
The Community Arts Fund grant provides support for the planning, creation, and execution of projects that focus on building community through arts-related engagement. Both organizations and individuals may apply to create projects that will help to build bridges of understanding, community confidence, and support in the City of Vancouver. Projects that serve the Downtown Eastside (DTES) community will receive special consideration as the fund was originally founded on supporting the DTES and has since expanded to reach the wider City of Vancouver community.
2024/2025 Selected Projects

BIG TOP Art Tent
"Big Top Art " is a community art initiative in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver put on by Andrew Dadson and Alex Stursberg, two Vancouver based artists and community volunteers. We are partnering with the Carnegie Community Centre to provide a weekly low-barrier art school taking place at Oppenheimer park every Sunday. All people are welcome to attend art classes taught by a professional art teacher and use the pop-up space to make artworks on site and develop their portfolios. Art supplies to produce paintings, drawings, and some forms of sculpture will be provided to attendees while working at the school all under the guidance of a certified art teacher. The aim of the school is to provide art therapy, harm reduction and learning opportunities in an environment that is as inclusive as possible.

VUFFF
The Vancouver Urban Food Forest Foundation (VUFFF) will partner with a number of artists in the
neighbourhood to provide a variety of arts-based, knowledge-sharing workshops that happen out of our
fieldhouse at Burrardview Park and at Chenchenstway Garden at Oxford Park.
These in person
experiences will be free to attend and materials will be provided.
Our main goal is to create ongoing, low barrier opportunities for neighbours of the garden and food forest
to connect with each other through the arts, learn something new and feel a sense of belonging in these
spaces we steward. Our inspiration will be the plants and food in the garden and food forest, the values
that guide our work and creating meaningful arts-based gatherings with our partner organizations and co
creators.
Workshops/events will include: sacred fire drumming circle, creative mending, patchwork blanket, plant
sketching and watercolour painting.
2025 Advisory Committee

Vida Mehin
Vida Mehin - Lawyer Vida Mehin has over 20 years experience as a securities lawyer in the public and private sector in Canada and the United States. She has provided advice on capital markets regulation and banking law to market participants. As a mother of four young children, Vida has a particular interest in children's involvement in the arts and women's empowerment in artistic businesses. She is excited to join CACV as a board member to support artists and to foster a vibrant local arts community. Previously, she served as a board member of the Vancouver Ballet Society.

Hazel Yuhang Zhang
Hazel Yuhang Zhang (she/her) is a Vancouver based interdisciplinary artist whose research focuses on the intersection between the environment, community, and the formation of personal identity. Zhang finished her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the visual arts program at the University of British Columbia. Her work has been exhibited in venues like the Hatch Art Gallery, Gallery Gachet and Slice of Life Art Gallery in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Headshot Image Credit: Navin Adchariyavanich.

Ania Salmina
Ania Salmina
Visual Artist and Educator
www.aniasalmina.com
Ania Salmina is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in British Columbia, working in painting and drawing. With a Master’s degree in Architecture and over two decades of creative experience across architecture, visual arts and education, Ania brings a unique perspective to her art practice - one that combines structural awareness with expressive freedom.
Since transitioning full-time into visual arts in 2022, Ania has been actively exhibiting her work in solo and group exhibitions across the Lower Mainland, including The District Foyer Gallery (North Vancouver), The Hearth (Bowen Island), and The Anvil Centre Gallery (New Westminster). Her work explores whimsical proportions, emotional storytelling, and a deep engagement with form and colour.
As a passionate educator, Ania leads community-centred art classes and workshops in urban sketching, figure drawing, and acrylic painting. She is committed to making art accessible and nurturing creativity through thoughtful, hands-on experiences.
Ania's creative journey is deeply rooted in values of community, connection, and care for the environment. Her practice extends beyond the canvas into mentorship, collaboration, and public engagement - building bridges between people through shared artistic exploration.