Youth Arts Council of Surrey celebrates youth imagination and creatives in new exhibit

The Youth Arts Council of Surrey (YACOS) is hosting an art exhibit celebrating the imagination of young and emerging creatives in the city. The exhibit, Young Artists in Surrey, is on display at the Newton Cultural Centre Gallery until July 29, featuring artists aged between 13 to 21 years. 

Uplifting youth voices, this exhibit celebrates the value of young artists and highlights how their work contributes not only to their own creative growth, but also the vibrancy of the broader community. 

Today’s youth are growing up in a rapidly changing world, and it is essential to showcase the many ways they express their lived experiences and unique identities through art. Much of the work in the exhibit reflects the lived experiences of the young participants, including pieces that explore the queer experience, mental health, and cultural history, truly capturing the diversity of the local youth arts scene. 

The exhibit has attracted attention from Kwantlen Polytechnic University students across the fine arts department and beyond. Fashion design and technology student and Pride peer leader Destiny Lang created a striking recreation of a mid-1860s corset.

Student Arden Howard contributed vibrant bird portraits, and Liam Ruel, a KPU graduate, co-founder of the Pride Society, and also a Pride peer leader, showcased delicate ceramic pieces, all of which visitors can see at the exhibit. 

With the gallery conveniently located near the KPU Surrey campus, this exhibit is a perfect opportunity for students to explore the local arts scene and gain experience presenting their work publicly. 

For many of the participating artists, this is their first exhibit, which provided an opportunity to showcase their work in a professional gallery setting, demonstrating that young artists are just as talented, valuable, and deserving of recognition as their older counterparts. 

The exhibition’s reception took place earlier this month, drawing in artists, friends, and families to celebrate everyone on display. Each participating artist received a certificate in recognition of their contributions.

While numerous art exhibits take place across the city each year, this is one of the few dedicated solely to platforming youth. 

The Youth Arts Council of Surrey plans to make this an annual exhibition, ensuring that youth across the city, including KPU students, continue to have opportunities to express their voices through art and connect with Surrey’s diverse creative community.

YACOS is one of the only art programs in Metro Vancouver that is both completely free and exclusively focused on supporting young artists. Founded in 2004, the organization connects youth with local art opportunities and provides a platform for showcasing emerging talent. 

Every year, the council hosts a wide range of vibrant performances, engaging workshops, exciting contests, and diverse art exhibits like this one. The art council’s commitment to supporting youth artists extends to its leadership as well.

As the current program coordinator, I was once a YACOS member myself as a teenager. Now, a KPU student in my 20s, I’ve returned to lead the council, hoping to give back to the community.