AFC Festival 2019 – Artist Info & Registration

Call for Art Demos

Gregory Wellman demoing his art.

Artist Live Demos

We still need artists interested in setting up an easel and painting in front of the public - no presentation required - just do your thing indoors or outdoors. It's a great way to engage with the public, meet new people and share your latest work.

Complete the online form

Accommodation

Due to high-season limitations, AFC does not have a specific preferred hotel this year. We recommend researching options online (Expedia, Travelocity, AirBnB, Hotels.com, etc.).

A special shout-out to the following festival sponsors...

Jackson African Safaris partnered with AFC in 2019 and organized a unique safari for artists led by renowned wildlife artist and 2018 Combes Award recipient, Guy Combes. The safari brought together several AFC members and proceeds from the trip supported AFC and Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya. Following its success,we will be announcing a 2020 Safari very soon.

Big Cat Expeditions, founded by renowned AFC artist Ed Spera is offering art safaris in Africa and India focused on big cats. 5% discount for AFC Members.

America West Frames is AFC's Official Framer for the USA and a sponsor of the AFC Exhibit and Festival. We're pleased to let you know that they are offering exclusive discounts to AFC members. Email Amber Nill or call 1 (928) 213-1580

Visit Festival Website

Visit the AFC Website

Silent Skies Mural

4 Sept, 2019

Dear Fellow AFC Artists,

Things are ramping up nicely for this year's AFC Festival with less than four weeks before the main event - September 26-29 at the beautiful VanDusen Botanical Gardens in downtown Vancouver! . We're excited to see many of you planning to return as well as several of you attending the opening for the first time. We can't wait to see you.

All AFC members are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate, even if you are not in the show.

For those artists who are shipping artwork, be sure to log in to your AFC website to print out your shipping and artwork labels. Artwork is due on September 6. Contact us asap if you anticipate a delay.

ARTIST FESTIVAL & DINNER PASS

The opening evening will be divided into two parts: an Artist & Awards dinner (for artists and their guests) and a Grand Opening Reception (for awards dinner guests and public ticket-holders). As in previous years, to cover associated costs for the weekend, each attending artist and guest must register in advance. Your weekend pass covers the following:

Artist Awards Dinner
Grand Opening Reception
VanDusen Botanical Garden 3-Day Festival Pass (includes full access to the gardens)
Bloedel Conservatory morning tour (Sept 27)

Required for all AFC artists (and up to 1 guest) attending the opening/dinner (Sept 26).

Please email us if you are attending with more than one guest/family member. We will do our best to accommodate but space is limited for the artist dinner.

Festival Itinerary Overview

Thurs, Sept 26

9:00am - 11:30am | Sea Safari (Regisration Required)

4:00pm - 5:00pm | Artists Orientation & Exhibit Preview

5:00pm - 6:30pm | Artist Dinner

7:00pm - 10:00pm | Grand Opening Reception

Fri, Sept 27

10:00am - 11:30am | Artist visit to Bloedel Conservatory

9:00am - 6:00pm | Public Festival & Films

7:00pm onward | Artists Night Out*

(*Note that the Artists Night Out is not an official activity but a great social opportunity not far from the Festival. Artists pay their own tab.)

Sat, Sept 28

9:00am - 6:00pm | Public Festival & Exhibit

11:00am - 11:30am | Public Welcome Ceremony

1:00pm - 5:00pm | Artist Demos

1:00pm - 5:00pm | Live Music & Birds of Prey

Sun, Sept 29

9:00am - 4:00pm | Public Festival & Exhibit

1:00pm - 5:00pm | Artist Demos

11:00am - 5:00pm | Live Music & Birds of Prey

5:00pm | Event Closes

Note: Above schedule is tentative and exact times are subject to change (though dates will not change). A detailed program schedule will be distributed (downloadable and printable PDF) closer to the festival dates.

Artist Field Trips

Reserve now. Limited space. Don't miss out!

Artists' Sea Safari | Thurs, Sept 26 | 9am - 12pm

Take a 2-hour tour to experience a morning of boating and wildlife viewing, hosted by Sewell's Marina - a returning sponsor of the festival. Sewell's Marina is located 20 mins from North Vancouver. Note: Trip is weather dependent and could potentially be cancelled at the Marina's or AFC's discretion. Details on transportation to come closer to the event time. Special Sponsor Price: $30 USD per person (less than half price) | Register Now

Bloedel Conservatory | Fri, Sept 27 | 9:45-11:30am

We are organizing a field trip for all artists and their guest to visit the Bloedel Conservatory. Located just a few blocks away from VanDusen, the Bloedel Conservatory is a domed "biosphere" featuring 3 biomes, more than 200 free-flying exotic birds, and over 500 exotic plants and flowers, within its climate-controlled environment. Artists are responsible for transportation to Bloedel Conservatory in the morning - only 2 minutes drive from VanDusen Botanical Garden. Free admission with your Artist Festival Pass. RSVP by email

Volunteers Welcome

While we make a point of trying to involve as many attending artists in art demos during the Festival, we also always welcome assistance in festival set-up (Sept 23-25) and take-down (Sept 29 evening). Please email Jeff if you are able to help out.

Spread the Word

The AFC Festival website is updated regularly and it's a great one to share on social media, your newsletters and other marketing material. Please help us spread the word by telling your family, friends and colleagues near and far about the event.

We're sincerely looking forward to seeing many of you in a wonderful reunion of our membership from around the world. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the above.

Sincerely,

Jeff Whiting

President & Founder,

Artists for Conservation

A special shout-out to AFC's festival patrons.

And with thanks to all our sponsors:

Artists for Conservation is the world's leading group of artists supporting the environment. Founded in 1997, the non-profit organization comprises a membership of 500 of the world's most gifted nature artists from 27 countries, across five continents. Our mission is to support wildlife and habitat conservation and environmental education through art that celebrates nature.