Vernon Public Art Gallery

Mini Artists - June
2025-06-12 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Vancouver) | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
June 12th at 10 AM

Join us for a diverse exploration of art-making materials and art processes through age appropriate art activities. We invite parents and guardians to bring their little ones under the age of 5 to explore art making with non- toxic materials in this fun and social program that encourages creative self-expression while developing fine and gross motor skills and sensory awareness. All are welcome to create, and make sure you dress for mess! Parents must accompany children for the duration of the session, admission is by donation.

Register

Family Saturday - June
2025-06-14 13:00 - 15:30 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
June 14th at 1 PM

Family Saturdays takes place on the last Saturday of each month with an art project suitable for little kids and big kids alike. The workshop starts promptly at 1 p.m each month and families are welcome to stay the entire session from 1 p.m to 3:30 p.m, or leave earlier. All materials for the workshops are supplied.

Register

Auction Preview
2025-06-26 10:00 - 2025-07-15 17:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
Midsummer’s Eve of the Arts

Community GalleryJune 26 – July 15, 2025

Opening Reception: Thursday, July 3, from 6–8 PM

The MEA Auction Preview offers a first look at the full collection of artworks generously donated by local and regional artists in support of the Vernon Public Art Gallery’s annual MEA fundraising auction.

Installed in the gallery throughout the month leading up to the event, this exhibition invites visitors to experience the artworks in person, explore a wide range of creative practices, and learn more about the participating artists. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a first-time bidder, the preview provides the perfect opportunity to plan your bids in advance and support the arts in your community.

Don’t miss this chance to discover new artists, connect with the gallery, and help ensure the continued success of one of VPAG’s most important fundraising events of the year!

Leaving Home
2025-07-25 10:00 - 2025-09-24 17:00
Rhonda Neufeld

Topham Brown Memorial GalleryJuly 25 to September 24, 2025

Opening Reception: July 24 from 6-8 PMArtist Demo: September 5 from 1-3 PM (part of First Friday’s Art Trail)Artist Talk: September 11 from 6-7 PM

Exhibition Publication

In Leaving Home, artist Rhonda Neufeld shares a deeply personal body of work that reflects on her connection to the landscape she called home for over 40 years. Through walking, touching, and closely observing the natural world around her, Neufeld captures the details of place—tree bark, stone surfaces, shifting light—and translates them into prints that hold both memory and presence.

Using traditional printmaking techniques, Neufeld makes rubbings directly from trees and rocks, transferring those impressions onto copper plates, wood blocks, and lithographic stones. The result is a series of works that feel both grounded and poetic, inviting viewers to slow down and experience the land in a more intimate way.

This exhibition is a quiet celebration of place, a reflection on the joy of being close to nature, and a way of saying goodbye to a landscape that shaped a lifetime of artmaking.

Photography: Digital Perfections

Current Exhibitions

any

June 26, 2026

MEA Auction Preview

The full 2026 collection of artworks generously donated by local…

Read More

May 29, 2026

Through Our Eyes

Teen Junction

Read More

May 29, 2026

Emergence

Select graduating students from the University of British Columbia Okanagan’s…

Read More

May 29, 2026

Fireline Kinship

Taylor Baptiste

Read More

HOT OFF THE PRESS
2025-07-25 10:00 - 2025-09-24 17:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
UBCO Printmaking

Community GalleryJuly 25 – September 24, 2025

Opening Reception: Thursday, July 24, from 6–8 PM

HOT OFF THE PRESS showcases a diverse selection of new work created by students in the printmaking program at UBC Okanagan. Ranging from traditional techniques such as intaglio and relief printing to experimental, mixed-media approaches, the exhibition offers a vibrant cross-section of contemporary student print practices.

Selected with the guidance of UBCO professor Briar Craig and sessional lecturer Dr. Darian Goldin Stahl—who also led the courses from which these works emerged—the exhibition reflects the rigour, play, and conceptual inquiry fostered in the studio. With students at different stages in their academic and artistic journeys, the exhibition highlights both those just beginning to explore the fundamentals of printmaking and those using the medium to push the boundaries of process and form.

