Leading up to the Vancouver Art Book Fair I had helped with smaller VABF events such as the silent auction and other online work. The silent auction at the Remington gallery was my first taste of what it would be like working for VABF. The vibe was casual and the work flow depended heavily on both teamwork and individual initiative. However, Individual drive was definitely the emphasis when it came to working the silent auction. Given my meek personality this first interaction was uncomfortable; it had nothing to do with VABF (they were so kind and patient), but more so that I didn’t feel I contributed as much as I could’ve. Granted, I tried to be more helpful through online work until the annual book fair, where I’d have another shot at being more of use.

On the first day of the VABF I was stationed on the third floor where most of the exhibitors were set up, my job was to tend to both exhibitors and guest. I can’t think of a better word to describe this experience than heartwarming; I was able to roam around and talk to the exhibitors and it was clear that everyone was genuinely passionate about art but more importantly building Vancouver’s art community. Something that I observed that triggered my use of the word ‘heartwarming’ was that a lot of the guest were reluctant to even touch the work being displayed at the booths but after the exhibitor prompted them to do so and was eager to talk about their work the whole interaction changed. You could actually see the guest becoming more comfortable and involved and that to me showed the influence of VABFs initiative.

VABFs notion of community building within the arts is an inclusive one and that is something I feel strongly about. I think that art can be used as a catalyst for change but to keep it in this exclusive and opulent light prevents it from doing so. Even though this statement may seem too ‘deep’ for the content of this brief blog post, I feel that it is still relevant. To have guest come up to me and say, “I’ve learned a lot”, “met a lot of inspiring people”, “I want to make my own zine” etc. It gives me reassurance that there is a space for newness in art, that it is not stagnant and that it is becoming something that more people are using as a tool to spread knowledge and connect with others.