League Nanaimo

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Germaine Koh (photo credit Yvonne Chew)

Artist Germaine Koh invites Nanaimo residents to play and invent games both at the Gallery and out in the community. League Nanaimo opens with a Launch Party during the July 31st Commercial Street Night Market and runs from August 1st to October 5th, 2025.

League Nanaimo is a project led by Vancouver and Salt Spring Island based artist Germaine Koh that unites creative process and play. Community members of all ages are invited to gather and exercise creativity by developing new games and sports through iterative, embodied activities. Games evolve organically as they are played, and strategies emerge through trial and improvisation, and sometimes new tools are invented on the fly.

Koh’s playful art installation turns Nanaimo Art Gallery into an experimental arena of sorts where visitors are welcome to jump, throw, dance, run, and touch; all actions that are usually frowned upon in art museums. In this space, that is a cross between a hockey rink, a dance hall, a tennis court, and an archery range, you are invited to interact with objects and markings, and with each other, and could find yourself developing your own games.

The Gallery also serves as a hub for community outreach as the artist and Gallery facilitators bring League Nanaimo into the broader community. During the run of the exhibition, League activities not only take place in the gallery, but also at Nanaimo parks. Listings of events are available on the Gallery website.

League Nanaimo is the third exhibition through which Nanaimo Art Gallery asks the question: How can we play together?