Arts New West
Arts New West is a not-for-profit community arts organization founded in 1967 in New Westminster, BC, that provides gallery exhibitions, microgrants, artist residencies, markets, film screenings, and cultural events to local artists and the broader community, funded primarily by government grants and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersNew Westminster, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Arts New West does
Arts New West is a not-for-profit community arts organization founded in 1967 (originally as the Arts Council of New Westminster) and headquartered in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. It operates as a registered nonprofit society with a lean staff of 5 employees, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, and led since March 2022 by Executive Director Laura Grady. The organization serves local and emerging artists, the broader New Westminster community, youth audiences, and partner arts organizations through a portfolio of programs that includes The Gallery at Queen's Park (a rotating monthly exhibition space at Centennial Lodge), the Arts Development Fund microgrant program, artist residencies, the annual New West Cultural Crawl (now in its 21st year), the Indigenous Market, New West Craft markets, the Summer Concert Series, the Poets+ virtual performance series, film screenings, the Hilda Cliffe Scholarship at Douglas College, and space rentals.
The organization does not develop proprietary technology; its "product" is community programming delivered through physical venues (Queen's Park, River Market, Douglas College Theatre, Uptown Vancity Community Branch) and grassroots channels (twice-monthly newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, press releases, partner cross-promotion). Its business model is grant-and-donation funded rather than commercial: revenue streams comprise government grants (City of New Westminster, BC Arts Council, Government of Canada gaming grants), membership fees, program/event revenue (film screenings by donation, workshop fees, space rentals), corporate sponsorships (Vancity among them), and individual donations. Programs are priced at low cost or free to attendees, consistent with its nonprofit equity, diversity, and inclusion mandate, which includes explicit acknowledgment that it operates on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the QayQayt Nation.
Strategically, Arts New West positions itself as the primary civic arts body for New Westminster, combining program delivery with municipal advocacy (notably the City of New Westminster Art Strategy Update consultations) and a robust partnership ecosystem including Douglas College, New West Film Society, Doc Northwest, Rainbow Refugee, River Market, the Native Art Renaissance Foundation, and the BC Coalition of Arts, Culture & Heritage. Its core competitive advantages are nearly six decades of brand recognition, deep government and community relationships, and an established physical distribution footprint across the city.
Arts New West firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Arts New West
- Legal name
- Arts New West
- Website
- https://artsnewwest.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Arts New West is a not-for-profit community arts organization founded in 1967 in New Westminster, BC, that provides gallery exhibitions, microgrants, artist residencies, markets, film screenings, and cultural events to local artists and the broader community, funded primarily by government grants and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Arts New West industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts Services
- NAICS
- Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)
Keywords
Where Arts New West is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Westminster
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Arts New West business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Funding: Arts New West receives funding from the City of New Westminster, BC Arts Council, and Government of Canada as core operational support. The organization actively participates in advocacy efforts and receives gaming grants through BC's Community Gaming Grants program.
- Membership Fees: The organization offers membership programs for artists and community members, providing benefits and supporting organizational operations.
- Program and Event Revenue: Revenue generated from various programs including film screenings (tickets by donation), space rentals, and workshop fees.
- Donations and Sponsorships: The organization accepts donations and has corporate sponsors, with acknowledgment of sponsor support on their website.
- Arts Development Fund Microgrants: Small grants distributed to emerging artists in New Westminster for arts and culture-based projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | General admission and program fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Arts New West product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Arts New West is a not-for-profit community arts organization that operates The Gallery at Queen's Park exhibition space and delivers a portfolio of arts programming including artist residencies, the Arts Development Fund microgrant program, the annual New West Cultural Crawl, film screenings, the New West Craft market, the Summer Concert Series, Poets+ performance series, and the Hilda Cliffe Scholarship. The organization supports local and emerging artists with exhibition opportunities, funding, professional development, and community connection across New Westminster, British Columbia.
Product overview
Arts New West is a not-for-profit community arts organization founded in 1967 as the Arts Council of New Westminster. It operates as a single unified offering rather than a platform architecture, providing a comprehensive portfolio of arts programs and services. The core offerings include The Gallery at Queen's Park exhibition space, the Arts Development Fund microgrant program, artist residencies, New West Craft markets, the annual New West Cultural Crawl, film screenings, Summer Concert Series, Poets+ performance series, and the Hilda Cliffe Scholarship. Arts New West also engages in advocacy work including the City of New Westminster Art Strategy Update consultations. The organization serves local and emerging artists, arts organizations, and the broader community through programming, funding, exhibition opportunities, and community engagement initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Gallery at Queen's Park A monthly rotating exhibition space located in Centennial Lodge at Queen's Park that showcases local and emerging artists across various visual arts disciplines. Open Wednesday-Sunday, it serves as the primary community gallery in New Westminster.
- Arts Development Fund A microgrant program that provides small grants to emerging artists across all artistic disciplines living in New Westminster to support career development and community-engaged arts projects.
- Artist Residencies Programs providing artists with dedicated space, time, and resources to develop their practice while engaging with the New Westminster community.
- New West Craft A craft market and program featuring local artisans and makers, including the annual Indigenous Market which brought together 70+ Indigenous artisans in 2025.
- New West Cultural Crawl An annual two-day city-wide arts and cultural event featuring local artists, galleries, studios, and cultural experiences throughout New Westminster.
- Film Screenings Community film screening events including documentary screenings, Refugee Day celebrations (e.g., Someone Like Me), and partnership programs co-presented with New West Film Society and Doc Northwest.
