The West of Main Art Walk is an open studio tour, art exhibition and art sale in Vancouver. Hosted by Artists in Our Midst, the event takes place in May.
In 2024 the event celebrates its 31st year on the Saturday and Sunday of May 25th and 26th from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm both days.
For the event’s official website, click artistsinourmidst.com.
This article contains the following information about the West of Main Art Walk:
What, When and Where | Merchants in our Midst | Art for Charity | West of Main Art Walk Video | Tips & Advice | Other Information
West of Main Art Walk in Vancouver in 2024
The West of Main Art Walk is the longest running open studio tour and art sale in Vancouver. The annual event began in 1993 as Artists in Our Midst which is also the name of the non-profit group of artists who open their studios to the public each year.
The individuals who put together this event aim to promote local and visual art to communities in the Lower Mainland. All activities are free to attend. People can connect with local artists, get an inside look at their studios, and buy beautiful art when attending the events.
The West of Main Art Walk provides an exceptional opportunity to see beautiful art and meet local artists. The art you’ll see is phenomenal, and admission is free!
For the event’s official website, visit artistsinourmidst.com.
What, When and Where
2024 marks the 31st anniversary of the West of Main Art Walk. The event runs in late spring with things to do on May 25th and 26th. During the event last year, there were 60 or so featured artists, some of whom are already known on a global scale. In 2024 there will be over 70 artists.
This year the Open Studio Tour and Sale takes place between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm on the Saturday and Sunday of May 25th and 26th. Participating artists open their studios to the public over that weekend. This is a chance for people to see and explore what it’s like to be an artist in Vancouver. Visitors can see what artists are currently working on, take a tour of their workspaces, and buy pieces that are on sale.
The majority of studios on the tour are east of Blanca Street (near the edge of UBC), north of 16th Avenue, and west of around Arbutus Street. A lot are concentrated in the neighbourhoods of Point Grey and Kitsilano in particular. The full region covered by the event, however, includes parts of Vancouver west of Main Street, north of 41st Street, south of False Creek, and east of both Blanca Street and UBC.
Multiple Artist Locations
If you want to see several artists and their works in one building, rather than touring individual studios all around the city, then we recommend you visit St. Helen’s Church (at 4405 West 8th Avenue), St. Philip’s Church (at 3737 West 27th Avenue), Kits House (at 2305 West 7th Avenue) and the City Centre Motel (at 2111 Main Street).
Last year, other great hubs where you could find multiple artists at one venue included Aberthau Mansion (at 4397 West 2nd Avenue) and Pacific Arts Market (at 1450 West Broadway). These other venues might be the same again in 2024, but they also might not be. Exact details are to be confirmed.
For a full map of all the places where artists are exhibiting this year, visit the Artists in Our Midst website.
Merchants in our Midst
Another component of the West of Main Art Walk is the Merchants in Our Midst program. Throughout May, businesses in the Kitsilano, Kerrisdale, Dunbar and South Granville neighbourhoods have local art on display. This is a wonderful way of promoting artists and bringing more colour to banks, libraries, small businesses and participating retail venues. Most of the art on display at each merchant is also available to purchase.
For the full list of participating merchants this year, visit the Artists in Our Midst website.
For the event’s official website, click artistsinourmidst.com.
Art for Charity
Many of the artists who participate in the West of Main Art Walk donate small 6×6 inch pieces of original artwork which can be purchased for $50. Proceeds from the sale of the art benefits Coast Mental Health which uses the funds to purchase supplies for its art programs. In 2022 all the $50 pieces of art were at one venue (at the Roundhouse Community Centre). Last year though, each piece of fundraising art could be admired (and purchased) at each of the artists’ individual locations during the event.
In 2023 a preview of a selection of pieces was also available, however, at the Kitsilano Farmers Market on May 21st. The art could also likely be seen on the West of Main Art Walk’s website (unless it already got sold).
To learn more about the $50 Art for Charity pieces, see the Artists in our Midst website.
West of Main Art Walk Video
For an idea of what the art and studio tour looks like, check out the video below. It shows scenes of the West of Main Art Walk from 2022. Art and artists you’ll see in the video include Monika Sanft, Lisa Farrell, Jeff Coates, Jayna Berry, Lisa Farmer, Kathy Swift, Beth W. Stewart, Lanni Weingarten, Sabine Simons, Mark Eugster, Billy Wittman and others.
Scenes in this video include ones at Pacific Arts Market, the Roundhouse Community Centre and Knox United Church. All three of these venues participated in the event in 2022, but just the first one did in 2023. Other venues where you could see the work of multiple artists last year included the West Point Grey Community Centre’s Aberthau Mansion and Kitsilano Neighbourhood House.
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips and suggestions you might find helpful.
TIP #1: Don’t just go around snapping pictures of everything you see. Before taking photos of artists and their work, ask for permission. Some artists won’t mind, but others might. If you share content on social media, use the hashtag #westofmainartwalk (plus maybe the hashtag of the artist of the art you take photos of). Help spread the word!
TIP #2: Parking can get expensive in Vancouver. Public transit is recommended, especially since many of the events and studios are close to each other. Use the map on the Artists in Our Midst website to help plan your routes.
For the event’s official website, click artistsinourmidst.com.
Other Information
To learn more about the event, see the Artists in Our Midst website.
Other events you might be interested in at other times of the year include the following:
- Art Vancouver (an art show at the Vancouver Convention Centre in May)
- Art Downtown (free art exhibits in downtown Vancouver in the summer)
- Eastside Culture Crawl (a studio art tour in the fall)
If you like art, including art you can buy, places you might want to visit include the following:
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
