Vancouver, B.C. - July 16, 2022 - Artists for Conservation (AFC) is pleased to announce it will return to VanDusen Botanical Garden for its twelfth AFC Festival at the VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, BC. Presented by RE/MAX, the festival will be open to the public from September 22 through 25, featuring the premier of the world's top conservation-themed art exhibit.
Guests attending the opening weekend 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 179 artists from 19 countries, through a very competitive juried process. Of those, some 85 will be on display at the festival. All are represented in an online virtual exhibit 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. This year, for the first time since 2019, due to the pandemic, AFC will host a special ticketed "Meet-the-Artists" evening reception. In the last two years, the pandemic also meant a scaling back of number of visitors and as well as programming.
AFC Founder and President Jeff Whiting explains: "We're excited to be returning to VanDusen. It's such a gorgeous venue surrounded by nature - with easy access for visitors, and a visitor centre that is a work of art in itself."
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.