
A sample of public art installations in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Last updated: October 2019
You can find public art throughout the city of Vancouver, British Columbia – at civic buildings, in parks and public spaces, on street corners, in transit shelters, on walls and fences, in community gardens, and places of business. The city has a strong Public Art Program that views public art as a integral component of anything the city builds. It works with artists, communities, and private developers. The program supports permanent and temporary installations, providing an ever-changing landscape of public art.
During my visits to Vancouver over the last few years, I’ve seen a small but fascinating sample of Vancouver’s public art, a combination of Public Art Program installations and other initiatives. I share some of that now to give you a little taste of Vancouver’s public art.
The bird in the photograph at the front of this post sits in Southeast False Creek Olympic Plaza. It is one of a pair of sparrows created by Vancouver artist Myfanwy MacLeod. At 18 feet tall, the sculptures invert the normal relationship between humans and these typically small birds. According to the City of Vancouver artwork information, “the work attempts to highlight both the lighter and graver sides of what can happen when a non-native species is introduced to an environment, how the beauty of the birds can sometimes mask their threat to biodiversity.”









At the corner of Cornwall and Burrard, a 16-foot-long horizontal cedar log, a 7-foot high carved cedar log sculpture, and 16 granite and sanstone boulders welcome you to the neighbourhood of Kitsilano. The log was cut from a tree blown down by strong winds in Stanley Park. The cedar log sculpture depicts scenes of the community past and present. The sign was designed by Kitsilano resident Jim Kostyniuk and carved by BC artist Pete Ryan.

You can find art throughout the city beyond that sponsored by the city’s Public Art Program.


Visit the Vancouver City Public Art site to find out about public art installations in Vancouver and download self-guided walking tours. If you’re interested in murals, head to the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, which is home to a collection of large-scale murals thanks to the Vancouver Mural Festival, which runs for a week in August. Each year new murals are created. The murals stay up for at least two years. The Vancouver Mural Festival has begun to work on projects in other areas of the city, such as Strathtcona and the Downtown Eastside.
I look forward to discovering more of Vancouver’s public art on future visits to the city.
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14 Comments
Neva Fels
July 16, 2014 at 10:29 amI can’t help but vote on the weirdest (headless walking figures), larger than life (sparrow that I feel are a useless) bird, a place to stick your gum? I would’ve stuck it in his eye for encouraging this act. I saw so many “male” public figures in London, that I can’t get the Blue Turkey statue out of my mind – favourite? No, just memorable.
Donna Janke
July 16, 2014 at 12:35 pmI saw the Blue Turkey statue in London last summer. It sure sticks out.
Betsy Wuebker
July 16, 2014 at 10:49 amThe gum head wins! It’s partly horrifying, which makes it naughty fun! Thanks for the tour. Love Vancouver.
Donna Janke
July 16, 2014 at 12:36 pmThe gum head is pretty strange. It will be interesting to see what it looks like in late August with lots more gum on it.
The GypsyNesters
July 16, 2014 at 11:43 amLove the Drop! Can’t believe we haven’t made it to Vancouver yet, got to get there!
Donna Janke
July 16, 2014 at 12:37 pmLots to see in Vancouver. I will have another post with more photos from Vancouver in the next couple of weeks.
Karen Warren
July 16, 2014 at 12:21 pmI love cities that have lots of public art. Not sure about that head though!
Donna Janke
July 16, 2014 at 12:39 pmPublic art seems to becoming more popular in a lot of cities. Some of it, such as the gumhead, seems designed to generate conversation.
Doreen Pendgracs
July 18, 2014 at 11:03 amDon’t you just love street art, Donna? Thx for introducing me to the street art of Vancouver. I particularly find the headless figures to be striking!
Donna Janke
July 20, 2014 at 8:51 amI do love street art. There is a larger collection of the headless figures called Agora in Chicago’s Grant Park. Should be interesting, but I haven’t seen it.
Leora
July 18, 2014 at 1:33 pmThe walking figures are both creepy and artsy at the same time – they capture my interest. I’m also enjoying the orca fountain. Love the collection of art you have found.
Donna Janke
July 20, 2014 at 8:51 amThanks Leora. The walking figures are intriguing.
brenda janke
July 19, 2014 at 12:14 amI love public art. I can’ believe I haven’t seen some of these.
Donna Janke
July 20, 2014 at 8:52 amYou can hunt some of them (and others) out next time you’re in Vancouver.