"During the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for… Keep fighting. Keep dancing." - activist Dan Savage. That spirit is at the heart of STILL WITH US: A Legacy of HIV/AIDS in the Arts [https://www.vicartscouncil.ca/2025/08/29/still-with-us/], an ambitious new project presented this fall by the Victoria Arts Council [https://www.vicartscouncil.ca/] (VAC). Opening Oct. 24 and continuing through Dec. 1, the exhibition and performance series explore how art has carried stories of grief, activism and survival for more than four decades. location-the-views-by-margaret-flood-detail-courtesy-of-victoria-arts-council [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/impress/impress-2025/oct-6/vac/location-the-views-by-margaret-flood-detail-courtesy-of-victoria-arts-council.jpg;w=960] Margaret Flood’s evocative work is featured as part of the visual art exhibition, offering a deeply personal lens on memory, place and identity. Photos courtesy of Victoria Arts Council. “This project has been years in the making,” says VAC executive director Kegan McFadden. “We’ve brought together partners from across disciplines and across borders to create something that feels both timely and deeply personal. It’s about honouring those we’ve lost, celebrating those who continue the work, and reminding ourselves that HIV/AIDS is not a thing of the past.” The exhibition unfolds on the Bay Centre’s lower level, where visitors will encounter works by Joe Average (1957–2024), Cathy Busby, Margo Farr, Margaret Flood, Peggy Frank, Jamie Griffiths, Anna Mah, Cookie Mueller, Myfanwy Pavelic, Lynda Raino and Pam Terry. Archival materials from AVI Health & Community Services [https://avi.org/] – marking its 40th anniversary this year – share testimony of the local response to the epidemic. Added to this are rarely-seen holdings from Dance Collection Danse, curated by Christopher House and Amy Bowring, which highlight the impact of HIV/AIDS on the dance community. The public is invited to the opening reception on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Bay Centre, where artists will be in attendance and organizers will share remarks. Admission is free, and no RSVP is required. michaels-last-minute-by-joe-average [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/impress/impress-2025/oct-6/vac/michaels-last-minute-by-joe-average.jpg;w=960] Joe Average’s vibrant pop-art canvas stands alongside works by other leading artists in the visual art exhibition, inviting visitors to reflect on creativity, resilience and community. Joe Average, Michael's Last Minute. Photos courtesy of Victoria Arts Council. “Art has always given us a way to push back against silence,” McFadden reflects. “Through these pieces and these archives, we see the history of activism, the fight for dignity, and the creativity that keeps people going.” The project extends beyond the exhibition, with performances at the Belfry Theatre and Pacific Opera’s Baumann Centre, plus pop-up appearances from the Gettin’ Higher Choir, and a themed display at the Greater Victoria Public Library’s Central Branch. “We are deeply grateful to the community partners, corporate sponsors and generous donors who recognize the importance of preserving this history and ensuring it's shared with future generations. Their support made this project possible,” McFadden says. “This is an opportunity to come together, to look back with honesty, and to recognize how much this history still speaks to the present moment.” For more information, including the full schedule of events, or to make a donation in support of this work [https://vicartscouncil.ca/support/donate/], visit vicartscouncil.ca [https://www.vicartscouncil.ca/2025/08/29/still-with-us/]. Follow the conversation on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/VicArtsCouncil/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/victoriaartscouncil/] at @victoriaartscouncil.
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