Dear Soccer: New public art installation invites Vancouver to share their story
At Bill Curtis Square in Yaletown, five layered glass panels frame the city's World Cup host emblem while inviting community letters about what the beautiful game means.
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A new interactive public art installation at Bill Curtis Square in Yaletown invites Vancouver residents and visitors to reflect on what soccer means to them. Installed immediately outside SkyTrain's Yaletown-Roundhouse Station, "Dear Soccer" combines public art with community storytelling through an immersive walk-through experience based on Vancouver's official 2026 FIFA World Cup host city emblem.
The installation consists of five transparent glass panels arranged in sequence. Each panel features a version of the host city logo, with the emblem gradually increasing in size from front to back. As people walk directly through the artwork, the layered arrangement creates a shifting visual effect where the five logos overlap differently depending on the viewing angle.
Looking straight through from the front, the five emblems align into a single composition. Stepping to either side causes the coloured shapes to shift apart, creating constantly changing perspectives. The glass reflects and refracts the surrounding streetscape—nearby buildings, trees, and pedestrians become part of the artwork itself.
The installation includes a camera marker on the plaza pavers indicating the ideal vantage point for photographers to capture the layered composition head-on. The two largest logo panels in the rear serve another purpose. On their reverse sides, the artwork displays a collection of sample letters written by community members describing their personal relationships with soccer.
Messages range from childhood memories and family traditions to stories about friendship, belonging, immigration, and excitement about welcoming the FIFA World Cup to Vancouver. Visitors are encouraged to add their own stories. QR codes incorporated into the installation allow people to submit either a written letter or a video message online, answering a simple prompt: What does soccer mean to you?
"Dear Soccer" frames each submission as a love letter addressed directly to the sport. The artwork adds another stop to Vancouver's FIFA World Cup public art trail, which includes "The Beautiful Game" murals at Helmcken Street Plaza just one block away in Yaletown—now home to Earls Restaurant's temporary Pitchside Patio featuring live match broadcasts.