Art in the darker corners of Vancouver

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A unique partnership has developed in the Downtown Eastside.

Emily Carr students are lending their experience to help those struggling with homelessness and poverty.

The Union Gospel Mission has commissioned original student works for their new, large dining room on East Hastings.

“The walls are bare. It’s a nice colour but it’s a little bit institutional,” explains the Mission’s Keela Keeping. “We would just love to have some art hanging on the walls and being a charity, that’s not really something that we can afford.”

Keeping believes the paintings will not only make the space more attractive, but provide something deeper.

“We want to communicate a message that this is a space that’s important to us, it’s dignified. We see 500 to 600 people come through a day. We want them to be in a space where they feel like it’s their own and where they are valued. That’s not a message that people in the Downtown Eastside hear everyday.”

The Vicinity of Painting students have already spent time volunteering at the UGM, gaining understanding of the community and space.

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