The Adventure of Colour Pencils at Nocturne: Stories, Colour & Connection is an interactive storytelling and art experience for visitors of all ages, bringing together children’s literature, illustration, creativity, and emotional well-being on the Halifax waterfront during Nocturne.
At the heart of the experience is Mahnaz Roshan’s The Adventure of Colour Pencils series and her collection of children’s books, including her newest book, The Girl Who Started at Eight. Throughout the evening, volunteer storytellers will read Mahnaz’s books aloud at different times, allowing visitors to join the experience whenever they arrive.
Rather than simply listening to a story, visitors will be invited to become part of one.
A welcoming creative space will encourage children, families, youth, adults, and anyone curious about art to slow down, listen, imagine, and create. Visitors can explore the illustrations and stories, take part in colouring activities, and contribute to a large collaborative artwork that will grow throughout the evening.
Each person will have the opportunity to add their own colour, shape, mark, or small piece of artwork to the collective creation. As more people participate, the artwork will become a visual representation of many individual voices coming together as one.
The project reflects a central idea within Mahnaz’s artistic practice: creativity can connect people. Colour does not require a common language, age, background, or artistic skill. It gives everyone a way to express themselves.
The storytelling component introduces imagination and literacy, while the hands-on art-making creates an opportunity for connection and mindful participation. Together, the experience subtly explores the relationship between storytelling, creativity, and emotional well-being.
The atmosphere will be warm, colourful, welcoming, and playful—an inviting place within the energy of Nocturne where visitors can stop, listen to a story, make something with their hands, contribute to something larger than themselves, and leave having added a little more colour to the world.
The final collaborative artwork will become a lasting visual record of the people who participated in the experience during Nocturne.
