Exhibitions
The visual arts can be found all over Richmond in exhibitions designed to spark curiousity and encourage insightful conversation.
Photo: ArtRich exhibition opening at Richmond Art Gallery, 2019
Richmond Art Gallery
Richmond Art Gallery is the City’s only public, municipal gallery and is dedicated to presenting visual art exhibitions by local, national and international artists.
Founded in 1980, the Gallery is supported by the Richmond Art Gallery Association, a non-profit organization. It is dedicated to promoting dialogue among diverse communities and presenting exhibitions that address challenging ideas and contemporary issues.
The Art Gallery also produces exciting programs, events, education initiations and publications, while maintaining a permanent collection.
The Art Gallery’s main exhibition space is located in the Richmond Cultural Centre and has 3500 square feet of exhibition space and 218 running feet of wall space. It also curates community art exhibitions at the City Hall Galleria which rotates artworks by local artists at Richmond City Hall every 6 to 8 weeks.
Top photo: The lights constellating one’s internal sky by Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmons, 2012
Bottom photo: In Suspended Silence by Xiaojing Yan, 2018
Community Art Exhibitions
The work of local artists can be discovered in many public spaces around the city.
Upper Rotunda Gallery is located along the second floor mezzanine of the Richmond Cultural Centre. It is maintained by the Arts Centre in partnership with the Richmond Art Gallery and features rotating exhibitions of local artists and artisans. The space includes a display case for the exhibition of three-dimensional works, too.
City Centre Community Centre exhibits artwork in the lower and upper hallways. Applications are accepted year-round with a general artist call each summer.
South Arm Community Centre offers art displays along a 15-foot hallway and accepts submissions from artists year-round.
Thompson Community Centre has two opportunities to view art exhibitions: the River Walk community art installation and monthly displays in the lobby.
Gateway Theatre has exhibition spaces in the lobby and on the second floor.
No. 3 Road Art Columns are circular backlit display cases located at Aberdeen and Lansdowne Canada Line Stations. The columns are curated by the Richmond Public Art program and are designed to showcase 2D visual art.
City Hall Galleria is located in the main lobby of Richmond City Hall and is maintained by the Richmond Art Gallery.
Richmond’s Street Banner Program is a civic beautification initiative that invites community members to submit visual designs to be printed onto banners that adorn light posts across the city.
Top photo: Exhibition by Nikhat Qureshi, Upper Rotunda Gallery, Richmond Cultural Centre
Bottom photo: Wild, Jeni Chen, No. 3 Road Art Column, 2019
Richmond Public Art Program
The Richmond Public Art program turns the city into a living exhibition by situating permanent, temporary and ephemeral artwork into our everyday landscape.
With more than 200 public artworks by local, Canadian and international artists in the collection, there is lots to discover. Search the Public Art Registry to browse the collection by title, artist or neighbourhood.
Plan your public art walking or bike tour online, download a Public Art Brochure or use Tourism Richmond's Public Art Trail Interactive Map to explore a new area or rediscover your own neighbourhood. Before you head out, be sure check out what’s new and learn about upcoming programs, tours and announcements.
Artists interested in responding to public art calls are encouraged to download the guide for tips on how to apply and to subscribe to Public Art’s email list to receive artist calls as they are announced.
Richmond’s Public Art Plans are designed to help City staff, private developers and communities identify potential collaborations and thematic links that could be made between areas of the city and projects that span property and neighbourhood boundaries.
Top photo: Lets Roll, Charlotte Wall & Marie Khouri, 2019
Bottom photo: Together, David Jacob Harder, 2019
Additional gallery and exhibition spaces
Richmond has a growing number of commercial galleries, exhibition spaces and community-driven arts initiatives. Here are a few to check out:
Community Arts Council - Hosts the annual Midsummer Art’s Dream Art Exhibition
Richmond Arts Coalition - Presents the bi-annual ArtRich exhibition at the Richmond Art Gallery
Steveston Grand Prix of Art - An annual celebration of plein-air painting in Steveston
Explore more galleries and creative spaces in Richmond with this Google map