Conservation-Themed Festival Launches Art Exhibit at VanDusen Botanical Garden

Vancouver, B.C., Oct. 31, 2017 -- Artists for Conservation (AFC) today announced its seventh annual AFC Festival and international art exhibit will take place at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, BC. Presented by RE/MAX, the festival will officially open with a ticketed reception happening on November 9 followed by four days of free art and environmental-themed programming. Unique to this year, and in anticipation of the upcoming 27th International Ornithological Congress being held in Vancouver, the Festival will officially launch the "Silent Skies Mural Project" – a 100-foot long international collaborative mural featuring 678 endangered species of birds of the world. 

"We are really looking forward to exhibiting the Artists for Conservation Festival at VanDusen Botanical Garden this year,” said Jeff Whiting, founder and president of Artists for Conservation. “It's a spectacular venue - inside and out - with easy access for guests, with a stunning facility beautifully suited to host AFC’s world class exhibit.”

The AFC Festival originally launched at North Vancouver's Grouse Mountain, where it ran for six years. Founded in 1997, the non-profit organization, Artists for Conservation, has created a community of gifted nature artists from nearly thirty countries, across five continents. Guests in attendance will have the opportunity to enjoy and purchase from a world-class international collection of original paintings and sculptures. As in previous years, all artwork is for sale with 40 per cent of proceeds supporting conservation and youth environmental education programs worldwide. The four-day event will also feature live music, films, presentations, workshops, live art demonstrations and wildlife encounters.

To celebrate the launch of the global collaborative mural, "Silent Skies Mural Project," renowned artists will be creating pieces showcasing endangered species on-site. Upon completion, these artworks will be integrated into the larger mural at the Vancouver Convention Centre at the 2018 Congress before being showcased at different locations around the world. Also unique to this year’s festival, internationally-recognized Canadian artist Mark Hobson will be honored for his lifetime of support for conservation.

Gillian Drake, Acting Executive Director of the VBGA and Ema Tanaka of the Vancouver Park Board affirmed: "We're very pleased to be hosting the Artists for Conservation Festival and the many visiting artists from around the globe at VanDusen. We both share a common mission of connecting people with nature. The festival is a wonderful embodiment of that shared goal."

Relocating the festival to VanDusen was made possible in part due to generous support from the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association (VBGA) - joint operating partner of VanDusen Botanical Garden and Bloedel Conservatory with the Vancouver Park Board - and the Katherine (Kitty) J. Heller Endowed Fund.

For more information on tickets to the Artists for Conservation Festival, please visit: http://festival.artistsforconservation.org/.

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About Artists for Conservation

Artists for Conservation (AFC) is the world’s leading group of artists supporting the environment. Founded in 1997, the non-profit organization comprises a membership of 500 of the world’s most gifted nature artists from 27 countries, across five continents. Dedicated to nurture, promote and leverage its world-class community of artists in support of our natural world, AFC drives its mission through three key programs: Art & Environmental Education; Field Work & Research; and Artist Development. The Artists for Conservation Festival is AFC’s annual flagship initiative to showcase, support and further these programs. For more information, visit www.artistsforconservation.org

Media Contact
Jeffrey Whiting
[email protected]