Vancouver Art Gallery brings climate conversation outside

The Vancouver Art Gallery is weaving sustainability into every layer of its summer programming — from exhibition design to public access — with two major shows exploring the relationship between people, land, and the environment: That Green Ideal: Emily Carr and the Idea of Nature and Future Geographies: Art in the Century of Climate Change.

Rather than treating sustainability as a side project, VAG is integrating those ideas throughout. The gallery partnered with UBC's Climate Action Lab to bring together more than 40 students from across disciplines to create educational videos that appear throughout Future Geographies, providing scientific context for the artwork and encouraging visitors to engage with climate issues from multiple perspectives.

Behind the scenes, VAG is reducing exhibition waste through partnerships with local organizations and fabricators that help divert materials from landfill, reuse walls and plinths, and reduce the environmental impact of shipping and installation.

One centrepiece, SANCTUARY: The Ancient Forest Experience, is an immersive 360-degree installation inspired by an 1,800-year-old red cedar that takes visitors directly into B.C.'s remaining old-growth forests. The project highlights both the ecological significance of ancient forests and the cultural importance of cedar to Indigenous communities on the West Coast.

Beginning July 25, visitors arriving by bicycle can use free, secure bike parking through a partnership with The Bike Valet, running through September. The gallery has also partnered with Vancouver cycling apparel company Samsara Cycle on a limited-edition collection inspired by Emily Carr's landscapes. On July 25, the organizations will celebrate with a community group ride from Stanley Park to the gallery, followed by a tour of That Green Ideal.

Weekly summer activities range from eco-poster design to sound sculptures, proving climate programming doesn't require doom and graphs.