Arts Umbrella Annual 'SPLASH' Gala Raises Over $1.5M at the Historic Fairmont Vancouver

Leveraging innovation and creativity to overcome challenges of the current global pandemic, Arts Umbrella – Canada’s leading non-profit organization for youth arts education – held its most successful event to date with another unique adaptation of its annual Splash Art Auction & Gala. For an incredible 39-years, Arts Umbrella has connected guests at Splash with acclaimed artists from BC and beyond and has raised more than $9 million in net proceeds to date.

Held on Saturday, October 23 and presented by Nicola Wealth, the flagship fundraiser raised over $1.5 million and welcomed more than 600 art aficionados, patrons, creatives, and business and community leaders, virtually and in-person at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, for an evening of entertainment, student performances, and a spectacular art auction. Funds raised from the event go towards vital scholarships and bursaries, helping to ensure young people from across Metro Vancouver have equitable access to the arts.

Bidders were also enticed to open their hearts with a fabulous Tiffany & Co. Raffle of a gorgeous HardWear graduated link necklace in 18K valued at $16,200. Generously donated and with only 250 tickets available, this raffle sold out very quickly!

Building on the success of last year’s hybrid event, this year’s event drew a sell-out, in-person crowd, while guests across Canada and beyond engaged with the live broadcast and art auction bidding from home. The creative format proved successful, surpassing funds raised at past Splash events, demonstrating the community’s unwavering commitment to the organization’s mission.

“I am incredibly proud of what we achieved at this year’s Splash Art Auction & Gala,” says Paul Larocque, President & CEO of Arts Umbrella. “The success of this year’s event is a testament to Arts Umbrella’s creativity and resiliency as well as the community’s commitment to youth arts education. The funds raised this year are remarkable and will allow us to continue inspiring young peoples’ lives for the better.”

In advance of the live event on October 23, guests and the public were able to browse and place bids on artworks donated by renowned artists such as Stan Douglas, Dana Claxton, and Angela Grossmann. The event, emceed by personalities Gloria Macarenko and Fred Lee, and co-chaired by avid arts supporters Christie Garofalo and Bruce Munro Wright, brought the live auction experience to all with auctioneer Hank Bull interacting with the venue guests in real-time.

3 Works of Art that Captured Our Hearts

Dana Claxton | Hand Tooled (4 Ellen)
Dana Claxton is a critically acclaimed international exhibiting artist. She works in film, video, photography, single and multi-channel video installation, and performance art. Her practice investigates indigenous beauty, the body, the socio-political and the spiritual. She is Head and a Professor in the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory with the University of British Columbia. She is a member of the Wood Mountain Lakota First Nations located in SW Saskatchewan and she resides in Vancouver Canada.

Richard Henriquez | Covid Totems
Jamaica-born Richard Henriquez, is an internationally known architect and artist who lives in Vancouver. He received a Master in Architecture and Urban Design from MIT and is the founding principal partner of Henriquez Partners Architects. For decades, Henriquez has also maintained an artistic practice based on his long-standing fascination with wooden tripods. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and the recipient of the RAIC Gold Medal in Architecture.

Lincoln Clarkes | Flight Attendants, Seattle
Award-winning, art school dropout photographer Lincoln Clarkes has three books to his credit—Heroines (2002), Views (2007), and Cyclists (2013). The subject of two documentaries and numerous philosophical essays, his work depicts a range of topics in his signature style, from his acclaimed series on female addiction to Paris and London fashion, Texas women, ruins in Detroit, Toronto cyclists, and working-class candids. Collector Bob Rennie recently acquired hundreds of Clarkes’ photographs and archive for an upcoming museum exhibition.

Friends of Folio.YVR – Artists We Love to Support

We have attended SPLASH, in all its vibrant and enticing glory, for many years now and when artists we have worked with in the past are involved, it is time for a shout-out!

Lyle XOX | Pet Therapy
After growing up in a small town of less than 200 people in rural Saskatchewan, Lyle XOX relocated to Vancouver. In 2019, he was named as one of the Vogue World 100 for pushing boundaries in art, beauty and style. That year, XOX also released his book Lyle XOX: Head of Design and was hosted by both the Dutch fashion house Viktor&Rolf and Cirque du Soleil to witness his process. Recently, CBC produced a full-length documentary, Random is my Favourite Colour.

Miriam Aroeste | Story Half Written
Contemporary artist Miriam Aroeste is interested in depicting authentic, spontaneous emotion and experience in colourful, abstract ways. Her Splash 2021 contribution is from the series Humo (oo-moh), the Spanish word for smoke. The series evokes a visual perception through smoke where objects seem to be or not be real. These ethereal works insinuate a sensual veil that tantalizes the view by simultaneously letting you see without seeing.

A Heartfelt Thank-You to All

A heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this year’s SPLASH 2021 such an incredible success. From the dedicated MCs, to the talented Arts Umbrella performers, to the back of house staff, the tireless volunteers, and to the patrons who through their love of philanthropy and art, make this annual event so incredible!

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Luxury Lifestyle Observer: Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, and digital women's lifestyle magazine EcoLuxLifestyle.co. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.

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