Blacksmithing and Metal Arts School in Nelson BC
Nearside Arts Society is an artist-run, independent non-profit organization founded by Kootenay School of the Arts (KSA) Metals alumni, former teaching faculty, working artists, educators, and craft professionals committed to preserving and advancing blacksmithing and metal arts education in our region.
Formerly known as Blackbird Arts, we incorporated in 2021 and have organized exhibitions, markets, hammer-ins, and grassroots craft events throughout the Kootenays. With our change of name, we are shifting our focus to providing educational programming within the former KSA Metals Studio.
We envision a working community forge where future generations can continue to build meaningful relationships to craft, material, and community. Our work in this space will preserve access to hands-on forging education, strengthening our community by supporting artists and skilled tradespeople learning the craft.
A New Era
In October of 2025, Selkirk College announced that they would no longer be continuing their Arts and Studio programming at the KSA Campus in downtown Nelson. A working group was formed by local arts organizations and representatives from the Metals and Ceramics departments to work towards how to take over operations and the much-loved arts school facility.
Over the new year a feasibility study was presented to Nelson City council outlining a collaborative tenancy model including multiple non-profits and arts organizations. The Nelson Community Land Trust was granted the Lease (now rebranded the 606 ARTS SPACE) with the right of first refusal to purchase after two years of pilot programming and tenant stabilization. Nearside Arts Society will now be operating the former KSA Metals studio and carrying on the legacy of metal craft education in Nelson.
History
The metal studio’s decades-long history of high-quality hands-on education in blacksmithing, blade-smithing, bronze & aluminium casting, and sculpture lives on not only through the work itself, but through the people who keep showing up to learn, teach, and create alongside one another.
For generations, KSA helped shape Nelson’s identity as a centre for skilled making, teaching, and cultural exchange. The Metals Department was central to that legacy, training artists and craftspeople whose work continues across architectural metalwork, heritage conservation, public art, and independent studios throughout British Columbia and Canada.
While KSA is no longer publicly operating under Selkirk College, the need for accessible craft education and specialized studio space has never disappeared. Skilled trades and hands-on arts education remain essential to the built environment—where creativity, technical skill, and mentorship matter deeply. Worldwide, blacksmithing and the metal arts community are thriving and evolving into a vibrant network of artisans pushing the limits of creativity and material exploration. Through our work in this historic studio, we forge with intention, by hand, and with centuries-old influences, contributing to the landscape of contemporary Canadian craft.
Carrying forward the legacy of KSA metals
Nearside Arts is built around the belief that creative spaces thrive through community and opportunities for ongoing skill building. Through our classes, workshops, and shared practice, Nearside Arts is committed to creating space for inclusivity, accessibility, connection, community building, and the next generation of makers and metalheads. Operating out of the Metals Studio at the 606 Art Space building we are honoured to continue the legacy of a space that has brought generations of smiths, sculptors, and makers together.
We will be offering courses in blacksmithing, tool making, and sculptural projects as well as a membership program with open studio access. We believe this work and learning environment should be inclusive, accessible, welcoming, and alive!