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ABOUT THE RETREAT

Retreat Title

Nestled along the shores of Lake Cowichan, Create & Escape Art Retreats invite artists of all skill levels to step away from the everyday and make space for something new. Surrounded by the forests and still water of Vancouver Island's interior, it's the kind of setting that quiets your mind and opens something up creatively. The perfect place to learn, experiment, and actually make things.

 

Each retreat is led by working artists who are as passionate about teaching as they are about their craft. Days are shaped around guided instruction, time to practice, and the freedom to follow your own curiosity. Whether you're picking up a new medium for the first time or returning to a practice you've let slip, there's room here for everyone.

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The Vancouver Visual Art Foundation brings together a small, welcoming group of artists for each experience. You'll leave with new skills, finished work to take home, and a renewed enthusiasm for making art.

Ocean View

Retreat Details

Location
Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island, BC
 
Duration
8 days / 7 nights (Sat–Sat)
 
Capacity
Max 8 artists per retreat
 
Price
$4,350 per person
 
Accommodation
Private lakehouse

Meals
All included

Skill Level
All levels welcome
 
Transport
Transfers from Nanaimo or Victoria airport / ferry available

SCHEDULE

The Week at a Glance

Each day is thoughtfully structured to balance guided making, reflection, and the restorative quiet of the island. Click a day to learn more.

Arrival & Welcome

Arrive at the lakehouse and settle into your room.

Explore the property — the private dock, the sauna, the view — before joining your fellow artists for a welcome dinner.

Your instructors will introduce the week ahead and you'll have time to get to know the group over an easy evening.

Get Involved 

Connect. Inspire. Educate.

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The Vancouver Visual Art Foundation acknowledges that it operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish people of the xÊ·mÉ™θkwÉ™y̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and SÉ™lÌ“ílwÉ™taɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. We are grateful to be gathered here and recognize our privileged place on these lands.

© Vancouver Visual Art Foundation. All Rights Reserved 

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