BC’s Best Festivals & Events in Vancouver

Explore Art Events and Festivals in Vancouver

Vancouver is a bustling cultural hub on the west coast, renowned for its diverse arts scene, stunning landscapes, and vibrant creative community. The city is home to a wide range of art events and festivals that draw both local and international artists, showcasing everything from contemporary art to traditional crafts.

Throughout the year, Vancouver hosts an exciting array of festivals, including the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Vancouver Art Gallery’s exhibitions, and the beloved Vancouver Folk Music Festival. The city’s creative community is diverse, with artists working in various mediums such as visual arts, sculpture, performance, photography, and digital art. Whether you’re attending large-scale events, visiting gallery exhibitions, or enjoying live performances at one of the city’s many cultural venues, Vancouver offers endless opportunities to explore the world of art. Check out our guide below for the latest art events and festivals in Vancouver and immerse yourself in the dynamic artistic landscape of this vibrant city.

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Future Geographies: Art in the Century of Climate Change?

Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver
Date:
May 14, 2026
-
January 10, 2027
No Reviews
Future Geographies: Art in the Century of Climate Change is the first major exhibition in Canada to examine the intersection of the climate crisis and contemporary art on a global scale. As the environmental crisis accelerates, artists around the world are responding with urgency, insight and vision. Featuring works from the past 25 years, this exhibition underscores the gravity and relevance Read more...
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Momentum: Power and Identity in Sports | Chinese Canadian Museum

Chinese Canadian Museum
Vancouver
Date:
June 10, 2026
-
September 5, 2027
No Reviews
Sport is where identity, belonging, and national pride are put on the line. Momentum transforms the gallery into an electrified, sports bar–inspired environment that captures the energy of collective spectatorship, where history, media, and contemporary art collide. Through archival objects, striking photographic portraits, and a newly commissioned moving image work, the exhibition traces over a century of Chinese Canadian presence in Read more...
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That Green Ideal: Emily Carr and the Idea of Nature | Vancouver Art Gallery

Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver
Date:
July 21, 2026
-
November 8, 2026
No Reviews
That Green Ideal: Emily Carr and the Idea of Nature is the largest solo exhibition of iconic British Columbia artist Emily Carr (1871–1945) at the Vancouver Art Gallery in over twenty years. Featuring more than 100 works, it explores in-depth the artist’s obsession with the landscape of the Pacific Northwest, using close analysis of her paintings and writings to investigate how Read more...
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Tupananchiskama

MOA | Museum of Anthropology
Vancouver
Date:
July 21, 2026
-
November 30, 2026
No Reviews
Ancient Andean Cosmovision Cosmovisión Ancestral Andina Opens March 19, 2026 Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision explores the enduring worldviews of ancient Andean civilizations through nearly 100 exquisite pre-Columbian ceramic, textile, bone and wood works, some dating back more than 2,500 years. These works were collected by former UBC Professor Alan R. Sawyer and donated to MOA. The Andes are home to some of the world’s most complex cultural traditions, and its knowledge lives Read more...
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Every River Has a Mouth: The Visual Languages That Connect Us | Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Vancouver
Date:
July 21, 2026, 10:00 am
-
February 14, 2027, 6:00 pm
No Reviews
Guest curated by Salish artist Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun, the exhibition will showcase 11 Coast and Interior Salish artists working across sculpture, printmaking, textiles, painting, and mixed media. This unique exhibition will illuminate the deep cultural, linguistic, and artistic connections shared across the Salish world. To date, most institutions have focused on Coastal Salish art; however, with this exhibition, the Bill Read more...
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Highlights from the Collection | Vancouver Art Gallery

Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver
Date:
July 21, 2026, 10:00 am
-
January 6, 2030, 6:00 pm
No Reviews
Highlights from the Collection April 1, 2026–January 6, 2030 Highlights from the Collection at the Vancouver Art Gallery is a long-term exhibition (2026–2030) that showcases works drawn entirely from the Gallery’s permanent collection. This exhibition offers a dynamic overview of the Gallery’s holdings, presenting a visual history of British Columbia while connecting it to broader global art movements. Featuring everything Read more...
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Vancouver Now! Emily Hermant

Vancouver Art Gallery
Vancouver
Date:
August 7, 2026
-
November 22, 2026
No Reviews
Emily Hermant is the inaugural artist in our new Vancouver Now! exhibition series, highlighting artists whose work is both timely and closely tied to this city. Since arriving in Vancouver in 2016, Hermant has steadily built a reputation as an artist to watch. The exhibition will highlight her weavings, which are laboriously crafted from the wires and data cables of the technologies Read more...
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Free Admission Fridays I Bill Reid Gallery

