|
|
The Britannia Art Gallery is a community gallery located in the Vancouver Public Library's Britannia branch. We offer opportunities for exhibitions and workshops to professional and leisure artists, artisans, school groups, artist collectives, and other community art organizations within our catchment: Main Street to Nanaimo Street from Broadway to the south shore of the Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, BC.
Britannia Art Gallery - last updated Dec 16th, 2025
Vision:
A welcoming and accessible gallery that showcases and celebrates East Vancouver’s arts and culture.
Mission:
To support and promote the diversity, creativity, and community of Vancouver’s Eastside by creating space for artists that traditionally are not given space to show their work.
Values:
Diversity, accessibility, accountability, connection, community, creativity, celebration, and joy.
We have been developing artist care as well as supports for the Curator, Programmer, VPL Staff and Arts Committee involvement in creating this space.
The following statement is something we would like to incorporate and have relevant signage in the library to indicate this:
The artist’s work in the Britannia Art Gallery is supported by the Britannia Community Services Centre Society, and the Britannia Arts & Culture Committee, who are committed to creating opportunities for artists located in the DTES, Strathcona, and Grandview Woodlands neighbourhoods. We provide a platform for showcasing marginalized artists and those who traditionally have not had a space to show their artwork. The artist’s work is their own vision and though it may not reflect that of the Society, the accountability to uplift these artists remains all of our vision as we continue our work with Decolonization and ReconciliAction.
If you have questions or concerns, please email [email protected]
History
The Britannia Art Gallery began informally before 1993, launched by a local group of artists called the Neighbourhood Cultural Collective. It was only in 1993 that the Gallery Project, now called Britannia Art Gallery, officially began. At that time Sylvia Oates became the designated curator. Sylvia continued for the next 10 years. Through her tenure, over 200 artists and artisans got to exhibit their work in the library in an area that once was a storage space for audio-visual equipment.
In 2003, Sylvia stepped down as Curator. Leah Decter, a local installation artist took over for the next two years. During her time as curator, she had the space now the library’s Adult Reading Lounge, renovated, covering the cinder block walls and fireplace with chip rock painted white and installing track lighting. This is how the space is today with a secured display case containing movable shelves and mini track lighting. During Leah’s tenure she programmed exhibitions and offered local artists soirees to share their work with other artists.
In 2005 Leah decided to move back to her home town, Winnipeg so Britannia Centre put out a job posting and interviewed 3-5 potential candidates. Haruko Okano then came on board and remains the current curator to date. A staunch arts advocate and professional artist, she continued to build on the foundation laid by Sylvia and Leah. She worked with Brenda Racanelli who was at that time, Britannia’s Arts and Culture programmer. Together with the Arts and Culture Committee, they worked to increase the gallery’s budget so that musicians and other artists working for the gallery would receive a small honorarium. It was important that the gallery’s programs were free and accessible to the public and that artists and artisans were acknowledged for their contribution to the community’s cultural enrichment. In 2019, Bernadine Fox joined the curatorial team. Together she and Haruko work to ensure the incredible work being produced in Britannia's catchment has a space to be seen.
30 years of service and now Britannia Art Gallery has lit signage and a neon installation in the window so that patrons and other visitors can find us. The gallery issues the Artery, a monthly electronic newsletter that provides free local, cultural and arts advertisement, job calls and a call for submissions section that spans from the local to international level. Subscription is free.
The gallery continues to provide exhibitions, workshops and artist talks annually, and has expanded engagement to exist virtually through this website, Instagram, and YouTube.
In 2003, Sylvia stepped down as Curator. Leah Decter, a local installation artist took over for the next two years. During her time as curator, she had the space now the library’s Adult Reading Lounge, renovated, covering the cinder block walls and fireplace with chip rock painted white and installing track lighting. This is how the space is today with a secured display case containing movable shelves and mini track lighting. During Leah’s tenure she programmed exhibitions and offered local artists soirees to share their work with other artists.
In 2005 Leah decided to move back to her home town, Winnipeg so Britannia Centre put out a job posting and interviewed 3-5 potential candidates. Haruko Okano then came on board and remains the current curator to date. A staunch arts advocate and professional artist, she continued to build on the foundation laid by Sylvia and Leah. She worked with Brenda Racanelli who was at that time, Britannia’s Arts and Culture programmer. Together with the Arts and Culture Committee, they worked to increase the gallery’s budget so that musicians and other artists working for the gallery would receive a small honorarium. It was important that the gallery’s programs were free and accessible to the public and that artists and artisans were acknowledged for their contribution to the community’s cultural enrichment. In 2019, Bernadine Fox joined the curatorial team. Together she and Haruko work to ensure the incredible work being produced in Britannia's catchment has a space to be seen.
30 years of service and now Britannia Art Gallery has lit signage and a neon installation in the window so that patrons and other visitors can find us. The gallery issues the Artery, a monthly electronic newsletter that provides free local, cultural and arts advertisement, job calls and a call for submissions section that spans from the local to international level. Subscription is free.
The gallery continues to provide exhibitions, workshops and artist talks annually, and has expanded engagement to exist virtually through this website, Instagram, and YouTube.
Curatorial Team
Current Curators:
Iris Houngbo - June 2024 to present
Danais Yera Guerra - Acting Curator from September 2024 to present
Past Curators:
Jess Sung - Acting Curator from December 2023 to June 2024
Danais Yera Guerra - Acting Curator from September 2023 to October 2024
Curatorial Team up to September 2023
Haruko Okano, Curator
Bernadine Fox, Assistant Curator
Iris Houngbo - June 2024 to present
Danais Yera Guerra - Acting Curator from September 2024 to present
Past Curators:
Jess Sung - Acting Curator from December 2023 to June 2024
Danais Yera Guerra - Acting Curator from September 2023 to October 2024
Curatorial Team up to September 2023
Haruko Okano, Curator
Bernadine Fox, Assistant Curator
Our Community: Britannia Art Gallery
Meet some of the incredible folks who make up the Britannia Art Gallery's vibrant community of artists, curators, instructors and organizers, featuring Dorothy Doherty, Michael Speier, Todd Giihgiigaa DeVries, Cindy Mateush, Haruko Okano, and Bernadine Fox! This series was created by Konnar Oliver as part of the BCIT Broadcast & Online Journalism internship program in November 2021.
|
|
|
|
