About VAC

The Visual Arts Centre (VAC) is the largest bilingual independent art school in Canada. Founded originally as The Potters’ Club in 1946, the Centre has been involved in the teaching of art for over 70 years. As a vibrant contributor to the city’s cultural life, the VAC offers accessible, excellent art education through its school of art (with over 300 courses and nearly 4000 student registrations each year). With courses taught by professional artists and art educators, the VAC offers diverse community members high-calibre art education. Importantly, the VAC’s McClure Gallery is a highly respected venue for the exhibition of contemporary art, which is open to all and offers dynamic art education programming. A cultural space with a strong commitment to community, the VAC represents a lively meeting place for artists, teachers, and students where exchange, engagement, and inspiration are fostered. With its open door policy and central location in the city, the VAC is an active promoter of the visual arts in the broader society.

Mandate

• To offer excellence and accessibility in the education and presentation of the visual arts.
• To provide a welcoming, inclusive, and stimulating environment that encourages the development of skill, creativity, and critical thinking in each student.
• To address the needs of the community through arts programming.
• To promote and advocate for the role and benefits of the visual arts in broader society.
• To employ art education as a means to support, enhance, and promote social justice efforts.

We would like to reiterate that we, as an organization, support our community members in expressing their own personal and political beliefs as long as they are not in violation of our community policies. 

In accordance with our EDI Policy, as well as our anti-harassment policy and anti-violence policy, we believe that our community has the inherent right to feel that their voices are equally heard and valued, to feel that their unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are welcomed, honoured, and celebrated and to experience a safe and inclusive environment for learning, making, and collaborating. All VAC community members have the obligation to respect VAC community members’ privacy and personal boundaries and to respect people’s beliefs, ideas, and identities.

Read our entire EDI policy:

DEI Policy – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the VAC

Other Policies:

Anti-Harassment

Non-Violence

Privacy Policy