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Vancouver
Date:
August 7, 2026
-
March 31, 2028
No Reviews
Every first Friday of the month from 2 to 5 pm, enjoy complimentary admission to the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art. Admission includes all our current exhibitions, as well as our permanent Bill Reid collection. Make sure to have a look at our Shop when you’re here! We would like to thank our Community Access Partner, Downtown Van, Read more...
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First Saturday Open Art Studios

First Saturday Open Art Studios
Vancouver
Date:
September 5, 2026
-
December 19, 2026
No Reviews
Opens monthly on First Saturday First Saturday Open Studios is a free, monthly event that began in 2010 and can be found in various locations across BC. This is an opportunity to visit artists at work in their studios located throughout the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands and the Okanagan. Check the website for updates and who is open each Read more...
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Cradled Origins | Bill Reid Gallery

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Vancouver
Date:
September 12, 2026, 10:00 am
-
January 17, 2027, 5:00 pm
No Reviews
Cradled Origins is a selection of artworks that features eight emerging and mid-career First Nations artists working in a variety of mediums. Through carvings, weavings, paintings and beadwork, each artist honours the cultural knowledge that they carry and hold while expanding the boundaries of their individual practices. Demonstrated in this exhibition are examples of those connections and the understanding of Read more...
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Mom’s the Word: Talkin’ Turkey | Arts Club Theatre Company

Mom’s the Word: Talkin’ Turkey | Arts Club Theatre Company
Vancouver
Date:
October 2, 2026
-
November 8, 2026
No Reviews
By Mom’s the Word Collective Olympic Village Stage: October 2 – 4, 2026 On tour across the lower mainland: October 6 – November 8, 2026 (Details at artsclub.com) THE HILARIOUS HOLIDAY HIT The Moms are back in the creative kitchen and ready to turn the “season of thanksgiving” into the “season of forgiving.” Enjoy a theatrical feast flavoured with big belly laughs, Read more...
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Big Stuff | Arts Club Theatre Company

Big Stuff | Arts Club Theatre Company
Vancouver
Date:
October 14, 2026, 10:00 am
-
November 1, 2026, 6:00 pm
New
No Reviews
A COMEDIC MEDITATION ON THE THINGS WE CARRY Married comedy duo Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus, directed by co-creator Kat Sandler, light up the stage and invite you to explore life’s Big Stuff. Using their singular brand of improvised storytelling—shaped by time at the Second City and comedy clubs worldwide—they debate the sentimental power of the objects our loved ones Read more...
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Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding: A Dinner Theatre Show | 2026 Lineup

Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding: A Dinner Theatre Show | 2026 Lineup
Vancouver
Date:
October 16, 2026
-
December 5, 2026
No Reviews
A One-Of -A-Kind Italian Dinner Theatre Show! Where you’re Not just watching. You’re Part of the Family! Tony and Tina’s Wedding: A Night of Food, Fun, and Drama It’s a Hilariously unforgettable evening this immersive dinner theater event returns, Whether you’re a fan of laugh-out-loud comedy or good party, Tony and Tina’s Wedding promises to deliver it all and more. Read more...
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Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors | Arts Club Theatre Company

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors | Arts Club Theatre Company
Vancouver
Date:
October 22, 2026, 10:00 am
-
November 15, 2026, 6:00 pm
New
No Reviews
A FABULOUS FARCE, WITH FANGS Everyone knows the story: a vampiric count, a kidnapped young lady, and a brave hero to save the day. But this time around, the hero’s a coward, the lady yearns for adventure, and the count is…a cake-baking dreamboat? This Dracu-larious adaptation of the gothic classic gleefully turns the tale on its head but never loses Read more...
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Tosca | Vancouver Opera

Tosca | Vancouver Opera
Vancouver
Date:
October 24, 2026, 10:00 am
-
November 1, 2026, 6:00 pm
New
No Reviews
Passion, politics, and betrayal collide in Tosca—a breathtaking opera where love burns bright against the dark tides of tyranny. Set amidst upheaval and war in 1800s Rome, the fiery singer Floria Tosca is caught in a deadly triangle between her beloved, the revolutionary artist Mario Cavaradossi, and Baron Scarpia, the corrupt, sadistic chief of police. Puccini’s masterful score will crackle Read more...
Holiday Lights

Granville Island Festive Lights

Granville Island
Vancouver
Date:
November 11, 2026
-
January 3, 2027
No Reviews
Daily from sunset, we invite you to stroll our warm and elegant holiday light display. With complimentary parking after 6pm, and of course no entrance fee, family and friends can walk the expansive grounds of Granville Island’s almost 40 acres, under the stars, or under an umbrella (after all, it is winter in Vancouver), and take in a relaxed evening Read more...
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Elf: The Musical | Arts Club Theatre Company

