Arts & Culture

On behalf of the City of Cambridge, the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee commissioned Pierre Poussin to create an original public art piece as part of commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the City.  

The completed artwork was installed in June 2025.  

Location: Fountain Street Soccer Complex

Concept Statement: 

The Sheave Tower, an enduring beacon of innovation and discovery, stands proudly as a testament to the rich history and indomitable spirit of our region. Rooted in Ontario’s pioneering hydroelectric legacy and renowned as one of the world’s smallest hydroelectric generating sites, has left a profound impression on me.  With the Cambridge Public Art competition offering a platform to celebrate its 50^th Anniversary, I am driven to create a monumental landmark that pays homage to the tower’s awe- inspiring history.

The concept connects the past and present, emphasizing the Sheave Tower’s significance in the area’s development.

The conceptual approach revolves around a sculpture that honours the original Sheave Tower’s shape and scale. By utilizing the tower’s distinct vertical ridges and outlines, the artwork would be created to help honour the City of Cambridge’s rich heritage and pioneering spirit. Creating an open-framed sculpture would create a piece that constantly plays with dynamic contrasts of light and shadow, positive and negative space, between day and night.  From every angle, it would compel the viewer’s perspectives, weaving an optical illusion that oscillates between a sense of transparency and opacity.

To further enhance the open qualities of the artwork, some facades have been kept open to highlight the tower’s unique shape, outlines and frame. Opening walls also creates a much more accessible public artwork which can be accessed from numerous directions.

In 2008, artist and winner of a national competition, Stephen Cruise, created the indigena domain public art in front of Cambridge City Hall. This piece of work is a polished granite sculpture, honouring the founding communities of Galt, Preston, Hespeler and Blair.

In 2018, the City of Cambridge installed a digital projection system to display light shows on the facade of the Old Post Office building located at 12 Water Street South.  These shows have quickly become a community attraction and run nightly (Thursday to Sunday) throughout the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter Holiday Season. Content is scheduled to change seasonally and is appropriate for all ages.

Thank you to the Tourism Relief Fund for the funding that allowed for new creative content that can be used now and into the future!

Tune your car radio to FM 92.5 to listen to the music that has been choreographed with the show.

Please note:  Some shows may have strobe light type effects that may be disorienting to some residents. 

Located on Grand Avenue, between Main and Concession streets, the Cambridge Sculpture Garden is in the heart of downtown Galt City Centre. The garden features temporary and permanent sculptures along the river walk.

Assorted locations downtown Galt, and behind 800 Franklin Ave, Cambridge.

• The Indigenous Reconciliation Youth Art Project’, D3 building, 34 Ainslie St. S; Cambridge ON N1R 3K1
• Galt Wings’, Art of Home 11 Ainslie St S, Cambridge, ON N1R 3J9 Post it on social media using the hashtag #GaltWings to share your photo with others!
• Vintage sign advertising Pandora Range from McClary’s Stove, Main Street and Ainslie Street.
• Whale image by Bart Smeets 27 Water St N, Cambridge, ON N1R 3B2: in the parking lot, behind a building at Water Street and Dickson Street.
• G5 Dickson St. public parking lot: between Water Street and Ainslie Streets
• The Founders’, by Michele Jones; Petty Place and Dickson Road, features William Dickson & Absalom Shade, who cleared wilderness to prepare for settlers in Galt and Dumfries Township.
• Woodworker's mural by Michele Jones, to the left of the entrance to the Cambridge Centre for the Arts, 60 Dickson St Cambridge, ON N1R 8N1.
• Dan Roberts Mural: Behind the Cambridge Centre for the Arts; access mural on Wellington Street.
• Tectonic Surface’, by Stephanie Boutari, Bread Factory building parking lot, 7 Grand Ave S., Cambridge ON N1S 2L3. Her other mural located on the rear wall at 800 Franklin Ave, Cambridge, ON N1R 7Z1 (Franklin Blvd and Avenue Road)

Assorted locations in Preston Town Centre and Riverside Park, Preston; Most are walking distance from each other.

