Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art

Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art is a leading public art gallery located in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown, on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. It is a registered charity and has been the only public art gallery in Canada dedicated to contemporary Asian and Asian diasporic perspectives since 1999.

Centre A provides a platform for engaging diverse communities through public access to the arts, creating mentorship opportunities for emerging artists and arts professionals, and stimulating critical dialogue through provocative exhibitions and innovative public programs that complicate understandings of migrant experiences and diasporic communities.

Address: 268 Keefer Street, Unit 205, Vancouver, BC V6A 1X5
Phone: 604-683-8326
Website: centrea.org
Membership link: canadahelps.org/en/charities/id/55368/

Organization Details

Installation setup available

• hanging systems
• inventory lists
• plinths
• AV equipment
• elevators
• floorplans

Artists of interest

• local artists
• regional artists
• national artists
• international artists

Primary mediums and genres

• contemporary art
• media art
• socially engaged art

CARFAC membership

No

Does your organization offer memberships?

Yes

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Active relationships with First Nations and Indigenous communities

Centre A:
• hires First Nations and Indigenous artists to present or perform annually
• seeks and accepts advice from Indigenous artists and community members
• regularly includes Indigenous artists in exhibitions and programs
• grounds all work in its location on unceded Coast Salish territories

A strong programming history reflects this commitment, including:
• Cosmologies: Anything That Exists Has a Beginning (2009)
• (dis)location (dis)connect (dis)appearance (2019), which included Indigenous artist Cheyenne Rain LeGrande
• The Living Room (2022), with 30 per cent Indigenous representation
• arts writing mentorship sessions featuring David Garneau and Rita Wong

These initiatives support deeper public engagement with Indigenous cultures, contemporary issues, and ways of knowing.

Diversity strategy and anti-racism/decolonization policies

Yes; available on the website.

Current and future commitments to Indigenous artists and communities

Centre A is committed to:
• supporting the creation of new works by Asian and Asian diasporic artists
• fostering inclusive spaces for underrepresented artists
• facilitating collaboration between Asian and international artists
• strengthening relationships with local arts organizations, collectives, and communities
• engaging deeply with calls for Reconciliation from an Asian Canadian perspective

Awareness of Indigenous Protocols for the Visual Arts

Yes

Land acknowledgements offered

Yes, during events and programs
Yes, on the website
Yes, on printed materials

Identified power dynamics and actions to address them

Centre A:
• pays all artists CARFAC-standard fees
• provides financial and in-kind production support
• engages diverse voices outside the Asian diasporic community in solidarity-based programming
• prioritizes access, equity, and underrepresented perspectives
• supports artists through exhibitions, mentorships, internships, and new-work creation funding

Accessibility

• ASL translation
• elevators
• image and video descriptions
• map of space with room and hallway dimensions
• subtitling in videos
• wheelchair accessibility

Opportunities for emerging artists

• artist residencies
• educational outreach
• exhibitions
• mentorships
• workshops

Submission Process

Exhibition selection process

• curator invitation
• requests for proposals
• calls for submissions
• expressions of interest

Other opportunities to showcase work

• artist talks
• art markets and fairs
• auctions
• community programming (such as member shows)
• fundraisers
• workshops

Supports provided for exhibiting artists

• one-way shipping
• two-way shipping
• insurance (up to a value limit)
• listings and newsletters

CARFAC Fees

Fees paid for exhibitions

• solo exhibitions
• touring exhibitions
• group exhibitions
• permanent collection
• performance
• exhibitions in public places
• reproduction
• work in public
• media art screenings and presentations

Fees paid for digital programming

• virtual exhibitions
• onsite and virtual exhibitions
• virtual tours of exhibitions or permanent collections

Fees paid for non-commercial reproductions

• audio-visual
• digital and electronic
• print

Fees paid for commercial reproductions

N/A

Fees paid for artist professional services

• presentation and consultation fees
• writing fees
• preparation fees
• installation fees

Other Support for Artists

Accessibility supports

• ramps
• hanging height assistance
• translations (Braille, ASL, etc.)
• grant writing support
• alternative submission methods
• consultations

Artist compensation

• artwork sales and commissions
• CARFAC fees (https://carfac-raav.ca)
• fundraisers
• gallery shop sales
• honourariums
• in-kind supports