VICTORIA, BC — A collaborative new art piece is now on display at the Royal BC Museum. Featuring artists from the Garth Homer Society and the broader Victoria community, Garden City Arts is a travelling mosaic art piece assembled from 68 individual canvases.
The piece was created at the Paint the Town event in May and celebrates Red Shirt Day, a national movement dedicated to advocating for accessibility in public spaces. When assembled, Garden City Arts symbolizes a collective effort towards a more accessible, inclusive society. The piece also includes an audio guide with a description of the artwork and personal testimonials, enhancing accessibility for visually impaired visitors.
“The piece makes me feel positive, reflect positivity,” says Ashley Fraser, an artist from the Garth Homer Society’s Artworks program. “The event made me feel kind like we are all part of a big family, so to speak.”
The Garth Homer Society provides services and opportunities that enable adults with diverse abilities to make “a life, a home, and a place in the world”. The Royal BC Museum and Garth Homer Society have been working together for several years, with many Garth Homer clients being active volunteers at the museum, including Lisa Newell, whose art features prominently in the display.
“Garth Homer participants and leaders support our organization in various roles,” says Holli Hodgson, volunteer services manager at the Royal BC Museum. “They are dedicated and provide consistent and exceptional service in all their volunteer positions.”
Volunteers from Garth Homer are vital to museum operations, both through daily customer service and remote volunteer opportunities.
“In addition to supporting our on-site programs and operations they have been open to and successful with working remotely on projects,” says Hodgson. “The greatest example was the assembly of barcoded bookmarks contributed to over 100,000 reading materials in the BC Archives.”
Garden City Arts will be on display at the museum now through October 31 and is viewable in the main hall on the first floor across from the Security office.
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About the Royal BC Museum: The Royal BC Museum, which includes BC Archives, IMAX® Victoria and PARC Campus, is one of the oldest continually operating museums in Canada. A cultural centre of learning and research, it strives to broaden our understanding of British Columbia through collections, exhibits, outreach and community engagement. The museum celebrates the province’s diverse landscapes and the lives of the people who live here, enables research and knowledge sharing that advances our understanding of our world, and provides a dynamic place for discussion and reflection. IMAX® Victoria delivers educational and entertaining experiences that accompany the learning journey the museum offers.
The Royal BC Museum is located on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen speaking peoples, known today as the Songhees and Xʷsepsəm (Esquimalt) Nations. We acknowledge the traditional keepers of these lands and waters. It is with gratitude we learn to live, work and walk respectfully on their lands today.
For information about visiting the Royal BC Museum, visit: Plan Your Visit About the Royal BC Museum
For information about PARC Campus, visit: PARC Campus | Royal BC Museum and Archives
About the Garth Homer Society:
Founded in 1977, the Garth Homer Society has been supporting adults with diverse abilities for nearly fifty years to make a life, a home, and a place in the world. What began as a family-driven initiative has grown into a charitable non-profit serving more than 240 people across six locations in Greater Victoria.
The Garth Homer Society delivers individualized services in community inclusion, employment, residential care, and aging supports. Its work is guided by the priorities of purpose and belonging, ensuring that people have opportunities to contribute, participate fully in community life, and receive services tailored to their goals.
Recognized as a leader and innovator in the community living sector, the Garth Homer Society continues to adapt to meet the changing needs of the people it serves. To support this growth, the Garth Homer Society is planning the redevelopment of the Garth Homer Centre in the Nigel Valley. The future Garth Homer Centre for Belonging will combine inclusive programming with 90 new homes, creating a purpose-built space that strengthens connection, creativity, and community for both participants and the neighbourhood at large.
