Artist Survival & Healing Fund: A Symbiotic Artist Care Fund

Artist Care Fundraiser 2024

The Artist Care Fundraiser is back! Join us for a night of music and community, while raising money for the Artist Care Fund. In partnership with Timbre Concerts we will be holding a fundraising concert on April 13th, 2024 at the Fox Cabaret featuring Leo D.E. Johnson, Kristina Lao and Khari McClelland!

This event is a joyous celebration of the Artist Care Fund, a groundbreaking fund like no other providing tangible support for artists who need it. We implore you to support us and this fund by attending this wonderful evening of live music, and community care.

Artist Care Fundraiser
April 13th, 7pm
Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main St


Tickets can be purchased, and donations can be made on Canada Helps.
The Artist Care Fundraiser is presented in partnership with Timbre Concerts.
All donations of $25 and above eligible for tax receipt.

Fundraiser Tickets
Accessibility Offerings

About The Fund

The Vines Artist Survival and Healing Fund provides opportunities to give artists holistic support without the bureaucratic processes that hinder the relationship with not only the artist, but the community as a whole. Funds raised are allocated for a variety of reasons; healing and wellness practices, culturally relevant training, accessing supplies and tools, time sensitive emergencies. Vines goes beyond solely delivering the community unique, powerful and immersive performances that are accessible to all residents of the city. It supports, nurtures and advocates for artists as well.

The Artist Survival and Healing Fund is visioned and held by Black, Indigenous and folks of colour. Artists who are migrants, houseless, queer, trans and disabled.  Vines Art Society is an organization and festival that is responsive to and nurturing of artists that are working toward land, water and relational justice. Vines brings imagination to everyday spaces by presenting performances, installations and workshops for free across parks on the unceded territories of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Art is a story; and we were fortunate enough to bear witness to hundreds of them at Vines Art Festival. By prioritizing the lived experiences of QTBIPOC and Disabled artists, we are fostering honest ongoing relationships and conversations amongst each other. We are creating a community ecosystem that creates and heals in our own parks. Supporting the Vines Artist Survival & Healing fund means championing the vision of a brighter future with more of us in it.

Donate to our Artist Survival and Healing Fund on CanadaHelps

All donations $25 and over are eligible for a tax receipt.

2024 Fundraising Campaign

Help Vines Art Society raise $40,000 between February 26th - August 17th for this crucial life saving low-barrier to access holistic support!

As cost of living increases and artist fees and opportunities remain similar to pre pandemic rates we have had an increase of requests for medical emergencies and survival needs. This fund has been the difference between artists keeping their housing or making it through a health crisis - your support is what allows us to be this lifeline for artists in need. 

In partnership with Timbre Concerts we will be holding a fundraising concert on April 13th, 2024 at the Fox Cabaret featuring Leo D.E. Johnson, Kristina Lao and Khari McClelland! Tickets will be available soon.

We can’t overstate how crucial your support of this fund is to our community. Please stay tuned for more sponsor and partner fundraising events! If you are interested in supporting this initiative, becoming a partner or making in-kind contributions please email info@vinesartfestival.com.

Donate Now

Mycelium | Artist Care

The ways in which we communicate need is very similar to the ways in which the trees and plants around us communicate via mycelium, a network of exterior synapses firing off chemical messages, moving nutrients and immune protecting protocols. Mycelium builds communities that create healthy relationships.

The Artist Survival and Healing Fund and Artist Care Program gives artists holistic support without the bureaucratic processes that hinder the relationship with not only the artist but the community as a whole.

Reinvesting in the Community

It has been reflected back to us in our community consultation process that Vines organically fits into the role of holding an Artist Care service. We have been nurturing meaningful relationships for the past several years and know that the only way forward is collectively.

Holistic Support —
Without the Bureaucracy

The Artist Care Program provides opportunities to give artists holistic support without the bureaucratic processes that hinder the relationship with not only the artist, but the community as a whole. Our Artist Care model is designed to ensure supplies and supports are distributed for survival and healing needs while also protecting the longevity of our Ecosystem.

A one-time show of support, made at a critical time and in a timely manner, can make all the difference to someone facing crisis due to the financial instability artists have long been told is their lot in life.

Vision

This project is visioned and held by artists whose knowledge comes from their lived experience facing marginalization that leads to financial barriers and believe that the ability to create art needs to be accessible, safe and accountable. Specifically being led by people who are Black, Indigenous, of colour, migrants, houseless, queer, trans, and disabled artists of varying capacities and needs to ensure no one is left behind in forming this promise of futurity.

