About Us
ARTS UNDERGROUND IS A COMMUNITY SPACE DEDICATED TO THE EXPLORATION, TEACHING AND PRESENTATION OF VISUAL ARTS AND HERITAGE, OPERATED BY THE YUKON ART SOCIETY.
Yukon Art Society
Yukon Art Society is a non-profit organization that strives to build the arts community in Yukon by inspiring the enjoyment of art and supporting those who make art to grow and access opportunities. Through our community space, Arts Underground, we are committed to offering a welcoming and inclusive place where those that love art in any way can come together to develop their own skills, explore their imaginations, express themselves, learn from one another, and share with each other.
Arts Underground
Arts Underground is the central hub for artists and art lovers in Whitehorse. Whether someone wants to experience, enjoy, or purchase local art, or if they wish to develop their skills and learn from established local artists, or are looking to exhibit and sell their work – we can help.
We run exhibition spaces that showcase new works from emerging and established artists every month, offer workshops, courses, and a drop-in studio space for those looking to explore their creativity and develop their skills, have a retail space where works by Yukon artists are exhibited and sold, and sell art supplies.
Our facilities
Arts Underground features multiple exhibition spaces, a bustling community studio, and one of the Yukon’s largest selections of art supplies.
Our services
Working with a wide range of community partners, the Yukon Art Society is proud to administer a variety of programs designed to help artists grow their careers, and provide art education and resources throughout the territory.
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View exhibitions and shop for original Yukon art in our galleries. We host juried exhibitions, the Hougen Heritage Gallery, and our Members' Gallery & Shop.
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Arts Underground regularly offers professional art instruction programs on a variety of media, techniques, and theory, as well as professional development courses. See our current lineup.
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Small but mighty, Art Underground has one of the widest ranges of professional-grade art supplies available in the Yukon, appealing to artists and makers at any stage for a variety of artistic pursuits. Shop in store or online.
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Artist in the School provides high quality, engaging and culturally diverse programming to students across the territory. There are more than 90 artists and 200 different programs available through our catalogue including workshops in music, dance, visual arts, literary arts, theatre and digital media.
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The Chu Niikwän Artist Residency is a unique partnership between three visual arts presenters: Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre (KDCC), the Yukon Arts Centre (YAC) and the Yukon Art Society (YAS) with the support of the Government of Yukon, centred around the shared goal of artistic innovation, collaboration and professional development.
“To foster the creative and professional development of Yukon visual artists at all levels”
How we got here
Arts Underground’s rent and utilities are generously donated by the Hougen Group of Companies. The contribution of the Hougen’s was instrumental in the formation of Arts Underground and is a direct result of the Yukon Art Society’s sustainability and legacy.
In 2011, the Hougen Group of Companies was awarded Best Entrepreneurial Partnership Award by the Globe and Mail Business for the Arts Partnership Awards.
Pictured: Rolf Hougen
In 2004, then Executive Director of the Yukon Arts Centre (YAC), Chris Dray, and board member Mary-Jane Warshawski approached the Hougen Group of Companies with a vision to create an arts and heritage facility accessible to arts groups, artists and the community. Rolf and Marg Hougen had a long history of community involvement and were long-time supporters of YAC. The Hougens lent their enthusiastic support to the project, offering to house the facility on Main Street in the lower level of the Hougen Centre.
Dray then set out to find an arts group willing to invest in the project, and so the Yukon Art Society became involved. YAC and YAS partnered to pool resources in terms of knowledge and experience to develop the infrastructure, programming and services that would be accessed through Arts Underground, with YAS administering the facility itself.
In addition to visual arts, Mr. Hougen felt it was essential to include a space to showcase Yukon heritage. Thus, the Friends of the Yukon Archives Society and MacBride Museum were brought on board as programming partners to curate exhibitions of heritage photographs in a special gallery devoted to that purpose, now known as the Hougen Heritage Gallery.
Arts Underground opened its doors in July of 2005 when the Yukon Art Society signed a 5-year rent- and utility-free lease agreement with the Hougen Group of Companies. The Hougen Group raised its commitment to $1,000,000 in May 2008 and to $1,500,000 in December 2012, ensuring that Arts Underground will continue to build the Yukon arts and heritage communities into the next decade.
Our partners
Hougen Group of Companies
Hougen's Limited was founded in 1944. Through expansion and acquisition, it grew to become the largest retail organization in the Yukon, with over 75,000 square feet of retail space in Whitehorse, and approximately 150 full and part-time employees. Arts Underground occupies a 4500-square-foot space on the lower level of the Hougen Centre, an area previously occupied by retail space and offices. In 2004, Rolf and Marg donated the space to the Yukon arts community, donating the cost of utilities as well as $80,000 for renovations. In May 2008, this support was extended with a donation worth a million dollars, to cover the cost of rent, utilities and other operating expenses for ten years. A stair lift was also installed to open access to those with mobility issues.
Government of Yukon
We are grateful for program funding and operational support from the Government of Yukon. For more information, visit yukon.ca
Friends of the Yukon Archives Society
The Friends of the Yukon Archives Society (FOYAS) is a registered non-profit society that has been working since 1997 with the Yukon Archives to acquire, preserve, and provide access to the Yukon's rich documentary heritage. FOYAS is committed to assisting and advising the Yukon Archives in its important goal of preserving our past by: supporting and promoting programs and activities, receiving and administering gifts, endowments and bequests, and helping to make records at the archives more accessible. FOYAS presents exhibits from the collections of Yukon Archives twice yearly in the Hougen Heritage Gallery.
MacBride Museum of Yukon History
Yukon adventure starts at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History! From gold rush fever to the birth of Whitehorse, MacBride offers the most comprehensive view of the characters and events that built Canada's Yukon.
The museum, located in downtown Whitehorse just blocks away from the Arts Underground gallery, is open all year. MacBride offers programming for all ages on Yukon's nature culture and history. Twice a year, MacBride mounts exhibits in the Hougen Heritage Gallery featuring outstanding artifacts from its collection of more than 25,000 objects, photographs and archival documents.
For more information on exhibits, programming and events go to macbridemuseum.com or call (867) 667-2709 ext 6.