Art promotes mental health in White Rock
Published 6:00 pm Thursday, September 3, 2026
While issues of mental health, and mental illness continue to make headlines, a current White Rock art event is seeking to bring connection and healing to the forefront on a much more benign, local level.
Surrey-based nonprofit organization Options Community Services – together with Fraser Health, Peace Arch Hospital Foundation, and the City of White Rock – is hosting Expressions, a community art exhibition, at the Uptown Gallery, 15140 North Bluff Rd. (Central Plaza),
The show opens Friday, Sept. 4 from 1 to 5 p.m.
It’s a showcase of art work produced by local residents who live with mental illness and substance abuse challenges – a practical demonstration of the reality that everyone has unique strengths, abilities, and the potential to lead meaningful, connected lives in their community.
All artist participants are part of either Options Community Services’ White Rock Supported Living Program, and/or the Whale House Clubhouse and/or White Rock Mental Health & Substance Use Center/Fraser Health.
The art pieces in the show often draw on a variety of lived experiences, highlighting both the creativity – and the self-relevatory courage – of those who choose art as their vehicle of self-expression, therapy and storytelling.
The exhibition is also a celebration of the concept of social inclusion as a way to support recovery, reduce harmful stigmas, and showcase the meaningful contributions of people living with mental illness, through the values and principles of Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR).
It’s a testament, too, to the fact that recovery is possible – with the right kind of community, connection, and care.
The community partnership presenting Expressions is in itself a demonstration of the potential for similar organizations and levels of government to collaborate in promoting inclusion, reducing the stigma around mental illness and encouraging opportunities for people living with mental illness to participate, contribute, and thrive within their community.
The show will be open through September on Thursdays and Fridays (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) and on Saturdays (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).