Become a member or renew your membership!

Not a VANS member? It’s easy and gives you access to various VANS programs, information, opportunities, a subscription to Visual Arts News magazine, a large provincial community of colleagues and peer networks, and other member benefits. Your membership also supports the advocacy work of the organization which works for the advancement and rights of visual artists and the visual arts in Nova Scotia.

VANS memberships run from January 1st to December 31st of every year.

We welcome new member applications throughout the year; benefits will be retroactive depending on the date of payment. Between July 1st and September 30th, VANS annual memberships are pro-rated to half of the annual member fee with benefits being for the 6-month remainder of the year. From October 1st to December 31st, VANS annual memberships are paid in full and expire the following December 31st.

Become a member online by visiting the shop page of the VANS website, or clicking on the Membership tile below. You can pay with your credit card or bank account via PayPal. A confirmation will appear once you’ve made your payment. You can also download and print the membership application/renewal form, and mail it with a cheque to our office located at 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax, NS, B3H 4P7.

With our auto-renewing membership, you will be charged the initial fee for the full year ahead, and then your membership will be automatically renewed each year, on December 1. The next renewal payment will be processed on December 1, 2024 for the 2025 membership year. You may opt out of automatic membership renewals at any time. If you prefer not to have your membership renew automatically please select the One-Time Membership option. See the list of current membership types and rates below.

For more information on your membership contact Carri MacKay, Programming Coordinator at communicate@visualarts.ns.ca.

Membership gives you access to 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. Every member of VANS now gets an Artist Page as part of their membership.

Communications:

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

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 the inability to work, or helps 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:

• Natural Earth Paint Canada. VANS members now get a discount at Natural Earth Paint Canada, a family owned, eco-friendly company that creates non-toxic paints with minimal ingredients, sustainably harvested earth pigments from family-owned quarries. Members can simply create an account on Natural Earth Paint Canada’s website and then send them an email verifying their membership (with your confirmation email from VANS or our website) so they can tag their accounts accordingly. Once their account is set up, they can simply use the following code: VANS15 for 15% off until January 31, 2025 or they can click on this link to apply it automatically. Starting on February 1, 2025, the discount will be 10% off and members can use the following code: VANS10 or they can click on this link to apply it automatically.
• Art Gallery of Nova Scotia: VANS members will receive a 25% discount on Individual AGNS memberships. Just present your VANS receipt or Membership Confirmation email.
• DeSerres Halifax: 10% discount off of regularly priced merchandise to members with a DeSerres Creative Club membership. Present your VANS membership receipt or VANS membership confirmation email 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. Click here to learn how to get that discount when shopping online at Deserres.

Internships: Administrative work terms for art school students.

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

Membership types

Individual  – $50
Household (two or more artists living in the same home sharing one subscription to Visual Arts News) – $65
Senior (age 60+) – $45
Student (valid for 1 year after graduation) – $35
Gallery/ Group (arts councils, collectives, arts organizations, etc.) – $70
Corporate (businesses, institutions) – $85
International (outside Canada) – $60

VANS also has Membership Bursaries which provide artists in need of financial support with a VANS membership. There is no deadline to apply for a Membership Bursary. Applications are confidential and are reviewed by the Membership and Engagement Committee. Recipients of the bursary will receive a .pdf of Visual Arts News magazine instead of the print-mailed version. Want to support a Membership Bursary? You can make a Membership Bursary donation.

Become a member or renew your membership!