Surrey Art Gallery in British Columbia will host a free art party on January 17, 2026, to launch its winter exhibition season. The event features the group exhibition "remember the earth, remember the sky," inspired by a Joy Harjo poem and focused on ancestral connections through land, air, and memory, with works by early-career artists and pieces from the gallery's permanent collection by Salish artists. Also opening are solo shows by Zachery Cameron Longboy ("HOST") and Atheana Picha, along with the exhibition "What Bodies Know" reflecting on lived experiences in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The evening includes artist talks, a piñata breaking, and hands-on artmaking workshops.
The event matters because it highlights Surrey Art Gallery's commitment to accessible, community-engaged contemporary art programming, particularly centering Indigenous perspectives and early-career artists. By offering free admission and interactive elements like collaborative sculpture and ancestral playlists, the gallery fosters inclusive cultural participation and strengthens local artistic networks in the Vancouver area. The exhibitions also demonstrate how regional institutions can address broader themes of identity, place, and social conditions through diverse media and community dialogue.