- Summer Concert Series Seasonal outdoor music programming featuring performances and family-friendly arts activities during summer months in New Westminster.
- Poets+ A virtual performance series curated by Tawahum Bige featuring emerging poets of color.
- Hilda Cliffe Scholarship Scholarship program supporting students pursuing careers in the arts at Douglas College.
- Space Rentals Rental of gallery and event spaces for artists and community organizations seeking venue space in New Westminster.
- Art Strategy Advocacy Community consultations and advocacy efforts facilitated by Arts New West to shape the City of New Westminster's arts strategy and policies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 70+ Indigenous artisans engaged at annual Indigenous Market events
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Arts New West
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Arts New West technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Arts New West partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- City of New WestminstercorePrimary municipal partner providing funding, venue access, and collaborative support for arts programming. The City operates the Anvil Centre and supports the organization's public art and cultural initiatives. Arts New West actively participates in City-led initiatives including the Art Strategy Update consultations.
- Douglas CollegemajorEducational partner providing venue space (Douglas College Theatre) for film screenings and performing arts events. The college also hosts the Cultural Mapping Project launch and other collaborative events.
- New West Film SocietymajorCo-presenter of film events including the Refugee Day Film Screening of 'Someone Like Me'. Partnership for documentary programming and film culture.
- Doc NorthwestminorDocumentary film organization co-presenting film screening events with Arts New West.
- Rainbow RefugeeminorCharitable organization supporting LGBTQ+ refugees, beneficiary for proceeds from the Someone Like Me film screening event.
- River MarketmajorLocal venue partner at 810 Quayside Drive for market events including the annual Indigenous Market and New West Craft artisan markets.
- Native Art Renaissance FoundationmajorFoundation founded by James Groening (Blue Sky) that curates Indigenous arts programming, including the 'Welcome to My Renaissance' exhibition at The Gallery at Queen's Park.
- BC Coalition of Arts, Culture & HeritageminorProvincial advocacy coalition that Arts New West participates in for broader arts advocacy and policy influence.
- Vancity Credit UnionminorFinancial institution partner hosting satellite gallery space at the Uptown Vancity Community Branch for rotating exhibitions featuring New Westminster artists.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Arts New West competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coquitlam Arts Council: Neighbouring Metro Vancouver community arts council providing exhibitions, member services, and advocacy for local artists. Directly comparable in scope and operating model.
- Port Moody Arts Centre: Tri-Cities community arts organization offering exhibitions, classes, and cultural programming for local artists, with comparable small-team nonprofit structure and municipal funding dependence.
- Maple Ridge Arts Council: Community arts council serving Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows in the Metro Vancouver region with exhibitions, workshops, and grant programs for local artists, closely paralleling Arts New West's mandate.
- Burnaby Arts Council: Directly comparable municipal arts council serving Burnaby, BC, with similar mandate of community arts programming, exhibitions, and advocacy for local artists. Closely matched in scale, geography, and mission.
- Community Arts Council of Vancouver: Long-standing community arts council in Vancouver advocating for and supporting local artists through grants, workshops, and exhibitions. Closely analogous mandate in a neighbouring Metro Vancouver municipality.
- North Vancouver Community Arts Council: Community arts council providing exhibition space, grants, and artist support on the North Shore. Operates with a similar small-staff, grant-funded model serving a defined municipal area.
Emerging players
- Arts Etobicoke: Toronto-area community arts council delivering exhibitions, grants, and programming for local artists with a comparable nonprofit, community-arts-service model, though operating in a different provincial funding context.
Regional players
- Surrey Art Gallery Association: Regional public art gallery in Surrey, BC, offering exhibitions and community programming comparable to The Gallery at Queen's Park, though operating as a city-managed facility rather than an independent nonprofit.
- Richmond Art Gallery Association: Nonprofit association supporting a public art gallery in Richmond, BC, with comparable programming for local artists and similar reliance on municipal arts funding in Metro Vancouver.
Broad incumbents
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities - Arts and Culture: National umbrella organization influencing municipal arts and culture policy and funding frameworks that Arts New West depends on; broader in scope but relevant to the org's funding environment and advocacy positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Arts New West social profiles
Digital presenceArts New West financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Arts New West leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Arts New West funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Arts New West M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Arts New West
What does Arts New West do?
Arts New West is a not-for-profit community arts organization that operates The Gallery at Queen's Park exhibition space and delivers a portfolio of arts programming including artist residencies, the Arts Development Fund microgrant program, the annual New West Cultural Crawl, film screenings, the New West Craft market, the Summer Concert Series, Poets+ performance series, and the Hilda Cliffe Scholarship. The organization supports local and emerging artists with exhibition opportunities, funding, professional development, and community connection across New Westminster, British Columbia.
Is Arts New West a public or private company?
Arts New West is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Arts New West founded?
Arts New West was founded in 1967. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Arts New West based?
Arts New West is headquartered in New Westminster, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Arts New West make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are membership Fees, program and Event Revenue, donations and Sponsorships and arts Development Fund Microgrants.
Who are Arts New West's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coquitlam Arts Council, Port Moody Arts Centre, Maple Ridge Arts Council, Burnaby Arts Council, Community Arts Council of Vancouver and North Vancouver Community Arts Council. Arts Etobicoke is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Surrey Art Gallery Association and Richmond Art Gallery Association. Federation of Canadian Municipalities - Arts and Culture is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Arts New West have an API?
No public API is recorded for Arts New West.
What industry is Arts New West in?
Arts New West's product category is Community Arts Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAL, Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building), with a secondary code of BPAGAHAH, Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs. Its NAICS code is 711190.