Eilean Donan Castle.
“Scotland, My Ancestral Home” will remain on display for October. A book of the same name, featuring this collection of paintings has been released, depicting Martin’s experience, and it will also be available for sale at Eptek Art & Culture Centre.
“Collaboration With the Dead” by Nancy Cole (Nov. 17 - Dec. 20)
In “Collaboration With the Dead,” artist Nancy Cole engages in a posthumous conversation with her father, Murray Cole, through a series of hand-embroidered photographs. A Royal Canadian Air Force aviator stationed in northeastern France during the early 1950s, Murray Cole documented his time abroad with a 35mm camera, capturing everyday life during a complex moment in Cold War history. His images depict scenes from post-war France, Morocco, and Algeria shaped by military service and fleeting personal pleasures.
Decades later, Nancy Cole revisits these photographs with needle and thread, printing them on canvas and delicately embroidering their surfaces. Her interventions echo the 19th-century tradition of embellished photographic postcards, where women’s handiwork transformed mass-produced images into valuable keepsakes. Here, the embellishment becomes an act of connection: a way of responding to her father’s gaze, complicating it, and layering it with her own.
"Upon uncovering a collection of 35mm slide film after my father's passing, I was transported into a world marked by the palpable tension that defined the Cold War era — a time when the threat of mutually assured annihilation was very real. These (53) embroidery embellished interventions are my response to this period in history and connects us to current geo-politics."
Trained as a journalist and photographer, Nancy Cole transitioned to thread art in her search for her visual voice. Her work is marked by a tedious, meditative process. The resulting artworks are both unsettling and beautiful. Through her unique fusion of mediums, Cole reveals the intricate connections that bind us to our history, encouraging a deeper reflection on the enduring strength of the human spirit.
Opening Reception: “Collaboration With the Dead” will be on display in Eptek Art & Culture Centre’s main gallery from November 17th until December 20th, with an official opening at 1 pm on November 22nd. This is a free event, and all are welcome.
“Finding Our Way Home”
The "Finding a Way Forward" project was a collaborative rug-hooking and art exhibition organized by the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia in partnership with Indigenous artists and communities. Created as an extension of the “Every Child Matters” project, it started in May 2021 following the discovery of the remains of children at former residential schools in Canada.
The Guild commissioned five First Nations artists from the Maritime provinces to design original patterns honouring residential school children, survivors, and families: Tara Francis, Gerald Gloade, Phyllis Grant, Lorne Julien and Noella Moore. Then 49 rug hookers created 66 individual hooked mats based on these commissioned designs. The collection debuted at the RHGNS Rug School and the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre in Halifax in February 2023, before traveling to various galleries, museums, and community spaces across the Maritimes (such as Truro and Port Hawkesbury). Five of the pieces from this project were donated to The Friends of Eptek Centre in the fall of 2025 and are now on display at Eptek Art & Culture Centre. One of the pieces is a mat that was designed and hooked by Islanders: designed by Noella Moore and hooked by Paula Kenny.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
“The Voice of Marion” January – March 2027 (Group Exhibit):
Eptek Art & Culture Centre is seeking submissions for the upcoming group exhibit, “The Voice of Marion” which will be on display in the main gallery from January to March 2027. An Island-wide call for visual art inspired by the work of Marion Campbell Hinton. Submission packages contain images of 20 paintings to inspire Island artists, and detailed information about the project.
This project is in Marion Campbell Hinton’s memory with the generous support of her niece and nephew, Catherine and Bill Callbeck. Work submitted will be part of a group exhibition and monetary awards will also be presented in a number of categories. The jury consists of acclaimed Island artists Henry Purdy, Grace Curtis, and Maurice Bernard. It is the hope of Catherine and Bill that many Island artists will be inspired to participate in celebration of their aunt Marion.
Submissions are welcome from artists at any stage of their career. Interested artists can receive a submission package by emailing eptek@gov.pe.ca or by calling (902) 888-8373. The deadline for Expressions of Interest is November 1st, 2026, at midnight.
