NORCA ART

About the Project

The Palette of Belonging is a collaborative, free art workshop series developed to support newcomers as they settle in Chilliwack. Grounded in the understanding that immigration is a profound life transition, this project offers a creative, safe, and closed-group container to collectively share and process stories of relocation, arrival, and cultural adjustment. In our weekly sessions, absolutely no prior art skills are required - the entire experience is centered around the nurturing process of creation rather than the final product. The program culminates in a meaningful public celebration this August, where participants will collaborate with a local mural artist to paint a movable community mural at the Chilliwack Mural Festival. This artwork will stand as a visual testimony of their right to belong, traveling across the Fraser Valley to spark vital ongoing dialogues around inclusion and diversity.

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Rooted in Partnership, Reconciliation, and Land Linkages

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The Palette of Belonging is built upon a profound network of community care, made possible through a vital partnership with Chilliwack Local Immigration Partnership, Chilliwack Community Services, Fraser Health, and the Chilliwack Community Arts Council. Because finding a true sense of belonging requires an ethical connection to both the land we live on and its original caretakers, this project intentionally weaves reconciliation directly into our everyday community practice. We are deeply honored to work in close collaboration with local Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and Elders, who gently guide our participants through invaluable cultural teachings on the Medicine Wheel - exploring holistic well-being, interconnectedness, and environmental stewardship. Together with our partners, we are proudly building a supportive bridge where newcomers, long-term locals, and Indigenous communities can break down systemic barriers and grow together in mutual respect.