Together, these prints speak to the evolving possibilities of printmaking as both a technical and expressive medium. HOT OFF THE PRESS celebrates the creative voices of a new generation of artists, offering insight into the thoughtful, hands-on, and critically engaged work being produced in UBCO’s dynamic printmaking studios.

Soft Architectures
2025-07-25 10:00 - 2025-10-08 17:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
Sylvan Hamburger

Caroline Galbraith GalleryJuly 25 – October 8, 2025

Opening Reception: Thursday, July 24, from 6–8 PM

Exhibition Publication

In Soft Architectures, Vancouver-based artist Sylvan Hamburger transforms everyday materials—bedsheets, plywood, floral fabrics—into large-scale installations that reflect on the changing face of our cities. Using printmaking, sculpture, and found objects, Hamburger captures the textures of demolished homes and disappearing buildings, turning them into poetic imprints of memory, loss, and resilience.

His prints don’t just depict buildings—they are made from them. By pressing fabrics against salvaged wood and walls, Hamburger gathers physical traces of the spaces we live in, and the ones we’ve lost. These haunting, delicate works explore how the surfaces around us—like the grain of old floorboards or the floral pattern of a bedsheet—can hold personal and collective histories.

Soft Architectures brings together work from the past five years, documenting not only physical spaces, but the emotional and cultural imprints they leave behind. At a time of intense change in our communities, Hamburger’s work offers a thoughtful reminder to look closely at the surfaces around us, noticing the textures and traces that are often erased in the rush of redevelopment.

Image Description: Sylvan Hamburger, Open House Press (detail), 2020, relief print on bedsheet, wooden dowels, shiplap boards.

Through Our Eyes
2025-07-25 10:00 - 2025-10-08 17:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
Teen Junction

Up-Front GalleryJuly 25 – September 24, 2025

Opening Reception:Thursday, July 24, from 6–8 PM

Through Our Eyes is a community-based exhibition created by youth from the Teen Junction Youth Centre in partnership with the Vernon Public Art Gallery. This ongoing project gives voice to the lived experiences of Vernon’s youth, offering a platform for expression, representation, and connection through the arts. Teen Junction provides a safe, supportive after-school space for youth to connect, learn, and access resources when needed.

Image Description: Chloe Zimmerman, Untitled, lino-prints, 2025.

Crit Club - July
2025-07-25 15:30 - 17:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
July 25th at 3:30 PM

Crit Club is a workshop and critique program dedicated to supporting high school students in their artistic pursuits and development.

Each session will begin with a presentation by an established guest artist. Following the presentation, the guest artist will lead a workshop inspired by their practice. After the workshop, students are invited to share their completed or in-process artwork(s) with the group for a critique session.

Crit Club members will also have an opportunity to exhibit their artwork at VPAG.

Samantha, our Learning and Community Engagement Curator is happy to answer any questions about the program at education@vernonpublicartgallery.com

Register

Family Saturday - July
2025-07-26 13:00 - 15:30 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
July 26th at 1 PM

Family Saturdays takes place on the last Saturday of each month with an art project suitable for little kids and big kids alike. The workshop starts promptly at 1 p.m each month and families are welcome to stay the entire session from 1 p.m to 3:30 p.m, or leave earlier. All materials for the workshops are supplied.

Register

Mini Artists - July
2025-07-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
July 31st at 10 AM

Join us on the last Thursday of every month for a diverse exploration of art-making materials and art processes through age appropriate art activities. We invite parents and guardians to bring their little ones under the age of 5 to explore art making with non- toxic materials in this fun and social program that encourages creative self-expression while developing fine and gross motor skills and sensory awareness. All are welcome to create, and make sure you dress for mess! Parents must accompany children for the duration of the session, admission is by donation.