• Mural of Memories’, by Dave Sofa, on the side of the RBC building, 637 King St E, Cambridge, ON N3H 3N7
• Sun’ by Ean Kools, between RBC building and 639 King St E. Cambridge, ON N3H 3N6
• Woodworkers’ mural by Michele Jones, on the side of Allan Reuter Centre, 507 King St E, Cambridge, ON N3H 3N4, access mural from King Street parking lot
• Riverside 'Graffiti wall' at the Riverside Rails Skateboard Park in Riverside Park, 49 King St W, Cambridge, ON N3H 1B5

• Hespeler 'Graffiti Alley’, is an evolving, living mural display, at 11 Queen St E, Cambridge, ON N3C 2A7. Guelph Ave is a seasonal mural production. Other murals can be spotted in the alleys and behind/beside buildings, and in parking lots. As well as 27 Cooper Street (not far from Cooper and Queen). All locations are close and walkable.

The Annual Cambridge Studio Tour is a self-guided tour of artist studios. Whether you’re interested in something for yourself or looking for that one-of-kind piece to give as a gift, this Studio Tour is the place to be!

Learn more about the Cambridge Studio Tour. 

11 Tannery Street East, Cambridge, ON N3C 2C1

For more information go to: https://hespelerheritagecentre.ca/

Archival collection consists of over 5,000 pieces of old photos, documents, memorabilia, and artifacts ranging in age from the early 19th century up to recent days.   

12 Water Street South

In 2018, the City of Cambridge installed a digital projection system to display light shows on the facade of the Old Post Office. These shows have quickly become a community attraction and run nightly (Thursday to Sunday) throughout the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter Holiday Season. Content is scheduled to change seasonally and is appropriate for all ages.

Thank you to the Tourism Relief Fund for the funding that allowed for new creative content that can be used now and into the future!

Tune your car radio to FM 92.5 to listen to the music that has been choreographed with the show.

Please note: Some shows may have strobe light type effects that may be disorienting to some residents.

Show Times

• Pin Art’ Cambridge Centre station, Hespeler Road, in front of Cambridge Centre Mall
  
  
• Child Found’ Police Headquarters, 200 Maple Grove Rd., Cambridge ON N3H 5M.  Sculpture is a manifestation of the Waterloo Regional Police Service motto: People Helping People
  
  
• Solar Collector’, Region of Waterloo Operations Centre, 100 Maple Grove Rd., Cambridge ON N3H 4R7. Celebrating the Region's commitment to energy efficiency, the solar-powered and interactive installation gathers energy from the sun during the day to light up at night. The public can view and even choreograph nightly light performances online at www.solarcollector.ca
  
  
• Over the Meadow’, Kinsmen Children’s Centre, 651 Concession Rd., Cambridge, ON N3H 4L1 Description: This sculptural ceramic relief, 2.5 metres long and made of 116 tiles, is filled with sculpted creatures adapted from the poem by Olive A. Wadsworth
  
  
• Indigena domain - In 2008, artist and winner of a national competition, Stephen Cruise, created the public art in front of Cambridge City Hall, 50 Dickson Street Cambridge ON N1R 8S1. Work is a polished granite sculpture, honoring the founding communities of Galt, Preston, Hespeler and Blair.
  
  
• Craig's Crossing' Galt Pedestrian Bridge, Between Founder's Point on the east and the Cambridge Sculpture Garden on the west; Built-in 1912 the Bridge spanned the Grand River for more than 60 years. By 1984, all that remained were the concrete piers. In 2018, a new bridge built in its place opened. Bridge is lite up at night.

Cambridge Sculpture Garden

Located on Grand Avenue, between Main and Concession streets, the Cambridge Sculpture Garden is in the heart of downtown Galt City Centre. The garden features temporary and permanent sculptures along the river walk.

40 Dickson Street, Cambridge, ON N1R 1T7

Started around 1830, the Cambridge Farmers' Market is one of the oldest farmers' markets in Canada.

Cambridge Farmers' Market vendors sell a variety of local products, including:

• Fresh meats and seafood
• Baked goods
• Cheeses
• Cold cuts and sausages
• European breads
• Maple syrup and honey
• Farm fresh eggs
• Ethnic foods
• Homemade crafts

For more information, checkout our Farmers' Market page.

Forbes Park, 16 Kribs Street, Cambridge, ON N3C 2N2

Free activities for the whole family! See the petting zoo, enjoy live entertainment, shop from local vendors, join in on a pie eating contest, eat fresh harvest produce, and more!

