National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Planning for our future today—now more than ever.

On this important day we hope that you, along with us, will spend time reflecting on future actions and intentions, as well as remembering the past. We continue to work to create a better future for everyone. Among the TRC Calls to Action are those that address education, culture and language. This is informing our planning to build a new art gallery for the 21^st century. We will persist in our vision of enabling a more inclusive, equitable and accessible cultural institution to be enjoyed by all.

Earlier this month Vancouver Art Gallery CEO Anthony Kiendl and the Gallery team travelled to Basel, Switzerland with Elder in Residence Skwetsimeltxw Willard (Buddy) Joseph and Chepximiya Siyam Chief Janice George, Coast Salish artists working on the new Vancouver Art Gallery with Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron. The artists shared their cultural knowledge with over 100 staff from around the world. This important work is challenging assumptions and creating new ideas which we will share as we move forward. We anticipate seeing this work come to life in tangible ways for future generations.

We acknowledge that our Gallery is situated on the ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Watch this video to hear Skwetsimeltxw Willard (Buddy) Joseph share his message on this important day.