Feature image provided by Eastside Arts Society. Eastside Culture Crawl 2022, Parker Street Studios, Photo credit: Joshua Wright
All photos supplied by the Eastside Arts Society
Written by Natasha Ponda
This is your introductory guide to Vancouver’s Eastside Culture Crawl, with five recommendations to get you started. The Crawl is an annual four day festival in November where over 500 artists in East Vancouver, from emerging to internationally established, open their studio doors to the public. This year the Crawl runs from November 16 to 19, 2023 (Thursday to Sunday.)
The event is focused on the area bounded by Columbia Street, First Avenue, Victoria Drive, and the waterfront and involves painters, jewellers, sculptors, furniture makers, weavers, potters, printmakers, photographers, glassblowers, and more. Once you get exploring studios, you’ll discover how easy it is to support local talent by buying art since there are so many attractive artworks in a range of prices to instantly fall in love with and take home (or gift to another art-lover.)
- Visit Artist Studios and Spaces
Many of the studios and spaces are walkable distances from each other, and our recommendation is to start your artistic autumn pilgrimage as early as you can. As a past walker of the crawl, my one regret is starting a little too close to closing time since there is so much to see. It’s easy to end up spending more time than you think at each studio because there are so many beautiful pieces of work to admire and fellow art enthusiasts and artists to talk to.
Start your crawl walk by viewing the Culture Crawl Map here.
- Attend These Free Online Artist Talks
This year’s series of Talking Art panels unveils the artistic expression and emotional connections behind the work of 10 artists with different backgrounds and working in a variety of media. Through medium and message, trial and error, and visible and invisible constraints, Crawl artists share the stories that shape their work across three distinct mediums – deepening the experience of their artworks and leading to greater connection for us all.
- Dynamic Relationships: Artist Collaborations in New Media – Artist talk with Fiona Ackerman, Isaac Forslund and Laura Clark. This event is free. Learn more and register here.
- Art Breaking Barriers: Three Artists Expanding Boundaries with Paint – Artist talk with Mike Alexander, Laurie M. Landry, and Niki Singleton. This event is free. Learn more and register here.
- Stitching Colour and Light: Three Artists Bringing New Form to Fiber Art – Artist talk with Rosemary Burd, Chantal Cardinal, and Candice Weber. This event is free. Learn more and register here.
- Speedrun Through Large Collective Spaces
Ok, don’t actually speedrun through the studios, but these spaces have a large collective of artists under the same roof. You will be able to see a diverse range of works, and get to meet amazing artists and explore studios without needing to walk very far.
Parker Street Studios (143 Artists)
Parker Street Studios is a 100-year-old Vancouver landmark, hosting four floors of artists who are diverse in style and discipline. This 152,000 square foot industrial building was originally home to the Restore Mattress factory and now features 110 studios for over 200 artists, designers, photographers, woodworkers, and more all creating under one roof.
Mergatroid Building (43 Artists)
Eastside Atelier (33 Artists)
1310 William Street, Vancouver
- Go on the Witch Walk – Themed Studio Walk
The Witch Walk is an enchanted pathway between three witchy art studios during the Eastside Culture Crawl. With 13 different participants in total, each location features a coven of artists for you to discover! This is a perfect opportunity to visit spaces usually closed to the public and a great way to support local artisans, and small businesses this holiday season. The Witch Walk is held in the Commercial/Victoria Drive neighbourhood, from November 16 to 19.
Visit the Witch Walk Instagram page for location addresses and artist studios.
- Engage in Demos and Workshops
- Life-Size Colouring Mural: Community Building Through Creating Art Together – Join Serena Chu at her studio to help colour in a life-size mural. All ages welcome.
- Vase Demo – Watch Emina Alcantara create bud vases on the wheel. Join her at Noor Ceramics Studio as she demonstrates a wheel throwing session. During the session she will create bud vases – small functional pieces that can be used every day.
- Parent + Tot Clay Workshop – Parents can pop in with their children (age 3-9) to handbuild small ceramic pieces such as animals, plates, bowls, pinch pots.
- Printmaking Demos – Janine Schroedter demonstrates the art of silkscreening and linocut. November 18 and 19, 1-2 pm
- Floral Painting Demo – Elizabeth Cross demonstrates floral painting at Gore Studio. November 18 and 19, 1-2 pm
- Face Casting – November 18 and 19, 2 – 2:45 pm.
- Using Photo Reference in Paintings – Laurie M. Landry demonstrates how to use photo references to create an original painting. November 18 and 19, 2:30 – 3 pm.
- Powercarving Demo – Roman KOKO Kuzmichev shows how a simple piece of wood transforms into an intricate sculpture.
- Wheel Throwing Demo – Syd Larcher at Pot Spot Studio demonstrates making ceramics on the wheel.
- Adult Handbuilding Workshop – Drop in and play with clay! Watch short demos and make small pieces such as plates, bowls, pinch pots and more.
Eastside Culture Crawl hours are: Thursday and Friday 5 pm -10 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am – 6pm.
To easily plan the route for your next artistic outing, you can use the TransLink Trip Planner.