Friends of St. John's Arichat

Home
Canada
Arichat, NS
Friends of St. John's Arichat

The mission and goal of The Friends of St. John’s Arichat is to own and preserve the historically designated, former St. John's Centre for the Arts.

John’s Anglican Church, now known as the St. John’s Arichat Society is to own and preserve the historically designated former St. John's Anglican Church, now the St. John's Centre for the Arts, as a living cultural community space for residents and visitors to Isle Madame. Opened in 1828, St. John’s was the second Protestant Church built in Cape Breton. The current structure, built in 1895, was de

signed by architect William Critchlow Harris and has been widely celebrated for its graceful elegance and excellent acoustical qualities. The Church was deconsecrated and closed in the summer of 2014, 186 years after the first Church opened. The Friends of St. John’s Arichat formed quickly in response. A non-denominational group of local citizens who enjoy the support of many who have moved away, the Friends worked with the Anglican Strait Chedabucto-Parish to purchase the building and surrounding property. They gained possession in August 2017 (the cemeteries remain in the possession of the Parish). John’s Arichat Society is both a Nova Scotia registered non-profit society and a Canada Revenue Agency registered charity. It is governed by a Board of Directors elected by its membership. The Friends are determined to insure that the building and the site are properly maintained as an important part of Arichat’s built heritage. We also hope that it will find renewed use as a space to host community gatherings and to showcase local and regional fine and performing arts. In October 2018, after much deliberation and consultation, the Board renamed the building, The St. John’s Centre for the Arts. To become a member or to donate, please contact the Friends at [email protected] or by mail at PO Box 119, Arichat, Nova Scotia, B0E 1A0.

06/20/2026

See you today in Arichat! Drop in to our historic venue for a demonstration of arts and crafts! Remember to get your passport stamp!

06/15/2026

What a wonderful concert last night at St John’s. Such talent! Jud gave the audience quite a variety of repertoire with both his songs and instrumentals. Super guitar playing and great storytelling. Thanks for coming to Isle Madame, Jud!

06/12/2026

We are excited to host Jud Gunning live at St. John's Centre for the Arts on June 14th at 7PM.

Admission:
Students - Free
Advance - $25
At the door - $30

Advance tickets can be purchased by phoning
902 227 8303 or by email at [email protected] (same for etransfer payment for advance tickets).

Musician's bio:
Son of musican Dave Gunning, Jud has a genuine love for playing music and has been making a name for himself in the Nova Scotian music scene. With performances at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival, the Pictou Lobster Carnival and the New Glasgow Jubilee under his belt, Jud has captivated live audiences across the Maritime provinces, and has only just begun.

Dedicated to the craft of guitar playing, with an appreciation for artists such as Chet Atkins, Doc Watson, John Allan Cameron, Buddy Holly, Roger Miller, Hank Snow, Stompin’ Tom Connors and the Delmore Brothers, Jud Gunning has been building up a strong repertoire of classic songs and instrumentals.

He looks forward to following in the footsteps of his musical heroes, and taking his talent wherever the road may lead him.

06/11/2026

We are very excited to welcome the Arichat Street Festival to our historic building!

Vendor Highlight: Friends of St. John's Arichat

Step back to 1895 at St John’s Centre for the Arts. Watch heritage crafts like rug hooking, quilting, spinning, felting, and knitting, and try them yourself. They'll be live music, and a chance to look inside one of Arichat’s most beautiful historic buildings.

06/10/2026

The Friends of St. John's Arichat Society will host its Annual General Meeting on June 18th at 7 PM.

All are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

06/07/2026

Many thanks to the students of Krista Norman for another successful Spring Recital at St. John's Centre for the Arts!

05/20/2026

Spring is finally here and June's line-up continues to add in new talent!

🎹🎻Students of Krista Norman return for the Spring Recital on June 6th.

Jud Gunning live at St. John's Centre for the Arts happens on June 14th 🎸

June 28th brings The Dusty Halos - live at St. John's Centre for the Arts 🎻

Admission details in the posters!

05/18/2026

Many thanks to James Hill and Anne Janelle for bringing Champagne Weather to Arichat! It was a beautiful performance that was enjoyed by all who came out.

01/25/2026

2026 January 25 PLEASE NOTE that "The Pear Tree" event scheduled for today, Sunday, January 25 2026 has been CANCELLED due to inclement weather conditions.

Thank you for your consideration. Friends of St. John.

St. John's Centre for the Arts Arichat presents "The Pear Tree" – a Christmas musical concert of festive tunes on fiddle and harp featuring Adrianna Ciccone and Ellen Gibling. Adrianna Ciccone & Ellen Gibling are based in Kjipuktuk / Halifax, where they both make their home in the city's north end...

01/08/2026

2026 January 25

Address

2513 Highway 206
Arichat, NS
B0E1A0

Telephone

+19022278303

Website

https://sjcaim.ca/, https://novascotia.com/listing/st-johns-centre-for-the-arts/, https://historicplacesdays.ca/places/s

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Friends of St. John's Arichat posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Friends of St. John's Arichat:

Shortcuts

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Arichat?