VanGo!

Dates: June 1st - 26th

VanGo! is a program run through CollectionARTNB, The Department to Tourism, Heritage and Culture, as well as Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD). VanGo! selects 8-10 artworks from CollectionARTNB’s permanent collection each year and places them in Anglophone Public Schools so all students have access to art. Each school is visited by a professional installer, Chris Giles, and Artist-Teacher, Deanna Musgrave. The goal of each VanGo! exhibition changes from year to year. The theme of VanGO! 2026 is “Conflict to Conversation”. There are so many directions you can take when exploring this theme from the environmental to the emotional. We can use this theme as a springboard to discuss what happens to our emotions and within our body when we enter conflict, as well as, how to shift that into a space of peacemaking. So “Conflict to Conversation” could also mean becoming aware of our emotional states and regulation, in the face of disagreements. This is needed in a time of discord in our world, as leaders can model both healthy and unhealthy choices in peacemaking.

Acknowledgements:

Thank you to CollectionARTNB supervisor, Danielle Hogan, who makes this project possible from the Department of Tourism Heritage and Culture. Thank you to Andrea Gaujacq and Kate Charette from Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) for their support. Thank you to F. Chris Giles for each professional installation of artworks. Thank you to VanGo!’s Artist-Teacher, Deanna Musgrave. Thank you to the rest of the staff at the Department of Tourism Heritage and Culture and Arts Culture NB. Thank you to the public school teachers who were involved with the program including: Harbour View High School: Claire Lamont and Alice Worden (Art Teachers) Saint John High School: Erica Mallaley, Lydia Patterson and Amber Young (Art Teachers) Simonds High School: Jennifer Brown (Vice Principal), Debbie Paget (Library Support Worker).