Ukrainian children’s art exhibit comes to the cathedral

The news out of Ukraine continues to shock and trouble us, with many asking how to help in this time of crisis. Christ Church Cathedral is honoured to offer a tangible way to support Ukraine by hosting the fundraiser ‘Beyond the News: Ukrainian Children’s Art’. The art display features 24 prints of drawings and colourful paintings from children ranging in age from five to 15 years old who attend the Children’s School of Folk Art in Lviv, Ukraine. All donations from the month-long exhibit will go to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. 

'Beyond the News: Ukrainian Children’s Art’ is presented in collaboration with the Cowichan Valley Arts Council, the Ukrainian Cultural Centre, and St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church.

In commissioning the exhibit, the Cowichan Valley Arts Council reached out to a Ukrainian artists' group in Canada which connected them with the school in Ukraine. The images are powerful, from fighter planes and exploding buildings to dreams of peace, and the young artists’ statements are equally evocative. “For me war is a constant sound of sirens, fear of losing home, falling asleep and never waking up. But I believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in our victory,” wrote 11-year-old Solomiya.

This exhibit is exemplary of our committment to reconciliation, but "the path to reconciliation must travel by way of truth,” says The Very Rev’d M. Ansley Tucker. “The art of children is less likely than some other forms of reporting to be corrupted by spin. This exhibit invites us to an unedited child’s-eye view.”

We encourage you to bring friends and family to this free exhibit and to make a donation in support of Ukraine. All donations are tax deductible. The display is located in the cathedral’s nave (main sanctuary) beside the Chapel of Reconciliation where prayers can be offered. The exhibit runs from April 29 through to the end of May 2022.

You can also make your donation HERE