VIVO Media Arts Centre (Video In Studios/ Video Out Distribution), governed by the Satellite Video Exchange Society (SVES), is Vancouver’s first media arts access centre, and one of the oldest artist-run centres in Western Canada. The society was incorporated in 1973, following the Matrix International Video Exchange Conference and Festival.
Today, the thriving artist-run centre operates a multi-purpose facility immersed in the production, exhibition, education, distribution and archives, providing a supportive environment for artists to experiment and rich resources to Vancouver art community.
VIVO’s mission is to directly support artists and independent community-based producers to develop, exchange, and disseminate their skills in a supportive environment through accessible services and programs.
VIVO’s vision is a robust, diverse, and vibrant media arts sector: a catalyst for critical and innovative engagement with the material forms and cultural meanings of media and technology.
VIVO’s mandate is to offer a broad range of services and opportunities to artists and the public, including affordable rental of equipment and facilities, public programmings such as events, exhibitions, residencies and more, international distribution and work exchange, and Western Canada’s largest public reference library and archive of media art.
VIVO accepts submissions on an ongoing basis. Submissions are reviewed by the Events+Exhibitions curator with input from the Events and Exhibitions Committee, looking for projects that critically engage with their medium and the context in which they are produced.
VIVO’s supporting partners are the British Columbia Arts Council, the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, Human Resources Development Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, Metro Vancouver, and individual donors. t is also supported by the labour and effort of individual artists, activists and cultural workers.