Nurturing Nanaimo’s Safe Spaces Through Creativity and Collaboration

The city of Nanaimo, located on Snuneymuxw territory, is growing rapidly, attracting people from everywhere who want to experience a slower pace of life and enjoy all the perks that come with living on the beautiful West Coast.

New businesses are emerging all over town, and neighbourhoods are expanding quickly to accommodate the amount of folks deciding to lay down roots here. The downtown core is no exception, with many cozy coffee shops, charming boutiques, and some pretty amazing creative spaces. 

Sadly, despite that, this area holds a reputation based around fear and stigma in the community—a considerable part of it related to the growing number of individuals who are unhoused or struggling with addiction and homelessness, and who unfortunately are lacking resources to help. Locals’ negative perceptions contribute to the polarization within the community and create further divides, when we should instead be working together to eliminate misconceptions and build long lasting solutions.

A Nanaimo News Now article states that out of the entire country, Nanaimo had the “highest percentage of people living in environments unfit for human habitation,” according to census results—an indicator that the city does not have nearly enough shelter spaces or other support resources.

I believe it’s up to all community members in a place of privilege to actively participate in the betterment of our environment and quality of life for all people. We should be ensuring access to low-barrier support services and being intentional and inclusive, as businesses and as individuals. It’s crucial to prioritize unifying communities and encouraging intercultural collaboration, as we’re always stronger when united, regardless of our differences — and what better way to spark connections between diverse demographics than through artistic initiatives? 

When we make art, pieces of ourselves often slip into our work — the process of creation requires us to be vulnerable, and showcases our identities in unique creations that people can see, hear, or touch. It bridges gaps between people in ways that language alone fails to do, and can help us better understand how to perceive the world around us from a different point of view. This is why it is such a powerful tool in activism and social change.

As part of BC Culture Days, I’m organizing a community mural project, which will take place on September 22 at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. Anyone is welcome, regardless of background or art experience — together, we will paint two canvas pieces to be displayed at the Vancouver Island Regional Library Downtown Branch.

This project has the potential to bring together community members by showcasing the beauty of diverse cultures and histories through visual storytelling, conversation, and a creation that reflects these many voices deserving to be heard. Beyond celebrating arts and culture, this initiative aims to create sustainable change by inspiring community members to focus on filling voids in society and move towards a more unified, equitable future. Not only does this event welcome people to show up as their authentic selves — its final result will be a visual representation of our community’s diversity. 

Given that many residents of Nanaimo are settlers, I hope this collaborative mural will be a time to reflect and gain awareness of the land we engage with each day, and how we can collectively create more room for understanding and growth. My goal is to empower people from the community I work, play and live in to foster relationships between each other and break cultural barriers while celebrating both commonalities and differences.

As an artist, I want to use my platform to show the positive impacts that we can achieve if even just one person decides to initiate an event, project, or activity like this one.

Ultimately, it’s those small steps and calls for action that will build up over time and create more safe spaces for people to connect and relate. 

Annabelle Bail is a 2024 BC Culture Days Ambassador and a Nanaimo-based contemporary artist. She/Their Culture Days event Community Mural: Celebrating Culture and Diversity Through Art is happening at the Nanaimo Art Gallery on Sun, Sept 22, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Visit here to learn more about Annabelle.