Register

Mini Artists - August
2025-08-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
August 28th at 10 AM

Join us on the last Thursday of every month for a diverse exploration of art-making materials and art processes through age appropriate art activities. We invite parents and guardians to bring their little ones under the age of 5 to explore art making with non- toxic materials in this fun and social program that encourages creative self-expression while developing fine and gross motor skills and sensory awareness. All are welcome to create, and make sure you dress for mess! Parents must accompany children for the duration of the session, admission is by donation.

Register

Crit Club - August
2025-08-29 15:30 - 17:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
August 29th at 3:30 PM

Crit Club is a workshop and critique program dedicated to supporting high school students in their artistic pursuits and development.

Each session will begin with a presentation by an established guest artist. Following the presentation, the guest artist will lead a workshop inspired by their practice. After the workshop, students are invited to share their completed or in-process artwork(s) with the group for a critique session.

Crit Club members will also have an opportunity to exhibit their artwork at VPAG.

Samantha, our Learning and Community Engagement Curator is happy to answer any questions about the program at education@vernonpublicartgallery.com

Register

Family Saturday - August
2025-08-30 13:00 - 15:30 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
August 30th at 1 PM

Family Saturdays takes place on the last Saturday of each month with an art project suitable for little kids and big kids alike. The workshop starts promptly at 1 p.m each month and families are welcome to stay the entire session from 1 p.m to 3:30 p.m, or leave earlier. All materials for the workshops are supplied.

Register

Rhonda Neufeld Printmaking Demonstration
2025-09-05 13:00 - 15:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
How to Print a Multiblock/Multicoloured Woodcut

Friday, September 5, 2025

Starting at 1 pm

Join exhibiting artist Rhonda Neufeld for a live demonstration of her large-scale multi-block woodcut printmaking process. This in-depth session will focus on the hand-printing techniques used to create the works featured in Leaving Home, offering insight into the artist’s meticulous and physical approach to printmaking.

Rhonda will begin by sharing how she develops her imagery, selects her woodblocks, and carves the image using specialized tools. The emphasis will be on her method of hand-printing (without a press) highlighting the challenges and precision required to produce consistent editions.

The demonstration will also include a discussion of:

Creating and using a registration template

Selecting papers suitable for hand-printing

Ink qualities and mixing

Tools such as brayers and glass inking surfaces

Safe cleaning methods for blocks and tools

Attendees are encouraged to arrive promptly at 1:00 pm to experience the full demonstration. A Q&A session with the artist will follow.

This event is produced in conjunction with First Friday Art Trail. To learn more about First Fridays and discover other participating artists, visit their website here: https://firstfridayokanagan.com/

Call for Artists (Members Show) — Submissions Now Closed
2025-09-09 08:00 - 2025-10-03 17:00
Installation view of the 2024 Members Exhibition: Exposed!

Members are invited to submit original artwork for inclusion in our upcoming Members Exhibition, Exposed!, on view from October 16 – December 19, 2025, at the Vernon Public Art Gallery.

This much-anticipated show offers artists of all backgrounds and experience levels the opportunity to present their work in a professional gallery setting. As a fundraiser for the Gallery, artists are encouraged to make their works available for sale, with a portion of proceeds supporting VPAG’s exhibitions and programs. New this year, however, members may also choose to list their work as Not For Sale (NFS), ensuring that everyone can participate without the pressure of selling.

Above all, the Members’ Exhibition is about giving back to those who support us year-round. This is your opportunity to bring out your best work and share your talents with the community in a professional gallery environment. We are proud to showcase the diverse creativity of our membership and to celebrate the vital role you play in sustaining the arts in our region.

How to Participate

Open to all current VPAG members

Submit up to two artworks in any medium (painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, etc.)

