2023 COMPETITION INFORMATION

The Arts Council of Surrey (ACS), in partnership with the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway,  the Langley Arts Council and Arts New West, presents this juried exhibition called Paint the Train.

Theme

The annual Paint the Train art competition offers artists an opportunity to consider the significant role our historic railways had in shaping our communities.

Place making, as it is called today, has been influenced heavily by the location of railway lines and stations. Today we see new towns being reshaped by Skytrain development.

In the 1900s when steam trains, electric interurbans and street cars were in operation they too influenced the growth of towns where they were located. The Fraser Valley is an excellent example of place making due to the alignment of the BC Electric tracks that passed through the towns. Of course, the BC Electric did more, as it brought electricity for the first time to the areas it passed through.

Each railway station was important and the focus of much activity from passengers and freight every day. Agriculture blossomed in the Fraser Valley and became a significant economic driver due to the BC Electric railway that made it possible to deliver milk and vegetables to the region. Some would say the BC Electric railway was the lifeline for the communities for many years.

The railways connected communities, influenced lives and where stories were told and history was created.
The annual Paint the Train art competition initiative provides an opportunity for artists to reflect on the broader perspective of life influenced by the train by creating unique art pieces that bring back memories and share the important role of the historic trains in shaping the every day lives from visiting shopping, visiting friends, unloading the mail and milk each day. The railway was an integral part of every day life.

Before email…..there was the mail train.

Today our area is well served by many other railways that move goods, freight and passengers around the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley, connecting to the rest of the continent.

For 2023, Paint the Train entries should represent your artistic view of the impact of railways (electric, steam, diesel) in the region since 1886 – the date of the first scheduled train to cross Canada from sea to sea.

The image of a train does not have to be included in the art work, but is always appreciated. The subject of your work should have a direct connection to a railway in the region of the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley that represents rail transportation from the past, present or the future.