A still from a digital video shows an elderly person standing, facing the viewer. They wear a purple dastar, a coat, a vest, and a white button-up underneath. They are standing inside of a room with an open door. Inside the room is a wood panelled wall with various frames and paper posters. A round clock tells the time. Behind is a velvet-blue couch. This person is not wearing shoes, just socks. They stand on carpeted floor.
Surrey Art Gallery logo

Credit: Monica Cheema, "Paldi, A Place Like This", 2023, single-channel digital video, 10 minutes 12 seconds.

ARTS 2023

Experience art in a variety of media through this annual juried exhibition organized with Arts Council of Surrey.

Date & time

-

Address

Surrey Art Gallery - 13750 88 Ave

Tickets & pricing

Free

Now in its 40th year, the exhibition showcases the variety of artistic talents across the Lower Mainland. ARTS 2023 received 201 entries from 98 individual artists this year. Jurors selected 50 works from entries across five categories: Painting; drawing, mixed media and printmaking on paper, sculpture and fiber art; photography; and digital, performative, and new media art.

This year’s entries range in diverse themes and mediums, from using AI-generated visuals to commemorate the Komagata Maru incident to vivid paintings capturing the beauty of nature. The artworks are displayed throughout the Surrey Arts Centre and visitors are invited to vote for the People’s Choice Award that will be announced at the end of the exhibition.

The jury consisted of South Surrey-based interdisciplinary artist Polly Gibbons, artist and arts educator Paul Pahal, and Surrey Art Gallery Learning and Access Programmer Avishka Lakwijaya.

ARTS 2023 will be celebrated along with Surrey Art Gallery’s upcoming exhibitions Diane Roy: the Deep and the Shallows, Invisible Fish, and Atheana Picha’s weaving artist residency at the Gallery’s summer opening reception on July 8.  Tawahum Bige, a Łutselk'e Dene and Plains Cree poet and spoken word artist, will recite from their debut poetry collection “Cut to Fortress” and Diane Roy will present an Artist Talk. ARTS 2023 prize winners will also be announced.

Read the ARTS 2023 catalogue here.