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Splash Returns: 100 Original Works, One Unmissable September

Arts Umbrella’s Splash Art Auction returns for its 44th year on October 3, bringing together art, culture, and philanthropy for one of Canada’s most anticipated charitable art events. This fall, the public is invited inside Splash through a free, month-long exhibition at the Pendulum Gallery, offering a rare, up-close opportunity to view the collection before it heads to auction.

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For the three weeks leading up to the gala, the exhibition at 855 W. Georgia Street will showcase approximately 100 original works generously donated by established and emerging Canadian artists. Online bidding is open, and every purchase helps fund Arts Umbrella‘s arts programming for young people.

Step Inside the Splash Art Collection

Whether a passionate collector, an art enthusiast, or simply curious, visitors will find works by some of today’s most compelling voices in Canadian art, including:

Andrew Dadson, whose multidisciplinary practice explores painting, photography, installation, and the natural environment
Greg Girard, documenting the social and physical transformations of Asia’s cities, currently exhibiting a major retrospective at The Polygon Gallery
Landon Mackenzie, known for large-scale immersive paintings exploring abstraction, memory, and place, with an upcoming exhibition at the Gallery at Evergreen Arts this September
Edward Burtynsky, celebrated for monumental photographs of industrial landscapes
Marie Khouri, a Paris- and Vancouver-based sculptor bridging art and design
Don Yeomans, a Haida artist renowned for formline design, carving, and printmaking
Jake Kimble, a Chipewyan (Dëne Sųłıné) multidisciplinary artist and curator from Treaty 8 territory
Moses Salihou, a Cameroonian artist blending abstraction with portraiture
Johnny Pootoogook, an acclaimed Inuk artist from Kinngait (Cape Dorset), Nunavut
Sarah Anne Johnston, whose imaginative photographic works blend constructed scenes and digital interventions

The complete Splash 2026 collection is online, making it easy for supporters across Canada and around the world to browse and bid from anywhere.

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The Splash Gala: Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

The exhibition culminates in the 44th annual Splash Art Auction, presented by Nicola Wealth and co-chaired for the tenth year by Christie Garofalo and Bruce Munro Wright, OBC. Hosted by Fred Lee and Gloria Macarenko, the evening will feature an elegant reception and dinner, performances by the Arts Umbrella Dance Company and the Pre-Professional Musical Theatre Troupe, and a live auction led by auctioneer and contributing artist Hank Bull. New this year, guests can pose for a red carpet moment sponsored by MaxMara and enter for a chance to win a sapphire bracelet donated by Clara Agopian.

Paul Larocque, President & CEO of Arts Umbrella, captured the spirit of the evening: “For more than four decades, Splash has celebrated the generosity of Canada’s artistic community while opening the door to life-changing arts education for young people. The Pendulum Gallery exhibition gives everyone a chance to experience this incredible collection, while every bid helps empower the next generation to lead creative, courageous, and authentic lives.”

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Every Bid Opens a Door

Arts Umbrella is Canada’s leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to arts education for children and youth. Proceeds from Splash support the organization’s multidisciplinary programming, which serves approximately 20,000 young people each year through scholarships, bursaries, and community programs. Nearly 80% of students access programming at no cost, thanks to donor funding.

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Tickets are available at artsumbrella.com/splash-tickets, and supporters without a ticket are invited to join via the event’s online livestream.

Preview photography by Micheal San Felipe.
Gala photography by Jamie-Lee Fuoco.

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Luxury Lifestyle Observer: Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Communications & Marketing Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury and luxury lifestyle niches. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read business magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and is an EIC for Hire. Connect with her here: [email protected].