Maximum size: 24 x 36 inches (2D) or 50” total dimensions (3D)

Works must be ready to hang or display

Sales encouraged as part of our fundraiser (30% commission applies), with the option to list works as Not for Sale (NFS)

Works must be delivered to the Gallery on or before October 3, 2025

*New* this year we’ve added an NFS (Not-For-Sale) option for artists who wish to participate but do not want to sell their work. While this exhibition remains a gallery fundraiser, we also recognize that offering a platform for members to share their artwork without the pressure of sales is important. This shift is part of our longer-term vision to transform the Members’ Exhibition into a fully Not-for-Sale exhibition, reflecting our role as a public gallery where the focus remains on presenting art in a non-commercial context. Above all, this exhibition is about celebrating you and your creative contributions to our community!

DIGITAL FORM – Complete the form online and submit instantly!

PRINTABLE FORM – Printable pdf form to submit in person at vpag

Artist Talk: Rhonda Neufeld
2025-09-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Vernon, V1T2H3, Canada
Join us at the gallery on Thursday, September 11, at 6 pm to discover the stories behind Leaving Home, a deeply reflective exhibition by artist Rhonda Neufeld. In this artist talk, Neufeld will share insights into her creative process, her connection to the land, and the experiences that have shaped her practice. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage directly with the artist and explore the themes of place, memory, and belonging.

Teachers Cheers & Chats
2025-09-17 16:00 - 18:00
Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Location: Vernon Public Art Gallery

You’re Invited!

We are excited to invite local educators to a special Cheers & Chat event at the Vernon Public Art Gallery. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet with colleagues, explore upcoming exhibitions, and learn about the gallery’s educational programming for the 2025/2026 school year.

Complimentary Drinks & Refreshments

To make the evening even more enjoyable, a complimentary drink will be provided, allowing you to unwind and engage with our team while learning more about how the gallery can support your classroom.

Why Attend?

This gathering is designed to help you discover the best ways to integrate art into your curriculum and connect with hands-on opportunities that can inspire your students. Whether you’re looking for resources, gallery tours, or engaging educational activities, we’re here to help.

We look forward to sharing these exciting opportunities with you.

Opening Reception
2025-10-02 18:00 - 20:00
Date: Thursday, October 2, 2025Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PMLocation: Vernon Public Art Gallery

The Vernon Public Art Gallery is pleased to invite you to the opening reception of Populated, by Mark Thibeault.

This special evening offers an opportunity to experience Thibeault’s latest body of work, engage in thoughtful conversation, and hear directly from the artist as he shares insights into his creative practice.

Guests are warmly welcomed to connect with fellow community members, enjoy light refreshments and beverages, and celebrate the launch of this exhibition together. Admission is by donation. All contributions support the Gallery’s exhibitions, programs, and commitment to enriching the cultural life of our region.

Populated
2025-10-03 10:00 - 2025-12-24 16:00
Mark Thibeault

Topham Brown Memorial GalleryOctober 3 – December 24, 2025Opening Reception: Thursday, October 2, from 6–8 PMArtist Talk:Thursday, November 27, at 6 PM

Exhibition Publication

Populated by northern B.C.–based artist Mark Thibeault features large-scale abstract paintings exploring the shifting connections between people and the natural world. Initiated during the pandemic and continuing today, the series embraces intuition and improvisation, drawing on the biodiversity of northwest British Columbia. Thibeault’s multidisciplinary practice spans painting, music, and lutherie, with his work reflecting both the fragility of ecosystems and our shared responsibility to them.

The Quickening

We Were Not Alone In The Garden

Bacchus

Opening Reception: October 16, 2025
2025-10-16 18:00 - 20:00
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PMLocation: Vernon Public Art GalleryAdmission: By donation

We are pleased to invite you to the opening receptions of our latest exhibitions: Exposed!, the 2025 Members Exhibition, and Whispers of Home, the exhibition of Mackie Lake House Artist-in-Residence Marzieh Homayoun.

