Please join us for the opening celebration Thursday 24th April 6-8pm

“We Belong to Country/ Country does not belong to us” brings together the work of three First Nations artists: H, Rebecca and Ronald, whose practices speak to resilience, identity, and the deep cultural ties between self, Country, and community.

Each artist in this exhibition uses art as a powerful method of communication and self-expression — a way to process lived experience, connect with ancestral knowledge, and make sense of the complexities of life shaped by systems of injustice. All artists have been personally impacted by the criminal justice system, either through their own experiences or those of family members. They are also navigating a range of mental health and physical health challenges, which can affect daily life and create barriers to participation in community and society. For these artists, art is more than a creative outlet — it is a place of expression, healing, storytelling and a practice to re-build the self and restore the spirit. 

This exhibition is also a celebration of community. We Belong to Country/ Country does not belong to us honours intergenerational connection, shared cultural strength, and the idea that creativity is for everyone — not limited by background or shaped by Western ideas of artistic training or “talent.” The show creates an inclusive space where expression is valued over perfection, and where storytelling through art becomes a way to reconnect with self, with others, and with Country.

This body of work holds space for grief — grief for Country, for kin, for culture disrupted — and for the healing that can emerge through creative practice. While each work is deeply personal, they are also part of a shared story: of belonging, of resistance, and of the enduring connection to land, culture and community.

We Belong to Country/ Country does not belong to us invites viewers to sit with these stories — not to interpret or define, but to witness with respect. The works on display reflect the artists' journeys of reclaiming voice, honouring memory, and finding ways back to self and to Country.