Established in 1989 by renowned BC artist-patrons Gordon Smith, Jack Shadbolt and Bill Reid, Artists for Kids was founded with the singular intent to support children, their art education and their future. Through art specialists, Artists for Kids provides enriching art-making experiences for thousands of students each year across Canada as well as professional development opportunities for educators. In 1990, the group published the first Artists for Kids Limited Edition Portfolio print, Xhuwaji / Haida Grizzly. This print by Reid, based on a ceremonial drum, marked the beginning of an extraordinary partnership with now more than 100 Canadian artists—from Kenojuak Ashevak to Ian Wallace—that has produced one of the most significant limited edition collections in the country. Proceeds from the sale of prints fund educational programs, artist residencies, art camps, scholarships, bursaries, and future acquisitions for Artists for Kids and the Gordon Smith Gallery Permanent Collection.
Artists for Kids brings together educators and the community at large, to provide inspiring, highly relevant educational experiences and enrichment, for thousands of young people annually, while encouraging students to pursue and share their own artistic voice and narrative. Through the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art, established as Canada's first public art gallery for young audiences, Artists for Kids has created a space for young audiences and our community to experience the narrative of Canadian Art through a significant collection of visual art. As a visual arts catalyst in the community, Artists for Kids is proud to contribute to the development of a rich cultural aesthetic.
The continued growth and development of our acclaimed program in North Vancouver during the past three decades, provides substantial documentation that intentional art education in schools led by art specialists, can significantly transform young lives, inform programming in schools and ultimately shape a community in ways once thought unimaginable. We see clearly what can be accomplished and possible in education with intentional commitment, understanding and engagement.
MEET THE ARTISTS FOR KIDS TEAM
Allison Kerr
Director, Artist for Kids I Gordon Smith Gallery
District Principal, Arts Education
| Daylen Luchsinger District Vice Principal Arts Education
| Amelia Epp District Visual Art Teacher
| Chantal Pinard Artists for Kids' Program Assistant |
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| Emily Neufeld AFK Studio Technician
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OUR HISTORY
Artists for Kids began in 1989, and our unique approach to education has grown in reach and stature every year.
In 1989, the founders of AFK seeked to find a financial model to support arts education in our schools, one that was sustainable, and in turn, would support visual arts enrichment. By purchasing art from artists, then in turn inviting each artist to create original, limited-edition prints that the program could sell, the founders created a unique and lasting fundraising vehicle. With the generosity, commitment and support of founding artist-patrons Gordon Smith, Jack Shadbolt and Bill Reid, Artists for Kids was born, and with it, the acclaimed Artist for Kids and Gordon Smith Gallery Permanant Collection of Canadian Art.
Thanks to the ongoing support of our community, artist-patrons, and the North Vancouver School District, Artist for Kids has grown from an idea onto a world-class art program.
Exhibitions at the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art
The Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art is a space where education is seen not as an after-thought to curation, but as the purpose of each step we take. To ensure this, the
Gordon and Marion Smith Foundation for Young Artists and Artists for Kids work collaboratively to program the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art.
Artists for Kids in the Gordon Smith Gallery
Artists for Kids provides a range of classes and programs, both in the Gallery and throughout the community:
AFK Gallery Program and Tours
After-School Art Classes
Paradise Valley Summer School for the Visual Arts
Studio Art Academy Program
Grade 3, 7 and Secondary Enrichment Programs
Photography Enrichment Programs
Artists for Kids and the Gordon Smith Gallery Permanent Collection
The Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art is home to the acclaimed
Artists for Kids and the Gordon Smith Gallery Permanent Collection of Canadian Art. For over thirty-five years the Artists for Kids program has been acquiring masterworks from Canada’s leading artists, including our founding patrons, Gordon Smith, Jack Shadbolt and Bill Reid, as well as Robert Davidson, Graham Gilmore, E.J. Hughes, Russna Kaur, Rodney Graham, Guido Molinari, and Elizabeth MacIntosh and many more.
Visit the
Print Shop to view the selection of limited edition prints and support Artists for Kids art education programming.
The Smith Foundation in the Gallery
The Smith Foundation
promotes a greater understanding of contemporary Canadian art through the Gallery by creating:
Seasonal exhibitions for all audiences
Artist and curator talks and symposia with leading professionals in the field
Publications which introduce insightful and provocative thinking about Canadian art
Learn more about the Smith Foundation and opportunities to support our exhibitions and public programs, donate online now, or become a Friend of the Gallery.
