The Art Downtown Summer Program gives Vancouver artists the chance to showcase their works out in the public with live painting and demonstrations.
In 2025 Art Downtown took place on the Thursdays of July 17th, August 7th and August 14th. Exact dates for the event in 2026 are to be confirmed.
Visit the Vancouver Visual Arts Foundation website or continue reading to learn about this event.
Note: The Vancouver Visual Arts Foundation is the same organization that puts on the big Art Vancouver art fair at the Vancouver Convention Centre in the spring. Vancouver’s Best Places proudly sponsored both Art Downtown and Art Vancouver in 2025.
This article contains the following information about Art Downtown:
When and Where is Art Downtown? | What Can You Expect? | Does it Cost Anything? | Tips & Advice | Other Information
Downtown Vancouver Art in the Summer
The Vancouver Art Downtown Summer Program began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vancouver Visual Art Foundation teamed up with the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association to strategize a way to stimulate activity in the city’s downtown area while maintaining social distancing.
Art Downtown was the result where local artists create and then display their works outdoors. With positive public reception, the program has run throughout the summer each year since. However, the 2025 program was condensed into just three dates.
When and Where is Art Downtown?
In 2025 the event happened at Lot 19 which is located at 855 West Hastings Street at the corner with Hornby Street. It took place in the plaza on the Thursdays of July 17th, August 7th and August 14th between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm.
At the event on August 14th there was a painting competition. It took place between 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm.
Lot 19 is just a short walk from Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre. It’s also just a five-minute stroll from Waterfront Station.
Continue reading or visit the Vancouver Visual Art Foundation‘s website to learn more about this event and where it takes place.
What Can You Expect?
At Art Downtown everything is outdoors. There’s live painting, art displays and live music throughout each event.
The aim of the program is to give artists the opportunity to connect with each other as well as with art-lovers in the community. Creating art out in public gives people from all over Vancouver the chance to see how these artists work. Another objective is to encourage people to go downtown (and to support local businesses while they’re there).
Does it Cost Anything?
All the dates for the Art Downtown program are free for the public to attend. There is no need to buy a ticket or register anywhere before you go. Just show up whenever you want and enjoy the art. Take your credit card or cash, though, in case you want to buy something.
Tips & Advice
Below are some suggestions to help you make the most of your art experience.
TIP #1: The seawall between the Vancouver Convention Centre and Stanley Park is a great place to walk and ride a bike. Consider going for a stroll either before or after checking out the art.
TIP #2: Downtown Vancouver has some great hotels. Check out the deals with StayVancouverHotels.com if you want to make a holiday out of your art experience. The website offers bonus perks when you make a reservation through it.
TIP #3: There are lots of great restaurants in downtown Vancouver too. The P2B Bistro at the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel and Showcase at the Pinnacle Marriott, for example, are both just a short walk from Lot 19 where Art Downtown takes place, and both have Happy Hours on Thursday afternoons. The H Tasting Lounge and H2 Kitchen at the Westin Bayshore Hotel are also just a few blocks away, about halfway between Lot 19 and Stanley Park.
TIP #4: Koolfest is a summer drink festival where you can get special, exotic, ice-cold drinks from participating coffee shops, ice cream parlours, chocolatiers and other places, but that was only between July 19th and August 10th in 2025. There are over 40 locations where you can find Koolfest drinks, including at Mink Chocolates Cafe which is located right by where Art Downtown takes place.
Other Information
Visit the Vancouver Visual Art Foundation website for more information about this event.
The organization behind the summer program is the same one behind Art Vancouver which is a large international art fair at the Vancouver Convention Centre. In 2026 Art Vancouver runs from May 28th to 31st. It’s an amazing event, especially for people who love art.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Steveston Grand Prix of Art
- Junction Public Market
- Vancouver on a Budget
- Outdoor Recreation in Vancouver
- Entertainment in Vancouver
- Vancouver Summer Activities
- Vancouver Restaurants
