Visual Arts Nova Scotia advances the visual arts through leadership, education, and communication.

Vision

Visual Arts Nova Scotia believes in a future where a career as an artist is accessible, sustainable, and recognized as an integral part of our communities.

Mission

Visual Arts Nova Scotia (VANS) supports artists through education, connection and advocacy. We operate across Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the L’nu people, also known as Nova Scotia. We prioritize artist-to-artist learning through workshops, mentorship, and sharing information about meaningful opportunities. Visual Arts Nova Scotia advocates for artists by listening to their concerns, speaking up for their needs, and creating platforms to share their work. Recognizing that equity-deserving artists face additional barriers to a career in the arts, Visual Arts Nova Scotia works to make resources accessible to artists across the province, while prioritizing support for those who are impacted by systemic oppression.

Values

Equity: Prioritize diverse perspectives and work to dismantle oppressive systems and barriers that exclude equity-deserving artists. Use an intersectional approach to prioritize and uplift underrepresented communities in the visual arts.

Sustainability: Work proactively, responsively, and transparently, while respectfully acknowledging the limitations of our resources, to build a sustainable future for artists. Approach challenges with both optimism and pragmatism, prioritizing consistent effort over urgency.

Connection: Create opportunities for artists to connect with and support each other. Lead with generosity while facilitating opportunities for artists to pursue their careers. Champion artists’ unique contributions to society, offering perspectives to connect us with each other and the world around us.

highlighted works from our membership brochure

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Visual Arts News: The magazine, distributed nationally, is published twice per year with features, profiles, interviews, news and reviews primarily focusing on artists and the visual arts in Atlantic Canada. Membership in VANS includes a subscription to the magazine.

Mentorship Program: The VANS Mentorship Program is designed to support the individual artistic methods and professional ambitions of emerging artists in Nova Scotia by providing access to the skills and experience of selected mentors.

PAINTS (Professional Artists in the Schools): This program enables schools throughout NS to bring professional artists working both in visual arts and fine crafts into their classrooms.

Professional Development Workshops: Our professional development workshops relate to your career as an artist. VANS members pay a discounted workshop fee. Topics include: grant writing, proposals, marketing, writing for the arts, documenting your work, and more.

Artist Pages: A major collection of Nova Scotia’s working visual artists online.

Communications:

• VANS Newsletter is filled with information updated bi-weekly on current opportunities relevant to your art practice, while promoting the organization.
• Social Media on Facebook, Twitter/ X, and Instagram.
• Artist Profiles in the form of Instagram Takeovers highlight our programs by featuring an active member artist participating in them.

Resource Library: Online reference materials on contracts, grants, residencies, tax law, copyright, commissions, competitions, etc.

Artist Emergency Fund: Assists artists in financial need arising from severe illness, an accident resulting in inability to work of help with studio replacement in case of a disaster, such as fire, where there is no insurance.

Peer Connections: Opportunities for artists to network through discussions, information sessions, and our Peer Application Review Groups.

Group Discounts:

• Art Gallery of Nova Scotia: VANS members will receive a 25% discount on Individual AGNS memberships. Just present your VANS e-receipt or Membership Confirmation email.
• DeSerres Halifax: 10% discount off of regularly priced merchandise to members with a DeSerres Creative Club membership. Present your membership receipt and sign up as a member of DeSerres’ Creative Club. With the Creative Club membership, you will not only be receiving a discount, but you’ll also be collecting points that can be redeemed on future purchases.

Internships: Administrative work terms for art college students.

Advocacy: Promotion of arts awareness in government, business, schools, media, and the general public.

VANS Code of Conduct Policy

STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY

Visual Arts Nova Scotia acknowledges the systemic racism, exclusion, and oppression of BIPOC, LGBTQ2+, and differently-abled artists in arts institutions and communities. We commit to prioritizing support for these artists in all areas of our organization including programming, staff, board, and committee makeup. We encourage applicants to self identify within their applications.

Visual Arts Nova Scotia will continue to prioritize underrepresented contributions and perspectives, to work towards dismantling systemic racism and inequity in the arts.

BRIEF HISTORY

Visual Arts Nova Scotia is an artist-run organization incorporated in 1976. Over the last forty + years, VANS has organized exhibitions, conferences, workshops and symposia, published a magazine dedicated to Atlantic Canadian art, developed and maintained a useful and informative website, and administered programs including the Mentorship Program and PAINTS (an artist-in-the-schools program). VANS has also advocated and lobbied for, among other issues and concerns, payment of artists’ fees and rights, a provincial arts council, provincial cultural policy such as the status of the artist act, recognition of and support for Nova Scotian art and artists, and has established an online artist directory.

FUNDING

Operating Assistance for VANS is provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism & Heritage, the Halifax Regional Municipal with additional revenues generated through membership and program fees, project grants, fundraising, magazine advertising, and the generous aid of sponsors and donors.

VANS also receives funding supporting core programming from the Canada Council for the Arts.

PATRONS

Without the generosity of its many supporters, VANS could not offer such a wide range of programs and services. VANS is registered as a charitable organization (Charitable Registration No:  11906 3618 RR 001), and all donations are tax deductible. When filling in your membership form, please consider making a donation.

Sponsorship or legacy giving information relating to a particular VANS program or service is available from the office. For more information, please contact director@visualarts.ns.ca.