Black Strathcona Resurgence Project
Vancouver Mural Fest 2021 is fast approaching and Goodbye Graffiti Vancouver is proud to announce that they will be a sponsor – $10,000! This year VMF is introducing the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project.
The BSRP is an initiative focused on the visibility of the Black community in the area known as the Hogan’s Alley neighbourhood. This 3 year project is meant to bring awareness to the systemic racism faced by the Black community since the city’s first migrants. Hogan’s Alley and the city’s Railway Station had become known as Black Strathcona where the first Black communities arrived in B.C. As the Black population increased, so did the hate fueled by the media. The Black community had unjustly been faced with both housing and economic discrimination, forcing many of them to move to other areas. In 1970, the City of Vancouver approved the construction of the Georgia Viaduct Freeway directly through Hogan’s Alley. This began the complete dismantlement of Black Strathcona.
Today, under the North East False Creek plan, the City of Vancouver intends on recreating the rich cultural centre where the community as a whole can appreciate Black Canadian history through art, music, dance and food.
Through art, the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project would like to support the unification of a number of marginalized communities by connecting artists on the collaborative murals that will surround the Hogan’s Alley Neighbourhood. We are so excited to be a part of this amazing initiative and we cannot wait to see what these talented artists bring to life!