A non-profit organization well known for transforming blank walls and public spaces across Vancouver into canvases for murals and organizing an annual summertime event has now painted its final stroke.
On Friday, Vancouver Mural Festival (VMF) suddenly announced on their social media and website that they are “officially closing the chapter” on their organization.
VMF indicated that they struggled financially in recent years, but did not elaborate any further.
“This decision was not made lightly. Like many arts and non-profit organizations, we have faced growing financial challenges in the past years. Despite our best efforts and significant progress to stabilize the organization, it is no longer viable for us to continue,” reads the statement by VMF.
“While VMF may be coming to an end, the impact of its murals, festivals, and programs will continue to inspire Vancouver’s cultural landscape for years to come. These works of art stand as a testament to what is possible when creativity, collaboration, and community come together.”
It was previously publicly indicated that in recent years, VMF’s annual budget reached over $3 million. It also received over $1 million in non-repayable funding from the federal government in 2022/2023.
Vancouver Mural Festival, Fintan Magee “The-Evening”. (@ccracke/Destination Vancouver)
Pandemic-time mural by Vancouver Mural Festival. (Gabriel Martins/Vancouver Mural Festival)
Caleb Ellison-Dysart. (Mavreen David/Vancouver Mural Festival)
Founded in 2016, VMF began as a summertime mural-painting event in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.
The turning point came around 2020, following a leadership change and the onset of the pandemic. Over the last five years, it exponentially grew its mandate and operations — its summertime festival expanded, it staged additional events throughout the year such as the Winter Arts Festival, and it evolved into a year-round placemaking initiative beyond merely the Mount Pleasant area.
In the process, it was dedicated to supporting local artists and fostering community through new creations of public art. It also expanded into other art mediums beyond murals.
They also collaborated with governments, community groups, architects, real estate developers, businesses, and local business improvement associations to create new murals, with these efforts intensifying early in the pandemic.
In more recent years, as part of its week-long summertime festival, it also staged a major ticketed concert event at Jonathan Rogers Park in partnership with event production companies Live Nation and Blue Live. The annual attendance of this summertime festival reached well over 100,000 people in the years before and emerging out of the pandemic.
Vancouver Music Festival at the former City Centre Motel on Main Street in Mount Pleasant. (Gabriel Martins/Vancouver Mural Festival)
Vancouver Music Festival at the former City Centre Motel on Main Street in Mount Pleasant. (Gabriel Martins/Vancouver Mural Festival)
Over the past nine years, VMF was involved in the creation of roughly 500 murals across the city, even murals as high as a mid-rise building.
These outdoor murals not only added vibrancy to public spaces but also helped deter unwanted graffiti, following the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).
“Together, we’ve brought colour, culture, and conversation to the streets of Vancouver. We’ve celebrated creativity, uplifted diverse voices, and shown the world the power of public art,” continues the statement.
“VMF wasn’t just a festival; it was a movement — one fuelled by connection, collaboration, and an unshakable love for this city.”
Vancouver Mural Festival – Artist Odera Igbokwe. (Mavreen David/Vancouver Mural Festival)
Vancouver Mural Festival – Artist Grace-Cho. (Mavreen David/Vancouver Mural Festival)
Vancouver Mural Festival – Mural Tour. (Gabriel Martins/Vancouver Mural Festival)