Vancouver, B.C. - July 22, 2026 - Artists for Conservation (AFC) and the flagship event in its name, will return to VanDusen Botanical Garden for the sixteenth annual AFC Festival at the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, BC. Presented by RE/MAX, the festival will be open to the public from September 24 through 27. The organization's internationally acclaimed juried conservation-themed art exhibit will again premier as a centerpiece of the multi-day event. In addition, a special preview event in North Vancouver, highlighting artwork by local AFC members, will open in partnership with the Wild Bird Trust of BC at Maplewood Conservancy, on September 19. The special two-day program featuring the ninth annual Pacific Coast Portraits which will remain open to the public until October 4.
Guests attending the festival at VanDusen Botanical Garden 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 approximately 40 per cent of proceeds supporting conservation and environmental education programs worldwide. Each artwork is dedicated to supporting a conservation organization of each artists' choice. Exactly 200 artworks were selected for this year's exhibit, by 174 artists from 17 countries, through a very competitive juried process. Of those, over 80 will be on display at the festival. All will be represented in an online virtual exhibit (also opening September 24) and in a hardcover book produced as a companion to the exhibit.
In additon to the main art exhibit, the festival will feature a rich program of live music, films, live art demonstrations, and wildlife encounters. Nearby Maplewood Conservancy in North Vancouver will also be hosting activities and an exhibit of art by local AFC members in its visitor centre. Traditionally the AFC Festival attracts dozens of artists from around the world though this changed in the last two years. On September 24, AFC will host a special ticketed AFC "Meet-the-Artists" Exhibit Opening Reception. Tickets can be purchased online.
For more information on tickets to the Artists for Conservation Festival presented by RE/MAX please visit: www.artistsforconservation.org/festival.
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 http://www.artistsforconservation.org.