Surrey offers a vibrant, emerging arts scene, and was honoured by the federal government as the Cultural Capital of Canada for 2008. Discover artistic talent throughout the sprawling city's six town centres.
Surrey Arts Centre
Nestled at the edge of Bear Creek Park, the Surrey Arts Centre (13750 88 Ave) is home to the Surrey Art Gallery, which hosts a wide range of rotating exhibitions featuring local and international artists. Recent themed shows have included Pop Prints, focusing on the creativity of 20th-Century artists like Andy Warhol and David Hockney, and Heaven's Breath, a new media installation interconnecting images of the Hindu god Shiva with contemporary digital technology. The Surrey Arts Centre also has two theatres that present plays, live music, and dance performances. Browse the gift shop for pottery, paintings, jewelry, and more by local artisans.
Mikelson Mind and Matter Art Gallery
For more than 40 years, the Mikelson Mind and Matter Art Gallery (13743 16 Ave) has attracted art lovers. It's named after late founder Arnold Mikelson, a renowned Latvian-born Surrey resident, who specialized in wood sculptures. The 185sq m/2,000sq ft gallery sells soapstone carvings, paintings, glasswares and other creations by various artists. The Mikelson Mind and Matter Gallery is open daily in the afternoon.
Surrey's Public Art
More than 30 public art features spice up Surrey's vast landscape. Admire the huge "Tree of Life" woodcut print at the Semiahmoo Library (1815 152 St), the "From Frozen Ponds" hockey mural on the Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex (16555 Fraser Hwy), or the poetic Memory Stones display at Crescent Beach, to name a few examples. Check out the Tourism Surrey website for more details on public art, or phone the Public Art Coordinator at 604-501-5537.
Arts Events & Festivals
The Arts Council of Surrey promotes visual, performing, and literary arts in the community. Its initiatives include juried art exhibitions at area galleries and shopping malls, and events like the annual Surrey Festival of Dance and the BC Cultural Crawl. In addition, the Arts Council of Surrey supports the Surrey International Writers Conference, which takes place each October at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel, and regularly features star authors like Diana Gabaldon and Jack Whyte.