Neepawa’s ArtsForward hosted its fifth annual ArtFest on July 18, 2026, unveiling three newly painted wooden benches to brighten public spaces across the community. The event ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 293 Mountain Avenue and included live music, a free barbecue, and a plein air painting workshop by BC artist Perry Haddock.
The benches, built by Men’s Shed Neepawa, are part of the growing Neepawa Art Trail that now includes more than 25 hand-painted benches around town. Yvonne Sisley, Executive Director of ArtsForward, said the program brings people together. “The work in these benches is just unbelievable,” she said, “I love driving around and seeing people taking a moment to rest and admire the art.”
One standout bench, painted by Shannon Desjardins in just two and a half days, features 15 miniature photographs by Jodi Baker. The images capture Manitoba landscapes like sunflowers, northern lights, and Neepawa landmarks. Baker also sponsored the bench, and Amazing Race Neepawa participants will vote on where it gets placed in town.
Artists Leigh Tubelleja and Jan Constantine Luciano spent a month creating two benches for local businesses. The Harris Pharmacy bench features a bumble bee and Winnie the Pooh beside a honey pot, while the New Hope Health Centre bench is a blue design with pink lotus flowers, bamboo, and stacked rocks representing a peaceful oasis. Luciano is a summer student at ArtsForward and studies architecture at the University of Manitoba.
The festival also included a plein air painting workshop led by Perry Haddock, a senior signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, teaching outdoor techniques to local participants. In the evening, postponed Canada Day fireworks lit up the sky after being delayed by flooding in the Westman region that also impacted the campground area and ArtsForward’s basement earlier in July.
