About

who we are

Our mission at Arts New West is to bring community together through the Arts.

Founded in 1967 as the Arts Council of New Westminster, Arts New West is a not-for-profit community arts organisation built by artists and arts groups with a shared interest in visual, performing, and literary arts. Our goal is to foster, support and promote the arts for all age groups, cultures and Indigenous community members.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our 2024 – 2027 Strategic Plan.

Achieving Our Mission

To bring community together through the Arts

Arts New West meets our mission by fostering, supporting, and promoting arts for all age groups, cultures and Indigenous community members. We do this by:

Mandate/core values

Inspiration & Artistic Excellence

Providing meaningful experiences in a welcoming environment for visitors, participants and volunteers by offering a variety of high-quality artistic experiences for all ages; and creating opportunities to nurture and support our artists, so they may continue to grow and strive for artistic excellence.

Diversity and Recognition

Creating a broad range of programs and gallery exhibitions to reflect the diversity of our community; and being inclusive and respectful of all cultures which have influenced both the history of and present-day New Westminster.

Partnerships

Involving and reaching out to others in formal, informal, new and established projects and working with the City and other like-minded community groups to ensure an arts presence in all celebrations and events.

Partnering with the Indigenous Communities

Holding and creating space for Indigenous communities so as to provide opportunities to engage in artistic experiences and performances; and creating an awareness and appreciation of Indigenous cultures within the larger community of New Westminster.

Governance

Ensuring the use of fair and transparent processes that adhere to principles of accountability, independence, merit, and equity.

Communications and Engagement

Ensuring active communication and community engagement through our approach to planning, strategic directions and goals and program development, so as to serve and maintain relevancy to members and to the community.

Annual General Meeting

November 24, 2024

Join us for a look back at 2024 and look ahead to another great year of community arts with Arts New West.

Thank you to everyone who joined us – see you in 2025!

2024 Annual Reports

Land Recognition

At Arts New West, we live and work on the unceded, traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the QayQayt Nation as well as all Coast Salish Nations.

Hear from our Indigenous community.

About Chief Rhonda Larrabee

Chief Rhonda Larrabee led the Qayqayt First Nation from invisibility to a community of almost 100 documented members and continues to serve as the elected Chief of the Nation. Her story is captured in the award winning National Film Board of Canada documentary “A Tribe of One.”

Membership

Arts New West is a member of: