BOOM!  (2008)

In 2008, Nicola Harwood initiated and co-curated Oxygen Art Centre's first thematic residency, exhibition and conference. BOOM! Artists and Architects Respond to Growth and Development in Nelson, was comprised of a collaborative artist residency, featuring graffiti artist Patrick Thompson, filmmaker Amy Bohigian and sound artist Terry Brennan. The project also featured nine public art installations, an exhibition of eight proposed in-fill projects focusing on Nelson’s downtown from the UBC School of Architecture, a series of artist talks, a film screening and a two day conference. The conference engaged citizens on topics of affordable housing, cultural development, industrial heritage and contemporary architecture in a heritage context. A curatorial document of the project was also produced.