Join us on October 16th from 6–8 PM at the Vernon Public Art Gallery for an evening celebrating art and community. Meet the artists, enjoy light bites and drinks, and hear a few short talks about the exhibitions. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with local creatives, explore new artworks, and share in an inspiring night at the gallery.

Exposed!
2025-10-17 10:00 - 2025-12-20 19:00
Members’ Exhibition

Caroline Galbraith Gallery, & Up-Front GalleryOctober 17 – December 20, 2025Opening Reception: Thursday, October 16, from 6–8 PM

Our annual Members Exhibition, Exposed!, provides a unique opportunity to showcase the breadth of talent within our local art community. This exhibition offers the public a chance to appreciate the diverse approaches and styles embraced by our members, reflecting a deep engagement with artistic practice.

Whispers of Home
2025-10-17 10:00 - 2025-12-24 17:00
Marzieh Homayoun

Community GalleryOctober 17 – December 24, 2025Opening Reception: Thursday, October 16, from 6–8 PMArtist Talk: Saturday, November 15, at 6 PM

Marzieh Homayoun, an immigrant artist from Iran whose practice draws on the delicacy of Persian miniature painting. Her work blends natural imagery with surrealist elements, offering a unique lens on the world around her. We look forward to featuring her work in the Community Gallery this October as part of our ongoing collaboration with Mackie Lake House.

Marzieh Homayoun, Traces of a Life, 2025, ink on paper

Mini Artists
2025-10-23 10:00 - 11:30
Date & Time: October 23, 2025, 10:00–11:30 AMLocation: Vernon Public Art GalleryAge Group: Children under 5 (with parent or guardian)Admission: By donation

Join us for Mini Artists, a hands-on art program for little ones and their caregivers! Each session invites children to explore a variety of art materials and creative processes that foster creativity, sensory awareness, and early learning. Using safe, non-toxic materials, kids get to play, imagine, and create while developing fine and gross motor skills.

Parents or guardians must accompany children for the duration of the session.Register online to ensure space and materials:

Register for October’s Mini Artists Session

learn more about mini artists

Crit Club
2025-10-24 15:30 - 17:00
Date & Time: October 24, 2025, 3:30–5:00 PMLocation: Vernon Public Art GalleryAge Group: TeensAdmission: Free + Pizza included!About the ProgramCrit Club is a free, hands-on workshop for high school students. Each month, a different local artist leads a session where teens can try new materials, explore techniques, and share their work in a relaxed, no-judgment space.

This month, we’re excited to welcome featured artist Chantelle Rae for a session in Gel Plate Printing! Teens will experiment with layering, texture, and color to create their own unique monoprints.

All supplies are provided, and we’ll take a break mid-session to enjoy some pizza. Whether you’re just starting out or already love making art, Crit Club is a fun place to create, connect, and be inspired.

👉 RSVPs are encouraged (so we know how much pizza to order!) — but walk-ins are always welcome.

RSVP for October’s Crit Club

Learn more about Crit Club

Chantelle Rae’s Practice

Family Saturdays
2025-10-25 13:00 - 14:30
Date & Time: October 25, 2025, 1:00–2:30 PMLocation: Vernon Public Art GalleryAge Group: Kids of all agesAdmission: Individuals: $3/members $5/non-members. Families (4 or more): $10/members $14/non-members.

Join us for Family Saturdays, a fun, hands-on art program for kids of all ages and their caregivers. Explore art, learn new skills, and create together in a relaxed, welcoming environment.

Each session begins with a short tour of the current gallery exhibition led by Samantha, our Learning and Community Engagement Curator. After the tour, families participate in guided, hands-on art projects inspired by the exhibition. Materials are provided — all you need is art-appropriate clothing and a willingness to get creative!

Family Saturdays is designed to foster creativity, connection, and a sense of community. Everyone is welcome to participate, whether it’s your first time making art or you’re a seasoned creator.