For information, learn more about the Hespler Festival.

David Durward Centre, 62 Dickson Street, Cambridge ON N1R1T8

For more information, contact us:

50plus@cambridge.ca

By phone at (519) 740-4681 ext. 4360

Cambridge Centre for the Arts
60 Dickson Street, Cambridge ON N1R 8N1 (Toyota Room)

Drop in to see a rehearsal in action. Enjoy the music as you watch Conductor and Music Director Sabatino Vacca work with musicians in real time during a professional orchestra rehearsal. The Cambridge Symphony Orchestra is a not-for-profit orchestra, composed of professional musicians sharing our love for music and community.

Cambridge Centre for the Arts
60 Dickson Street, Cambridge ON N1R 8N1 (Toyota Room)

Drop in to see a rehearsal in action. Enjoy the music as you watch Cambridge Youth Orchestra (CYO) Conductor. Joy Schuster, works with the young musicians in real time during their orchestra rehearsal.

The CYO was formed to give young performers an opportunity to develop orchestral ensemble and musical skills. The Youth Orchestra has grown and evolved, performing on occasion with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and at community events.

Gallery Hours:
Monday – Thursday 8:30 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Floor 1A, Cambridge Centre for the Arts, 60 Dickson Street, Cambridge, ON, N1R 8N1

Visit the CCA Art Gallery for more information on exhibitions and programs

McDougall Cottage Historic Site, 89 Grand Avenue South, Cambridge, ON N1S 2L7

Forever etched in the memories of long-time Cambridge residents is the Great Flood of ’74. On May 17th of that year, the spring melt and weeks of rainy weather had caused the water levels in the Grand River to rise to record levels; there was little that could be done as the water poured over the banks and into Cambridge, overwhelming Galt and communities further south. It was the worst flash flooding in twenty years, causing nearly $34 million in damage. In the aftermath of that historic flood, and to reduce the risk of future flooding, the Cambridge Living Levee was constructed along the river to protect Galt’s historic downtown core.

Join McDougall Cottage staff for an enlightening Culture Days Walk. We’ll travel the path of the levee to explore this excellent example of human adaptation to flooding hazards and learn how the levee continues to preserve the community around us.

These free walks will leave from McDougall Cottage Historic Site promptly at 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Pre-registration is required.

The tours may include hills, stairs and uneven terrain. Phones are recommended, but not required, to access photos of the sites we are visiting. No washroom facilities available during the tour.

Central Park in Preston, 615 King Street East Cambridge, ON N3H 3N6

Annual collaborative community art project. Each lantern was made with love by a different community member. Workshops were hosted at our farmer's market, schools, as well as in assisted living facilities. We're excited to bring all this year's creations together in one exhibition. Every year the lanterns will grow in numbers, as more and more community members participate.

Saturdays, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
56 Dickson Street Cambridge, ON N1R 1T8

Learn about the history of fire service in the City of Cambridge and its surrounding areas.

McDougall Cottage
McDougall Cottage is an 1858 granite and limestone labourer's cottage located in downtown Galt's historic factory district. The museum hosts a variety of special events celebrating Scottish heritage and features beautiful pocket-sized gardens and spectacular hand-painted friezes and trompe l'oeil ceilings. 

The Company of Neighbours has the largest collection of archival materials related to Hespeler's history. Now called the Hespeler Heritage Centre, the building is actually Old Hespeler's Town Hall.

THEMUSEUM is a museum that shares ideas and experience by presenting cultural content from around the globe in new and interesting ways. The five-floor building features exhibits related to art, science, culture and technology. 

The Waterloo Region Museum is the largest community museum in Ontario! The main gallery features the story of Waterloo Region. The feature gallery displays various local and travelling exhibits. Waterloo Region Museum is also the entrance to Doon Heritage Village.

Formerly known as The Dunfield Theatre, The Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge offers great live theatre all-year-round. The theatre hosts events presented by Drayton Entertainment, private performances and events by other presenters.

Formerly the Galt Little Theatre, the Cambridge Community Players offers a number of theatre performances for the community to enjoy.

The Cookies and Kids Family Theatre is a family-friendly theatre program offered by the Cambridge Centre for the Arts.