2026 City of Vancouver Candidates Forum on Arts, Culture, and Heritage
Ahead of the next municipal election, the BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage invites you to a non-partisan candidates’ forum focused on the future of arts, culture, and heritage within the City of Vancouver. Hear their positions, priorities, and commitments on funding, infrastructure, relationships with local First Nations, affordability for artists and cultural workers, and the role the sector plays within their tourism strategy.
- Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026
- Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
- Location: Museum of Vancouver / H.R. MacMillan Space Centre auditorium (1100 Chestnut Street Vancouver, BC, V6J 3J9) and Live Stream
- Public Attendance: Free (Register in advance)
- Host: BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage (in partnership with the Museum of Vancouver and the HR MacMillan Space Centre)
- Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible venue; ASL interpreters
- In-Person Event Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-city-of-vancouver-candidates-forum-on-arts-culture-and-heritage-tickets-1999729170781
- Live Stream Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CEsBWIwVQvCNEw2b4b1XiQ
EVENT FORMAT
The event will consist entirely of moderator-led questions; there will be no questions from the audience.
The event will include:
- Up to 7 candidates
- Moderator with enforced speaking time limits
- Livestream and recording for archival and post-event sharing purposes
The themes addressed during the forum is expected to include, but not limited to:
- Municipal operating and project funding;
- Infrastructure and the protection, creation, and affordability of cultural and heritage spaces;
- Relationships and support with the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations;
- Affordability and retention of artists and cultural workers;
- Role of arts, culture, and heritage in tourism strategy.
Questions related to the Forum can be directed to Kenji Maeda (kenji@gvpta.ca), executive director of GVPTA and steering committee member of the BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage.