The Guild at a Glance

The South Delta Artists Guild is a member-driven nonprofit visual arts organization with a fifty-year track record of supporting working artists in the region. Operating from Gallery 1710 in Tsawwassen since 1999 and incorporated as a society back in 1975, the Guild runs a full annual calendar of exhibitions, educational programs, and community art initiatives. Members join us from all across the Lower Mainland; Burnaby artists included; for the combination of consistent exhibition opportunities, workshop access, peer mentorship, and genuine creative community we’ve built over five decades. Public visitors are just as welcome at the gallery, which is free to enter every weekend. Dive deeper into the Guild’s background here.

Half a Century of Visual Art

The Guild came to life in 1975 when a group of local artists formed a nonprofit society aimed at creating lasting infrastructure for visual arts in the community. Over the decades the Guild moved through a number of locations, including the old Phoenix Club; a converted firehall in Tsawwassen that was demolished in 2003. Our current and permanent home came through a 1999 partnership agreement with the City of Delta, which gave us the Kiwanis Longhouse as our exhibition and studio space. Originally constructed in 1973 with Coast Salish Longhouse architectural features honouring the Tsawwassen First Nations, the building was renovated using member-raised funds and renamed Gallery 1710. Two and a half decades later, it’s still our base of operations, and we still host over a dozen exhibitions a year there.

The Principles We Live By

Treating artists with respect: We don’t stratify our membership by experience or style. New artists are welcomed into the same community as career professionals, and everyone gets the same attention.

Operating with integrity: Decisions are transparent, volunteer-driven, and oriented around what serves the Guild’s mission. Trust is something you earn, and we work at it.

Keeping the Guild inclusive: Any visual artist; any medium, any background, any creative history; is welcome to apply, exhibit, attend workshops, and become part of the fabric of the organization.

Prioritizing artistic development: Our programs are designed to help members improve. Workshops, demos, peer feedback, and consistent exhibition opportunities are all about keeping artists moving forward.

Membership in a Nutshell

• Exhibition in Every Monthly Show: Every Guild member can display work in our rotating monthly exhibitions at Gallery 1710; 2D and 3D pieces across a broad range of mediums
• Visibility Beyond the Gallery Walls: The Art in the Community program places member work at off-site venues including Delta Hospital and the Tsawwassen Library for broader exposure
• Life Drawing and Drop-In Studio Time: Weekly use of our dedicated workspace for life drawing and casual creative work alongside other members
• Technique Workshops: Hands-on workshops covering watercolour, oils, acrylics, mixed media, sculpture, and more; led by accomplished artists who know how to teach
• Live Artist Demos: Regularly scheduled demos from Guild members and guest artists, walking through technique, process, and working methods
• Juried and Themed Shows: Special curated exhibitions throughout the year with recognition for standout work and creative prompts outside the regular monthly format
• Plein Air Painting Outings: Weekly outdoor sessions where members paint from life in scenic natural and urban settings
• Lasting Creative Friendships: A membership network that becomes a meaningful part of your creative life; not just a contact list

Open to Burnaby Artists

Burnaby has a lively arts scene of its own, with working artists and art collectors spread across neighbourhoods including Burnaby Heights, Brentwood, Metrotown, Deer Lake, Capitol Hill, Edmonds, and the South Slope. While Tsawwassen is a drive from Burnaby, the Burnaby-based artists who make it part of their creative routine often cite the long-term stability of the Guild; fifty years of continuous operation with a permanent gallery space and an active, engaged membership; as something they haven’t found anywhere closer to home. Burnaby art lovers are equally welcome to visit Gallery 1710 on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday afternoon; the gallery’s small-but-mighty monthly shows offer a genuinely rich experience without the crowds of larger commercial galleries. See the current exhibition here.

Inside Gallery 1710

Gallery 1710 sits just off Highway 17A at 1710 56th Street in Tsawwassen, about five minutes from the BC Ferries terminal; with free parking and free admission. The gallery itself is intimate and uncluttered, letting the work breathe. Every month brings a full reinstallation of the exhibition, typically featuring up to 100 pieces from Guild member artists; abstract painting alongside realistic landscapes, mixed media beside classic watercolour, sculpture and textiles interwoven with 2D work. Art cards, prints, and annual Guild calendars are available for purchase. We’re open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12 to 4 p.m., with extended hours for receptions and special events. Docents; volunteers from the membership; are always on hand to chat about the work or help with a sale.

Joining the Guild

Burnaby-based visual artists interested in joining are warmly invited to apply. The Guild operates on a participation model; members take on docent shifts, serve on committees, help with events, and contribute to running the organization. That involvement isn’t an obligation so much as the point; it’s how friendships form, how members learn the inner workings of exhibiting, and how the Guild has managed to stay strong for five decades. In exchange, members get year-round exhibition access, studio use, educational programming, and real belonging in an established arts community. Find out more about membership and start your application here.

Connect With the Guild

Questions about joining, our current exhibition, or planning a first visit? Phone the gallery, stop by during open hours, or use the website to get in touch.

Phone: (604) 943-3313

Gallery Address: 1710 56th Street, Tsawwassen, BC V4L 2B1

Gallery Hours: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, 12 – 4 p.m.

Website: southdeltaartistsguild.com

Nonprofit Since 1975 • Home of Gallery 1710 • Welcoming Burnaby Artists & Visitors