Griffin Art Projects

Griffin Art Projects is a non-profit visual arts organization with a mandate to advance public appreciation of the arts through a vibrant program of exhibitions, public presentations, residencies, curatorial outreach, and performance art events. Griffin provides a unique forum for professional artists to present their work and is committed to being a leading arts organization dedicated to the promotion and understanding of contemporary art at the local, regional, national, and international levels.

Griffin’s mandate includes public programs and outreach initiatives such as lectures, workshops, symposia, and curator and artist talks. These accompany exhibitions and residency programs and offer opportunities to explore a wide range of themes related to contemporary art, artists, and contemporary art collections.

The organization enhances visual arts education in the region by offering internships and volunteer opportunities for students from local high schools, colleges, and universities. Griffin supports the development of solo and group projects, thematic exhibitions, and collaborations with cultural producers, guest curators, artists, writers, and arts educators regionally and nationally.

Address: 1174 Welch Street, North Vancouver, BC V7P 1B2
Phone: 604-985-0136
Website: griffinartprojects.ca

Organization Details

Installation setup available

• multi-media
• plinths
• hanging systems
• audio
• inventory lists
• floorplans

Artists of interest

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

Primary mediums and genres

• contemporary art
• Indigenous art

CARFAC membership

No

Does your organization offer memberships?

No

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Active relationships with First Nations and Indigenous communities:
Griffin engages with local Indigenous communities through internships, residencies, programming, and youth mentorship.

With support from Young Canada Works, Griffin hires young Indigenous professionals as Indigenous Curatorial and Marketing Interns. Two former interns now serve as permanent staff members.

Griffin offers Indigenous residency awards for established and emerging Indigenous artists in Metro Vancouver. Award recipients receive two months of rent-free studio space, a residency fee, and a public open-studio event.

Programming history includes residencies, open studios, and artist talks featuring James Harry, Xwalacktun, Lindsay McIntyre, and other Indigenous artists.

Griffin has launched a Youth Mentorship Program focused on building relationships with Indigenous youth through tours, outreach activities, informal studio visits, and artist engagements.

The organization has joined the Indigenous Curatorial Collective’s Institutional Membership Program for ongoing guidance. Griffin places itself between levels three and four on their scale, reflecting active commitment but recognizing the need for Indigenous representation at the board level.

Diversity strategy or anti-racism/decolonization statement

No

Current and future commitments

Griffin intends to expand its residency awards, internships, Indigenous-focused programming, and youth mentorship activities. The organization seeks to further develop leadership opportunities and strengthen relationships with Indigenous artists and communities with support from the Indigenous Curatorial Collective.

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 and promotional items

Identified power dynamics and actions to address them

Griffin acknowledges power imbalances within institutions and among stakeholders including artists, curators, and audiences. The organization addresses these dynamics by paying CARFAC exhibition fees, offering rent-free studio spaces, and providing residency artist fees. Three Emily Carr University Studio Residency Awards support emerging artists at the start of their careers.

Recognizing the historic undercompensation of Indigenous and racialized artists, Griffin offers BIPOC and Indigenous Studio Art Awards that provide resources, materials stipends, solidarity, and visibility.

Residency accommodations support visiting artists from outside Metro Vancouver. The residency includes artist talks and open studios, offering public insight into artistic practice. Online programming increases accessibility for both artists and audiences.

Accessibility

• subtitling in videos
• wheelchair accessibility
• digital exhibition archive for remote viewing

Opportunities for emerging artists

• artist-in-residence programs
• educational outreach
• scholarships
• studio space
• professional development through studio visits, networking, and introductions to curators and arts administrators

Submission Process

Exhibition selection process

• curator invitation
• submissions to a programming committee or jury
• requests for proposals or calls for submissions

Other opportunities to showcase work

• artist talks
• art markets and fairs
• open studios
• workshops

Supports provided for exhibiting artists

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

CARFAC Fees

Fees paid for exhibitions

• solo
• group
• permanent collection
• performance
• reproduction
• media art screenings and presentations

Fees paid for digital programming

• onsite and virtual exhibitions

Fees paid for non-commercial reproductions

• audio-visual
• digital and electronic
• print

Fees paid for commercial reproductions

• commercial print

Fees paid for artist professional services

• presentation and consultation fees
• jury fees
• writing fees
• preparation fees

Other Support for Artists

Accessibility supports:
• alternative submission methods
• consultations

Artist compensation:
• CARFAC fees (https://carfac-raav.ca)
• honouraria
• payment for previously produced artworks