Parents or guardians must accompany children for the duration of the session.Register online to ensure space and materials:

Register for October’s Family Saturday

Learn more about family saturdays

First Friday Art Trail — Featuring Rachel Prins
2025-11-07 12:00 - 16:00
Date: Friday, November 7, 2025Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PMLocation: Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Ave, Downtown VernonAdmission: Free | Everyone welcome

As part of Greater Vernon’s First Friday Art Trail, the Vernon Public Art Gallery is pleased to host local artist Rachel Prins for an open studio experience. Visitors are invited to drop in throughout the day to meet Rachel, learn about her creative process, and see her artwork in progress.

About the ArtistRachel Prins is a contemporary painter living and working in Vernon, BC. Through images of landscapes and interiors, her paintings weave together the inner world of personal reflection with the outer natural environment, exploring the sensitivity and connection between the two.Rachel studied Art and Design and Psychology, earning her Bachelor of Arts (2014) and Bachelor of Education in Art Education (2018) from the University of Alberta. Her work has been exhibited across Canada and the United States and is held in private collections throughout Canada.

Artist Website

Discover more about the First Friday Art Trail and explore participating artists across Greater Vernon — or get involved as a featured artist at VPAG.Learn More / Apply to Be a Featured Artist

Artist Talk: Marzieh Homayoun
2025-11-15 13:00 - 14:00
Join Mackie Lake House Artist-in-Residence Marzieh Homayoun for an in-person artist talk on Saturday, November 15 at the Vernon Public Art Gallery. Homayoun will discuss her residency at Mackie Lake House, where she created the work on display in her exhibition Whispers of Home. She will share the personal and cultural influences that shape her practice, including her engagement with the delicacy of Persian miniature painting and her blending of natural imagery with surrealist elements.Through this talk, attendees will gain insight into her creative process, the ideas behind her works, and the ways in which memory, culture, and place inform her artistic vision.

Mini Artists
2025-11-27 10:00 - 11:30
Date & Time: November 27, 2025, 10:00–11:30 AMLocation: Vernon Public Art GalleryAge Group: Children under 5 (with parent or guardian)Admission: By donation

Join us for Mini Artists, a hands-on art program for little ones and their caregivers! Each session invites children to explore a variety of art materials and creative processes that foster creativity, sensory awareness, and early learning. Using safe, non-toxic materials, kids get to play, imagine, and create while developing fine and gross motor skills.

Parents or guardians must accompany children for the duration of the session.Register online to ensure space and materials:

Register for November’s mini artists session

learn more about mini artists

Artist Talk: Mark Thibeault
2025-11-27 18:00 - 19:00
Don’t miss our artist talk! Secure your spot by registering today.Artist talk begins at 6:00 PM.Join northern B.C.–based artist Mark Thibeault for an online artist talk on Thursday, November 27, from 6–7 PM, where he will discuss his exhibition Populated, on view at the Vernon Public Art Gallery from October 2 – December 24, 2025. The series features large-scale abstract paintings exploring the shifting connections between people and the natural world. Initiated during the pandemic and continuing today, Thibeault’s work embraces intuition and improvisation while drawing on the rich biodiversity of northwest British Columbia.Thibeault’s multidisciplinary practice spans painting, music, and lutherie, with his work reflecting both the fragility of ecosystems and our shared responsibility to them.

Register for Zoom link

Crit Club
2025-11-28 15:30 - 17:00
Date & Time: November 28, 2025, 3:30–5:00 PMLocation: Vernon Public Art GalleryAge Group: TeensAdmission: Free + Pizza included!About the ProgramCrit Club is a free, hands-on workshop for high school students. Each month, a different local artist leads a session where teens can try new materials, explore techniques, and share their work in a relaxed, no-judgment space.

All supplies are provided, and there’s pizza to enjoy during a mid-session break. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, Crit Club is a fun space to create, connect, and be inspired!

RSVPs are encouraged so we know how much pizza to order — but walk-ins are welcome!

RSVP for November’s Crit Club

Learn more about Crit Club
