The Grove Gallery is launching 2025 with a retrospective exhibit in celebration of the Community Arts Council’s 60th anniversary. This special exhibition, “60 Years of Alberni Arts,” runs from January 6 through February 1 and will explore the Arts Council of the Alberni Valley’s enduring legacy and impact on the arts community.

This exhibit will explore the past 60 years with a roadmap on the gallery walls, incorporating text, imagery, and drawing. Visitors will be taken on a journey through time, starting from the Council’s inception, operating and caretaking at the Rollin Art Centre, to its current location at Harbour Quay, operating the Grove Gallery. The roadmap will highlight key events, milestones, and changes over the years. The

exhibit will also be a creative exploration of drawing and collage, in collaboration with our CAC staff and you! We welcome the public to come, grab a pen, and add your mark!

Additionally, the public is invited to peruse a curated selection of historical newspaper articles and images from the CAC archives, providing deeper insight into the Councils significant contributions to the local arts landscape over six decades. This archival showcase not only tells the story of the CAC but also reflects the cultural evolution of the Alberni Valley itself.

We welcome all to “color in” their understanding of the region’s rich artistic heritage while also getting a glimpse of what the future holds for the CAC in 2025 and beyond. The Grove Gallery and the Community Arts Council invite all to explore this significant retrospective, to connect with the history, and to participate in the ongoing story of the Alberni arts community.