The Art Show is hosted by Northern Electric, which also organizes the Monday night concerts held throughout the summer, and many of the artists involved in past editions have also been musicians from the Vancouver area’s punk and rockabilly song. Confirmed artists include Kelly Haigh, Gord Kearney, and Brad Lambert, as well as a dozen other names.
The event was first hosted in 2021 as part of artist Gord Smithers’ Artist in Residency programme. Smithers believes in a strong connection between music and visual art, inspired by artists such as Frank Zappa and Billy Childish:
“It's shapes, patterns and lines. Once I started trying to curate this show, I kind of realized how many musicians paint, or draw on the side — even the professional musicians.”
Past editions of the event have featured live music and DJs, as well as the art on display. The work will span a variety of genres such as paintings, sculpture, multimedia and graphic design, and reflect a colourful, diverse and most importantly “weird” aesthetic. The Outlaw Art Show has received a positive reception from New West’s art community and is celebrating its third edition as a week-long gallery exhibit.
The 2023 Outlaw Art Show will run from August 30 to September 3 at The Gallery at Queen’s Park.