Much like the other Vancouver Island areas, Victoria has a large First Nations population, which has inspired a beautiful collection of aboriginal artwork around the city, both in public spaces and exhibited in galleries.

Victoria is known as "The Garden City," due to its abundance of green space and well-tended public gardens. It is often classed among the 20 cities worldwide with the best quality of life, and has a considerable tourism and cultural draw. The city is home to the Canadian College of Performing Arts, the Victoria College of Art, Pacific Opera Victoria, and the Royal British Columbia Museum.

ART GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS

• At the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, an impressive collection of the works of Emily Carr can be found, as well as one of Canada's best collections of Asian art. The garden located on the grounds is home to the only authentic Japanese Shinto shrine in North America.

  Established in 1951, the gallery was original housed in a historic mansion that is situated beside the current gallery - a collection of seven modern viewing spaces that display nearly 17,000 artworks in addition to touring temporary exhibits. It is the largest public collection in B.C.

  Significant artists in the gallery's collection include Group of Seven artists A.Y. Jackson and J.E.H. MacDonald, Edward Roper, Paul Peel, and Frances Ann Beechey.

• The Legacy Art Galleries are located on the University of Victoria campus, and collections of Asian ceramics, modern regional artists, European decorative arts, First Nations artifacts, and more. Their exhibits showcase a unique blend of contemporary and historical art, from In Session - the works of the University's own sessional instructors - to The Arts of World War I. The gallery has held more than 500 exhibits since opening in 1964.

• Catering to collectors with smaller budgets, the Victoria Emerging Art Gallery features the work of new local artists. Many of the artists shown in the space are selected through a program set up by the gallery owners, the Victoria Emerging Arts Awards, which fosters and rewards talented art-makers in the community.

• The Avenue Gallery showcases the work of internationally exhibited artists from Canada and beyond, in the genres of painting, jewelry, home furnishings, and more. From paintings, to sculpture, to acrylic and glass tables, the gallery

• Robert Bateman Centre
• Slide Room Gallery
• Royal BC Museum
• Madrona Gallery
• Helmcken House
• Eclectic Gallery
• Maritime Museum of BC
• Emily Carr House
• Red Art Gallery
• Craigflower Manor and Schoolhouse

ARTISTIC INSTITUTIONS

• At the Victoria College of Art, artistically inclined students can choose from a variety of two-year diploma courses in animation, illustration, or fine arts. The fine arts diploma, offered for more than 40 years, is divided into "stepping stones" that grant the students a Fundamental Certificate, Advanced Certificate, and finally a Diploma. Students study painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, photography, history, and design.

  Founded in 1974, the VCA teaches courses in 2D and 3D animation, mould making and casting, and textile arts. The VCA offers students of their post-diploma program a guaranteed show in a local commercial gallery upon graduation.

• Established quite recently in 2004, the Vancouver Island School of Art is housed in a 1921 heritage building in the Quadra Village area of the city. In agreement with the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, VISA offers a certificate of visual arts that is accepted as the first year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts or Design at the university.

  In addition to their certificate, the school offers a Diploma of Fine Arts (three years) and an Independent Studio Certificate (one year). They also offer classes throughout the year in which the community can pay a reasonable fee to take part. These courses include Urban Sketching, Painting in the Bauhaus Method, Installation Art, Watercolour, and more. Workshops such as Decorative Ink Drawing, Textile Collage, Encaustics, Islamic Design and many others are available as well.

• The University of Victoria offers various arts programs through their Faculty of Fine Arts. Student can study theatre, film, writing, art history or arts of Canada, as well as visual art. Within the visual art program, a certain concentration can be selected, including drawing, painting, sculpture, extended media, photography, and video art. A Master's of Visual Arts program is also offered.

  Founded in 1903 as Victoria College, the school became an independent university in 1963, and annually enrols approximately 20,000 students. The Fine Arts program is notable within the country's post secondary institutions, along with Earth and Ocean Sciences and Law. Artists Bill Burns and Jessica Stockholder and authors Aislinn Hunter and D.W. Wilson are graduates of the university.

• Receive a Diploma of Visual Arts from Camosun College, and learn printmaking, painting, illustration, and more.

• The Paint Box School of Art offers workshops in acrylic and watercolour painting, ceramic painting, continuous line drawing, and cyanotype printing.

• In addition to an open studio, Coast Collective teaches a large range of classes, from oil painting and colour theory, to printmaking and felting.

• Pacific Design Academy offers full and part-time programs in graphic design, interior architecture, fashion design, digital photography, web design, and more.

• Artists Sandi Henrich, Bill Porteous, and Noah Layne offer various, specialized fine art classes.

• Shyness and Bloom provides adult painting classes and after school drop-in activities for children.

A view of the ocean

LOCAL ARTISTS

There are plenty of artistic people originally from, or currently living in Vancouver, British Columbia!

• Emily Carr (1871-1945) was an artist and author who is widely recognized today as one of Canada's foremost modern painters. She illustrated many of the First Nations villages and artworks around British Columbia.

• A contemporary artist from the Salish First Nation, Darlene Gait has exhibited her work in international galleries, and currently shows her pieces at her own gallery in the city.

• Robert W. Service (1874-1958) was an English writer and poet who spent much of his life in Victoria. He is best known for his poems about the Yukon, such as The Cremation of Sam McGee.

• Originally from Germany, Roland Lindner is a painter whose work is shown in Germany and regularly displayed at the Sidney Fine Art Show on the Island.

• Actors Meghan Ory, Leah Gibson, Cameron Bright, and Ryan Robbins.

ART AND CULTURAL EVENTS

Annual Events

• The Integrate Arts Festival began in 2007. The event provides visitors with a map that allows them to undertake a city-wide "art crawl," pointing out galleries, open artist's studios, and other artistic sites. One day of the festival features a bike tour, and a bus is also made available for part of the event. Integrate is free, and guides guests to more than 30 locations. It is held in August each year.

• Each September, the city is home to the Victoria International Chalk Art Festival. The free two-day festival began in 2012, and brings artists from the U.S. and across the ocean, as well First Nations and other local artists. In addition to watching the artists in action (some begin their street paintings a few days before the festival officially starts), the event food and other vendors alongside the temporary artist's canvases.

Other Events and Sights to See

• Built in 1890, Craigdarroch Castle is a Victorian "Scottish Baronial" mansion and a local heritage site. Come see its beautiful stained glass windows and intricate woodwork.

• Learn all about natural and human history at the historic Royal British Columbia Museum, established in 1886.

• The Maritime Museum of BC features exhibits outlining the history and culture of the west coast, and Pacific maritime history.

• Another historic site, Emily Carr House is the original home of the widely renowned artist, and serves as an interpretive centre for her life, writing, and art.

• Take in a play or concert at the McPherson Playhouse, which was built in 1914 and features a beautiful, classic interior.

• Thunderbird Park, located next to the Royal BC Museum, features many totem poles and other artistic monuments created by First Nations peoples. Some of the structures date back to the 1940s.

• For more exciting things to see and do in Victoria, visit Victoria Tourism.

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