Elf: The Musical | Arts Club Theatre Company
Vancouver
Date:
November 12, 2026
-
December 27, 2026
No Reviews
November 12 – December 27, 2026 Stanley BFL Canada Stage HEY, THIS BUDDY THINKS HE’S AN ELF! Buddy doesn’t exactly fit in with the other elves at the North Pole—and no wonder, since it turns out he’s human! Now he’s on a mission to New York City, determined to win over his new family with Christmas cheer, syrupy spaghetti, and Read more...
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The Elvis Christmas Special | Arts Club Theatre Company

The Elvis Christmas Special | Arts Club Theatre Company
Vancouver
Date:
November 26, 2026, 10:00 am
-
December 27, 2026, 6:00 pm
New
No Reviews
AN ICON RETURNS On December 3, 1968, Elvis rocked the world—again! After a seven-year absence from the music business, the former king of rock ‘n’ roll launched a comeback on the biggest stage of his career, with the hope of saving his musical soul. From the creative mind behind Chelsea Hotel and House of Folk, this dynamic theatrical concert invites Read more...
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A Wonderheads Christmas Carol | Arts Club Theatre Company

A Wonderheads Christmas Carol | Arts Club Theatre Company
Vancouver
Date:
December 2, 2026, 10:00 am
-
December 27, 2026, 6:00 pm
New
No Reviews
A WHIMSICAL FEAST FOR THE EYES, EARS, AND HEART Acclaimed theatrical imagineers the WONDERHEADS are back, and ready to light up the stage once again with their extraordinary interpretation of Dickens’ holiday classic. This unforgettable experience brings Ebenezer Scrooge’s wondrous Christmas Eve journey to life with dazzling masks, 10-foot-tall puppets, a mesmerizing original score, and astonishing stagecraft—all without a word Read more...
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The Gingerbread Men: And Yet Another Holiday Cabaret | Arts Club Theatre Company

The Gingerbread Men: And Yet Another Holiday Cabaret | Arts Club Theatre Company
Vancouver
Date:
December 7, 2026, 10:00 am
-
December 21, 2026, 6:00 pm
New
No Reviews
THE BELOVED TREAT RETURNS The Gingerbread Men are back again, for the Arts Club’s favourite festive tradition. Nostalgic, sentimental, and served with a side of ham and cheese, these dough-lightful crooners are sure to gingersnap you into the Christmas spirit. With a repertoire that spans doo-wop, jazz, Broadway, holiday standards, and acapella, The Gingerbread Men expertly deliver the songs that Read more...
Push Fest

PuSh International Performing Arts Festival

PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Vancouver
Date:
January 20, 2027
-
February 7, 2027
No Reviews
Save the Dates for PuSh ’27 Jan 20–Feb 07 Show your support for culturally fearless art with a donation Give Now Read more...
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West of Main Artwalk

Artists in Our Midst
Vancouver
Date:
May 29, 2027, 11:00 am
-
May 30, 2027, 5:00 pm
No Reviews
The community is invited to fill their weekend with art May 29 & 30th. Private art studios and pop-up artist venues will be open across Vancouver’s west side during the Open Studio Tour & Sale open daily 11-5. From internationally recognized artists to some of the city’s emerging talent, this free event is a unique opportunity to explore and engage with artists Read more...
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Arts club Theatre Company | Summer Musical

Arts club Theatre
Vancouver
Date:
June 24, 2027, 10:00 am
-
August 22, 2027, 6:00 pm
No Reviews
Arts Club Theatre Company has unveiled its highly anticipated 2026–2027 season finale: a brand-new production of Les Misérables, running June 24 to August 22, 2027, at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. Directed by Artistic Director Ashlie Corcoran, this reimagined staging of the iconic musical promises a fresh creative vision, with entirely new sets, costumes, and design elements. Widely regarded as Read more...
Powell Poster

Powell Street Festival

Powell Street Festival
Vancouver
Date:
July 31, 2027
-
August 1, 2027
No Reviews
Oppenheimer Park and surrounding areas. Powell Street Festival is one of the largest and the longest-running community arts festivals in Canada, located in Vancouver’s historic Japanese Canadian neighbourhood, Paueru Gai – today known as the Downtown Eastside. The Powell Street Festival Society also offers year-round programs, and collaborates with local organizations, artists, and communities. Discover the Culture and Heritage of Read more...
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Splash 2027 – Arts Umbrella

Arts Umbrella Programs
Vancouver
Date:
September 17, 2027
-
October 1, 2027
No Reviews
From September 8 to October 2, the Pendulum Gallery will host a free exhibition of the Splash 2027 Art Collection – a stunning preview of artworks that will be auctioned off at Arts Umbrella’s iconic annual Splash Art Auction, which has become the largest charitable art auction in Canada. This is a rare opportunity for the community to experience one-of-a-kind pieces from 92 incredible Canadian and international Read more...