Our Services Include

Mutual-aid, peer-to-peer fundraising, volunteer support, and community outreach, all with the goal of providing nimble, timely support for artists to meet their essential physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs.

Funds are dispersed for:

  • Time Sensitive Support
  • Culturally Relevant Training
  • Health, Wellness and Preventative Support
  • Tools and Supplies

The Ask

Our Goal is to reach $40,000 by August 17, 2024.

Art is a story; and we were fortunate enough to bear witness to hundreds of them at Vines Art Festival. We are prioritizing the lived experiences of QTBIPOC and Disabled artists and fostering honest ongoing relationships and conversations amongst each other. We are creating a community ecosystem that creates and heals in our own parks. Supporting the Vines Artist Survival & Healing fund means championing the vision of a brighter future with more of us in it.

The Artist Care Fund was a real lifesaver for me. I was able to keep on-top of paying rent and medication in the slow season (I am a junior tattoo artist). Since I am chronically ill and technically run my own business it’s hard to keep on top of my expensive medical bills and a studio for working out of. Was a nice break in a time I’m usually extremely stressed out. Thanks for what y’all do !!!

The Vines Artist Care Fund supported me when it felt like I was on the verge of drowning in my finances (twice!). As a marginalized artist in this city who struggles to ask for help when in need, the Vines team made it so easy for me to reach out and receive support in a number of ways, not only financially. Because of this support I was able to take more care for myself without over-exerting in order to secure funds, causing more burnout. You never know what life will throw at you, but one thing I do know is that in terms of community, Vines has your back.

Thanks to the support of the Artist Care Fund I have been able to sustain my art practice as my main form of income. As a racialized immigrant who doesn’t have access to reliable employment, my art practice has been a way to sustain myself. The financial support Vines has given me has been used towards the purchase of tote bags that I can print and sell my art on (among other art materials), they have also supported me in buying essential things like groceries and healthcare. It’s always important to support artists by buying their art but when we don’t have groceries or have chronic injuries it becomes impossible to even create art and Vines has shown me compassion and support in a way that they prioritize my well-being before how much art I can produce. Without Vines support throughout last year I wouldn’t be able to afford my basic necessities, to the point that I doubted I could remain in Canada.

vines artist care fund was instrumental in ensuring i had food and housing security during a crisis so i was able to maintain & advance my artistic practice.

These funds kept my head above the water line. I was able to take care of my basic needs and also take care of my emotional and mental needs and paid for a few therapy sessions. These funds also helped pay for much needed transportation for me to stay connected to my community.

The Artist Care Fund was a real lifesaver for me. I was able to keep on-top of paying rent and medication in the slow season (I am a junior tattoo artist). Since I am chronically ill and technically run my own business it’s hard to keep on top of my expensive medical bills and a studio for working out of. Was a nice break in a time I’m usually extremely stressed out. Thanks for what y’all do !!!

The Vines Artist Care Fund supported me when it felt like I was on the verge of drowning in my finances (twice!). As a marginalized artist in this city who struggles to ask for help when in need, the Vines team made it so easy for me to reach out and receive support in a number of ways, not only financially. Because of this support I was able to take more care for myself without over-exerting in order to secure funds, causing more burnout. You never know what life will throw at you, but one thing I do know is that in terms of community, Vines has your back.

Thanks to the support of the Artist Care Fund I have been able to sustain my art practice as my main form of income. As a racialized immigrant who doesn’t have access to reliable employment, my art practice has been a way to sustain myself. The financial support Vines has given me has been used towards the purchase of tote bags that I can print and sell my art on (among other art materials), they have also supported me in buying essential things like groceries and healthcare. It’s always important to support artists by buying their art but when we don’t have groceries or have chronic injuries it becomes impossible to even create art and Vines has shown me compassion and support in a way that they prioritize my well-being before how much art I can produce. Without Vines support throughout last year I wouldn’t be able to afford my basic necessities, to the point that I doubted I could remain in Canada.

vines artist care fund was instrumental in ensuring i had food and housing security during a crisis so i was able to maintain & advance my artistic practice.

These funds kept my head above the water line. I was able to take care of my basic needs and also take care of my emotional and mental needs and paid for a few therapy sessions. These funds also helped pay for much needed transportation for me to stay connected to my community.