Daniel Francis

Reading the National Narrative

Birth of an Art School

Jan 7, 2026

Last year marked the centenary of Emily Carr University of Art and Design. It opened its doors in 1925 as the Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts and immediately became a key force shaping the cultural life of the city.

The British Columbia Review has published my brief take on the events surrounding the formation of the art school. May it thrive for another hundred years.