Exhibitions Guidelines for ECU Community Members

The Michael O¡¯Brian Exhibition Commons (MOEC) affords the opportunity for the ECU community to present exhibitions in a highly public context. These include student shows, exhibitions linked to curriculum, exhibitions of faculty artwork, and the presentation of research outcomes.

The MOEC is made up of three spaces on Level 2 (the main floor of the ECU campus building): Zones 1, 2 and 3. The RBC Media Gallery is also located on Level 2. An additional MOEC gallery, known as the Zone 4 gallery, is located on Level 1 (the ground floor of the ECU campus building).

Exhibitions may use one or more of these spaces, depending on their scope. This means that it is possible for multiple exhibitions to run concurrently.

The MOEC spaces, as well as other public presentation sites, are overseen by the Galleries + Exhibitions department, situated within the Libby Leshgold Gallery. Programming for the MOEC is selected by committee, or determined through other means (e.g. annually occurring exhibitions and events). For exhibitions/events involving ECU students, programming is conducted in cooperation with the Student Exhibitions Committee and the Emily Carr Students' Union (ECSU).

More than 30 exhibitions are presented in the MOEC spaces each year, as well as critiques and other events. In order to accommodate the high volume of requests, exhibitions are normally 10 days in length (inclusive of installation and de-installation), although exceptions are made when scheduling permits.

Calls for student exhibitions occur twice per year, in the early Fall and Spring Semesters. These exhibitions are organized by the student-led MOEC Exhibitions Committee, in partnership with the Libby Leshgold Gallery and the Emily Carr Students Union (ECSU). There are a minimum of six student exhibitions per semester in the MOEC spaces.

Additional spaces on Levels 3 and 4 of the university are run independently by students and program areas. When scheduled programming allows, areas of the MOEC are made available on a first-come, first-served basis for class critiques.

Exhibitions that support pedagogy and the strategic initiatives of the university take precedence in the MOEC and RBC Media Gallery schedule.

All exhibition requests should be submitted to the Galleries and Exhibitions Department, [contact?] including those that occur on an annual basis, in order to prevent scheduling conflicts.

For ECU students wishing to learn more about how to propose an exhibition at the MOEC and/or RBC Media Gallery, please visit the Student Exhibitions website for details or email studentexhibitions@ecuad.ca.

For ECU staff and faculty wishing to propose an exhibition at the MOEC and/or RBC Media Gallery, please see our Guidelines for Staff + Faculty Exhibition Bookings page.

The Libby Leshgold Gallery is a publicly-funded gallery presenting the work of professional artists and designers within an international context. The gallery presents exhibitions, public programs, residencies, and publications in order to cultivate a robust environment of artistic diversity and critical thought. Further, we aim to provide a safe space for provocative ideas and experimental approaches to art and design research to aid in the advancement of the production of knowledge and art. In concert, these activities strive to promote the importance of contemporary art practice to the university community, both within it and beyond.

We support Indigenous, Canadian, and international artists and designers by commissioning artworks, and assisting in the production, presentation, and dissemination of their artwork. The Libby Leshgold Gallery oversees the ECU fine art collections and is responsible for growing the collections and ensuring that professional standards are met in its care and maintenance. Programming is curated by the gallery¡¯s professional staff.

The ECU community is encouraged to engage with the exhibitions and attend events, including opening receptions, curator¡¯s tours, artists¡¯ talks, panel discussions and more. Faculty can arrange for exhibition tours and talks, and other kinds of visits; please contact libby@ecuad.ca for details.

Public art at Emily Carr University activates and enlivens the public realm, creating a vibrant addition to Vancouver¡¯s wider public art context.

The ECU Urban Screen is the university¡¯s public contribution to the City of Vancouver Public Art Program. As articulated in the public art agreement, the university commissions artists or artist-teams to develop new digital artworks to be displayed on the dedicated art-only digital screen. The exhibition schedule is determined in consultation with the selected artists, selection panel, and community advisory during the selection process.

Glass Corner is a new initiative of the Libby Leshgold Gallery. Functioning as a public project space, Glass Corner highlights the work of emerging artists, presenting exhibitions in the gallery¡¯s self-contained and highly-visible corner window at the South-West corner of the building.