Artists Permit Regulations

Walk Along English Bay or Painters' Circle by the Vancouver Aquarium and watch local artists at work. If you are a local artist interested in obtaining a permit, the Vancouver Park Board allows a limited number of artists to exhibit and sell art in designated locations within parks.

Locations:

• English Bay Map 
• Stanley Park Map 
• Queen Elizabeth Park Map 

High Season: April 1 – September 30
Low Season: January 1 – March 31 and October 1 – December 31

Fees and charges

How to Apply for a Permit

Click here for a list of permit fees

Please download and complete an Application Form

1. Email to parkevents@vancouver.ca; or
   
2. Fax to 604-257-8501

New artists must email three (3) images to parkevents@vancouver.ca or drop off 3 samples of work for approval at Vancouver Park Board Office – 2099 Beach Avenue. These samples can be picked up after approval. A permit is given upon approval of the Arts and Culture Consultant or designate. No jury process is in effect but artists may be refused permits based on suitability of work for public viewing.

An artist must be 19 years of age and must live in the Lower Mainland (defined as Hope to Whistler) – proof of residence is required (BC Care Card or BC Driver's License).

Display of Art Work

All work must be the original work of the permitted artist. Display or sale of reproductions is not permitted. The media are limited as follows:

• 2-dimensional work
• watercolour
• oil
• acrylic
• pastel
• charcoal
• pencil
• ink

Spray paint, newsprint, crafts, prints, cards and sculptures are not permitted.

Painters are divided into two (2) categories:

• Portrait; and
• Other/Landscape

"Other" may include any style of painting that does not include live portraiture of park visitors.

Permits granted to "Other" artists at Queen Elizabeth are limited (6 permits).

Permits granted to portrait artists are limited in number at both the Queen Elizabeth (2 permits) and Stanley Park (12 permits). Sites and are not interchangeable. Portrait artist may also do caricatures.

Permits granted to caricature artists are limited in number to two (2) at Stanley Park and are included in the total of twelve (12) portrait artists.

Two (2) photographers and two (2) printmakers may be permitted at the Queen Elizabeth site only.

Printmakers and photographers may display only one (1) master print at any one time. Photographers must provide model release when applicable. Printmakers may exhibit limited prints produced individually by the artist from the original plate.

Exhibits and Exhibit Area

Artists will choose from one of the five designated zones at the time of application. Permits will indicate the specific zone assigned to artists and cannot be transferred.

As the intent is to exhibit and demonstrate the process of producing art, artists are required to do some on-site painting or drawing.

Portrait artists in Stanley Park will regulate site selection by lottery at an agreed upon time. All other artists will choose their site on a first-come basis. No spot is designated for any particular artist.

Inside Ring - 20' x 6' (6m x 2m)
Outside Ring – 20' x 9' (6m x 3m)

Each artist in the "Other" category is limited to a 6m (20 ft) by 2m (6 ft). This is for a single row of artwork with a suggested maximum of ten (10) easels or two (2) rows of paintings alternated for easy viewing in 3m (10 ft) of space. All excess materials must be removed from the site.

All work is to be displayed on standard art easels or approved display stands and the top of paintings may not exceed 1.5m (5 ft) in height. Portable walls or booths are not allowed. Paintings may not be stacked in piles. In Stanley Park artists and equipment may not be set-up on pavements.

The setting-up of equipment, etc. signifies that the artist is in attendance. Easels may not be set-up in the early morning to save a place.

Equipment left unattended for a period of more than 30 minutes at any one time is in violation and subject to removal.

An artist working and exhibiting his/her paintings at Painters' Circle (and at the overflow areas) must have their permit with them and display it at all times. Artists may also display a card (maximum 5" x 7") indicating name, address and phone if they so choose.

Areas may be subject to maintenance closures and therefore artists need to observe maintenance postings on-site.

Policies Specific to Portrait Artists

Portrait artists may have a maximum of eight (8) easels and display up to six (6) samples of work. Up to five (5) must be from life. Black and white samples are to be completed in 45 minutes; colour in 90 minutes. One (1) display sample may feature a famous model done from a photograph, (i.e. either a sample or a work in progress). Work in progress on easel must change at least weekly. Samples may be changed at any time.

All samples must accurately reflect the work the artist can do on-site and the quality of work sold on-site must be equivalent to samples displayed.

Use of newsprint is not permitted for portraits. All portraits on paper (except vellum) must be sprayed with fixative.

Artists will guarantee the public the right to refuse a portrait or to have a refund within the day of purchase.

Artists may not sell portraits or mats for less than the price agreed upon by the majority of artists.

Artists may not enter into agreement with each other to support each other or collaborate in breaking the rules.

Portrait artists will annually elect a committee of portrait artists to resolve disputes and represent their interests and inform the Park Board of violations of regulations.

Current permit holders must renew their permit in a calendar year in order to maintain their ability to keep a permit.

Regulations

Park By-laws must be observed. Artists will behave in such a way as to maintain harmony in the park. Artists will not comment on the work of other artists.

Artists will not pressure the public to buy any work, matting or packaging. Artists will not leave their area, enter another artist's area to pursue customers or solicit customers from another artist's area.

No animals, picnic barbecues, canopies, tarps and amplified sound are permitted. Only radio/CD players with earphones may be used on-site.

Artists who do not choose to abide by regulations will be sent a letter of warning by the Coordinator for Arts and Culture. A second infraction will result in forfeiture of permit without refund. The Coordinator reserves the right to revoke the artist's permit immediately if the artist's behaviour, in the opinion of the Coordinator, is incompatible with the goals of the program.

Parking

Artist's Permit Parking Permits are offered to the artists in recognition of the need to transport paintings, easels and other materials to the designated exhibition areas. These permits are offered for considerably less than the standard Stanley Park Parking Permits. The Artist's Permit Parking Permits are only valid for the parking areas in the vicinity of the exhibition areas.

In the vicinity of Painters' Circle and adjacent overflow areas this includes:

• the roadway and parking lot by the Information Booth
• Aquarium/Brockton roadway
• Lumbermen's Arch Park parking lot

In the vicinity of the English Bay this includes:

• the roadway by the Lawn Bowling Club
• Ceperley roadway and parking lot

* Please contact VINCI Parking at 604-684-6634 if you wish to purchase passes valid for ALL parking lots.

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