The YVR Art Foundation

The YVR Art Foundation (YVRAF) was established in 1994 by the Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) with a mandate to foster the development of Northwest Coast Aboriginal art, to broaden its markets and to promote its display in public buildings.

The YVRAF believes that Northwest Coast Aboriginal art plays a vital role in defining the unique character of our province and its heritage. The Vancouver Airport is committed to creating a unique sense of place within the airport where British Columbia’s distinctive cultural heritage and spectacular natural beauty are celebrated.

Every aspect of YVR’s aesthetic development has been founded upon this commitment. A painting of B.C.’s forest, mountains and sea by Canadian Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris, was chosen as the colour palette from which the materials and finishes of the airport were selected. The airport is designed to reveal spectacular views of the ocean and the mountains, and the building’s finishing materials serve to showcase British Columbia’s natural resources.

Nowhere is YVR’s unique sense of place more alive than its spectacular display of Northwest Coast Aboriginal art. This magnificent artwork has driven the vision for the airport. In fact, the aesthetic development of the airport was based on the vital role public art can play in defining its spaces.