West of Main Art Walk at Kits House

The West of Main Art Walk is an open studio tour, art exhibition and art sale in Vancouver. The event is hosted by Artists in Our Midst and takes place in May.

In 2026 the event celebrates its 33rd year on May 30th and 31st. As many as six dozen artists typically participate.

Click artistsinourmidst.com for the event’s official website.

NOTE: In addition to the event in May, Artists in our Midst has a fundraising Gallery Exhibition from January 30th to February 1st. It takes place at the Visual Space Gallery at 3353 Dunbar Street in Vancouver. The exhibition’s Opening Reception is on January 31st from 2:00 until 4:00 pm. More details about this event are to come.

This article contains the following information about the West of Main Art Walk:

West of Main Art Walk in Vancouver

The West of Main Art Walk is the longest-running open studio tour and art sale in Vancouver. The annual event launched 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 event’s organizers 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.

Visit artistsinourmidst.com for the event’s official website.

Art by Joanne Ferry, Mary Downe and Olga Campbell — (Art by Joanne Ferry, Mary Downe & Olga Campbell)

What, When and Where

In 2026 marks the West of Main Art Walk celebrates its 33rd anniversary of the Saturday and Sunday of May 30th and 31st. The event attracts dozens of artists, some of whom are known on a global scale.

The Open Studio Tour & Sale takes place on both days of the event, usually between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. Participating artists open their studios for people to explore and see 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 typically 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, there are a few locations that host a number of artists. Examples in recent years include St. Philip’s Church (at 3737 West 27th Avenue), Kits House (at 2305 West 7th Avenue) and Helen’s Court Co-op (at 2137 West 1st Avenue). All of these locations had between five and 12 artists exhibiting there again in 2025. This year, eight artists were also at West Point Grey United Church at 4595 West 8th Avenue.

Visit artistsinourmidst.com for the event’s official website.

Art by Wendy Peeters, Jodie Blaney and Lisa Farmer — (2024 Art by Wendy Peeters, Jodie Blaney & Lisa Farmer)

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.

Visit artistsinourmidst.com for the event’s official website.

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 benefit Coast Mental Health which uses the funds to purchase supplies for its art programs. Some of the proceeds also go towards a scholarship supporting a Lord Byng Secondary School art student.

The Art for Charity pieces could be seen and purchased at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House on the Saturday and Sunday of the West of Main Art Walk this past year. The address for Kits House is 2305 West 7th Avenue.

See the Artists in our Midst website to learn more about the $50 Art for Charity pieces (and to see what was available in 2025).

West of Main Art Walk Video

Check out the video below for an idea of what the art and studio tour looks like. The video 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. None of these venues participated in 2025, but many others did. Go to the Artists in Our Midst website for the full list (and a visual map) of the venues.

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.

Visit artistsinourmidst.com for the event’s official website.