Artists for Conservation Festival 2025 – Art, Music, Nature

Dates & Venues

• Preview Weekend: September 20–21, 2025 – Maplewood Flats Conservancy, 2649 Dollarton Hwy, North Vancouver (11 AM–3 PM). Free programming.

• Main Event: September 25–28, 2025 – VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St, Vancouver.

  • September 25: 10 AM–4 PM (Meet-the-Artists Reception 7–10 PM, sold out)

  • September 26–27: 10 AM–4 PM (Gallery open until 5 PM)

  • September 28: 10 AM–4 PM

• Virtual Program: Starts August 31, 2025

Website: Artists for Conservation Festival
Admission: Maplewood Flats events are free. VanDusen programs are included with garden admission (VBGA members free).

Event Overview

The Artists for Conservation Festival is an annual multi-day, nature-themed arts and culture event in Vancouver. It combines fine art exhibitions, wildlife and art demonstrations, music and First Nations cultural performances, films, youth education programs, and hands-on workshops.

In 2025, the festival will once again use VanDusen Botanical Garden as its main venue, with a preview weekend hosted at Maplewood Flats in partnership with the Wild Bird Trust of BC.

Festival Highlights

Art Exhibits

• International Exhibit of Nature in Art (Sept 25–28 at VanDusen): A juried exhibition and sale featuring 200 original works of conservation-themed art. At least 40% of artwork proceeds support conservation and environmental education. Each piece is dedicated to a conservation organization chosen by the artist.

• Pacific Coast Portraits Exhibit (Sept 20–Oct 5 at Maplewood Flats): A curated showcase of BC wildlife and wild places, with special emphasis on birds of the Pacific Coast.

Wildlife and Art Demonstrations

• Daily painting, carving, and sculpture demonstrations at VanDusen.

• Carving and sculpture highlights include Xwa-lack-tun & Friends (Order of BC recipient) and Robin Roberts(Haida-style mask carving).

• Wildlife partners include the OWL Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society and the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program, both offering live educational presentations.

Music and Cultural Performances

The festival includes a range of music and cultural programming that complements its conservation focus:

• Thomas Beckman – violist and festival theme composer

• William Nahanee – Squamish Nation cultural performance

• Russell Shumsky – participatory West African drumming

• Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos – Japanese shakuhachi bamboo flute

• Edgar Muenala – pan flute

• John Gilliat – acoustic flamenco guitar

• AVIA Trio – ensemble featuring Asian instruments

• Xwa-lack-tun & Friends – cultural performance and carving demo

Schedule Overview

Preview Weekend at Maplewood Flats (Sept 20–21, 11 AM–3 PM)

• Opening of the Pacific Coast Portraits Exhibit

• Live music, cultural performances by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, artist and carving demonstrations, and live birds of prey encounters.

Main Event at VanDusen (Sept 25–28)

• International Exhibit of Nature in Art

• Daily wildlife presentations by OWL and the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program (1–4 PM)

• Ongoing artist demonstrations and cultural performances throughout the garden

• Meet-the-Artists Reception on September 25 (sold out)

Visitor Information

• Tickets: Book VanDusen admission online to save; members of the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association enter free.

• Parking and Access: See full details on vandusengarden.ca.

• Virtual Exhibit: Opens August 31 with artworks presented online for global access.

• Annual AFC Book: A hardcover book featuring the year’s exhibit artworks will be published.

Why Attend

• Experience one of the world’s top conservation-themed art festivals.

• See original works by internationally acclaimed artists.

• Learn from artist demonstrations and cultural performances.

• Support wildlife conservation through art purchases.

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