The seventh annual exhibition gathers 15 regional artists in a small Beaver Valley village, surrounded by the colours, trails, and gathering places of Grey Highlands.
There is a stretch of Grey County Road 13 where the drive becomes a beautiful part of the destination. The road winds through the stunning Beaver Valley and in autumn, the hills sparkle in layers of red, orange, and gold.
The village of Kimberley sits quietly beneath the familiar outline of Old Baldy, and it is here, inside the Kimberley Community Hall, that Art in the Valley will return from October 16 to 18.
Now in its seventh year, the community exhibition brings together 15 regional artists for a weekend of painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and conversation. This year’s theme, Making Space for Art: Creative Narratives, invited each artist to consider the idea of space without defining it too narrowly.
“Space can be a place, but it can also be a pause, a memory, or the room you make inside yourself,” says co-founder Frances Beatty.
That openness is reflected in the work. Landscapes are part of the exhibition, naturally, but they are not the whole story. The artists approach the theme through different materials, experiences, and points of view, creating a show that feels rooted in the countryside without being limited by it.
The participating group includes emerging and award-winning artists, including Beatty, Raymond Macdonald, Chari Cohen, Caryn Joy Colman, Carol Sebert, Kate Esplen, and Kathleen Heithorn-Althoff. Together, their work offers 15 distinct responses to the same broad idea, and plenty of reason to take your time moving through the hall.
Finding Kimberley
For those who have not explored this part of Ontario, Kimberley is a small village in the Municipality of Grey Highlands, located in the Beaver Valley between Flesherton and Thornbury. It is less than two hours northwest of Toronto, approximately an hour west of Barrie, and about 80 minutes north of Guelph.
The village is also a natural starting point for a longer autumn outing. The Bruce Trail and Old Baldy Conservation Area are nearby, while Eugenia, Flesherton, and the surrounding valley offer locally owned cafés, bakeries, restaurants, and shops. Even a simple drive along Grey Road 13 gives visitors a closer look at a part of the Niagara Escarpment that feels markedly different from the busier communities along Georgian Bay.
The exhibition itself remains intentionally accessible and community-minded. Admission is free or by donation, with proceeds supporting programming offered by the Kimberley Community Association. The hall is wheelchair accessible, with a ramp, elevator, and accessible washrooms, and parking is available beside the building and along nearby streets.
Co-founder Raymond Macdonald describes a visit to the show as his unofficial prescription to spend time with art—a chance to slow down, connect, and perhaps leave feeling a little better than when you arrived.
Plan Your Visit
Art in the Valley: Making Space for Art—Creative Narratives
October 16–18, 2026
Kimberley Community Hall
235309 Grey Road 13, Kimberley, Ontario
Admission is free or by donation.
Visit annualartinthevalley.com for the complete artist list and Saturday and Sunday exhibition hours.