WORKSHOPS
Drawing Techniques with Denise Livingstone at Eptek Centre
Eptek will be hosting a drawing techniques workshop with Denise Livingstone on Tuesday, October 20th from 1 to 3 pm. This workshop is designed to level up the drawing skills of participants. They will engage in exercises that use their spatial/left brains, so they begin to draw what they see. Denise will draw from her years of teaching others to draw and paint, and will lead discussions around what makes an effective drawing in order to provide ways for participants to improve their current skill levels. The workshop is beginner-friendly, and intermediate level-friendly, as well. Registration is $25, all materials will be provided, and spaces are limited.
For more information, or to register, call 902-888-8373 (or visit us online at facebook.com/EptekCentre, and instagram.com/eptek.centre).
MAKERS SESSION
Join us for another drop-in Makers Session in the Eptek gallery on Sunday, November 15th from 1pm – 3pm. Gather up your latest project (or that one you’ve been meaning to sit down and finish) and join us for an afternoon of making! These sessions are a great chance to catch up with some friends, meet new ones, and see what other makers are creating! This event is free to attend, and everyone is welcome (BYO project).
LET’S GET CREATIVE KIDS ART CLUB
Eptek Centre is pleased to partner again with Ryan McAdam-Young and Let's Get Creative to present an art program for kids on Sunday afternoons!
During this 8-week art club, children will get messy and creative while experimenting with many types of art. Sessions will focus on painting, clay, collage, paper crafts, puppet making, drawing, and more. The program is designed to be fun while fostering creativity and is offered by art educator, Ryan McAdam-Young, who has over 15 years of experience teaching popular art classes to children on Prince Edward Island. You can see some of the projects Ryan has done with her students on her Let's Get Creative Facebook page.
Let's Get Creative Art Club @ Eptek – Fall 2026
Sunday afternoons from October 18th – December 6th (8 weeks)
Group 1 - 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm
Group 2 - 2:15 pm - 3:30 pm
Ages 5-14 (for both groups, so you can choose the time that works best for your family)
$160.00 per participant, all materials and supplies are included.
Pre-registration is required, as attendance is limited. To register, please call the Eptek Centre at (902) 888-8373.
GALLERY ACTIVITIES
Come test your skills (and eyesight) with Eptek’s Scavenger Hunts! Fun for visitors of all ages. Do you think you have what it takes to find all 20 images?
ABOUT THE FRIENDS OF EPTEK CENTRE
The Friends Of Eptek Centre is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based, auxiliary group that supports the overall programming at Eptek Art & Culture Centre. The Friends have hosted many events and programs over the years. One of The Friends' longest-running initiatives is their Thursday lunchtime film series, which is offered to the visiting public most of the year, typically running from October through April. The Friends also support a student bursary in the arts at Mount Allison University, and often a bursary at Three Oaks High School, as well.
The Friends are always on the lookout for keen folks open to helping out, or to becoming involved in other ways, like becoming a member. Membership fees start at $10 for an individual. Members of The Friends enjoy free entry to the site, a 10% discount in the gift shop (which features only Island-made Art and craft, as well as books on Island themes), a regular newsletter keeping folks up-to-date on all of the happenings, and the warm feeling that comes from supporting the arts, and from belonging to a group of folks who understand the importance of providing access to the arts.
For more information, or to become a member contact us at:
Phone: (902) 888-8373
Email: eptek@gov.pe.ca
Or drop in to the site on the Summerside harbour at:
Eptek Art & Culture Centre
130 Heather Moyse Drive
Summerside, PE C1N 5Y8
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long does the visit take?
- At your own pace. Approximately 30-90 minutes
- Is this site family-friendly?
- Yes
- Is this site wheelchair accessible?
- Yes
- Is the space scent-free?
- Yes
- Is the space rainbow-friendly?
- Yes, everyone is welcome!
- Do the exhibits change frequently?
- There is a new exhibit every six weeks!
- What can I buy in your gift shop?
- We only carry Island made art and fine craft
- What else can I do there?
- We are open year-round and host weekly films, a monthly bookclub, artist-led workshops, and lectures. We also rent the venue for events.
Other Events and Exhibits
View our Events and Exhibits page
Follow us on social media (Facebook; Instagram) and follow the Foundation @heritagepei!