The Race Track/Satellite : East End Extensions

“Mass support can only come as a result of mass involvement, so the very simple question before us is: how to involve the 90% of the population who have never been near The Vancouver Art Gallery?” - Tony Emery

The first step towards a tentative answer is the Exhibition Grandstand, established as a free(and freewheeling) extension of the gallery January through March, 1970

Sponsored by the Canada Council and The Vancouver Foundation, Racetrack offers exhibitions, events,workshops, lectures and concerts. In its first month, 8000 people come, and many more— students, pre-school, disturbed and juvenile delinquent children, parents, senior citizens and teenagers— eagerly participate before the gallery closes for the racing season.

Phase two, Satellite, is launched in mid september at the former St Savior Anglican Church at First and Semlin Streets, working co-operatively with Intermedia with whom it shares the premises.

— from Vancouver Art And Artists 1931-1983 pp 334

 

Photograph for The Vancouver Sun by George Diack, December 29, 1971