The Vancouver Island School of Art is an independent, non-profit contemporary art school in Downtown Victoria, British Columbia.
The Vancouver Island School of Art (VISA) is an independent, non-profit art school that offers education in the visual arts. It was established in 2004 by artist and educator Wendy Welch and is a Non-Profit Registered Charity. Its mission is to advance art education through comprehensive programs and presentations for adults of all ages. Since September 2004, the school has served more than 6000 students with 140 instructors.
VISA began in a commercial space in the Rock Bay area of Victoria. In 2007, the Slide Room Gallery was formed in the lower level of 2549 Quadra St. In 2012, VISA acquired transfer agreements with Emily Carr University, Vancouver Island University and the University of Gloucestershire in the UK. In June 2021, the school moved into a downtown location in the historic Maynard Court building at 302-733 Johnson St.
VISA offers a one-year Certificate of Visual Arts covering painting, drawing, photography, art history and contemporary art. The certificate can be completed in nine months full-time (September to April) or over four years part-time. Its Certificate of Visual Arts is transferable to the second year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Media Arts or Bachelor of Design degree at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Classes are usually around 8-14 students.
The school is located in Downtown Victoria at 302-733 Johnson St, Victoria, BC V8W 3C7. VISA has a large, well-ventilated and well-lit classroom space, a well-stocked art library and the Slide Room Gallery.
VISA is a Designated Learning Institution registered with the Government of Canada (DLI# O111345278377). It was accredited by the PCTIA in 2005, now the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB). The Certificate of Visual Arts program has been approved by the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. The school is the only independent art school in British Columbia with university transfer credits.