Professional Artistic Growth Made Accessible (PAGMA) is a grassroots community partnership project that began in January 2022. The project offers free professional development opportunities to Vancouver artists and writers with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use issues.
The project is a partnership between Seema Shah, a practicing self-taught artist and writer with lived experience of mental health issues, and : 1) Outsiders and Others’ Artistic Director and Curator, Yuri Arajs, who shares his visual arts expertise with participants; and 2) Betsy Warland, author, writing teacher, and manuscript consultant, who shares her writing expertise with participants. Yuri and Betsy have been key mentors to Seema, helping her move forward in her professional development as a visual artist and writer.
To date, project opportunities for visual artists have included professional development workshops co-facilitated by Yuri and Seema, 1-on-1 artists consultations with Yuri, and gallery exhibitions at Outsiders and Others co-curated by Yuri and Seema. Opportunities for writers have included writing workshops facilitated by Betsy and 1-on-1 writing consultations with Betsy, which laid the groundwork for Off the Map: Vancouver Writers with Lived Experience of Mental Health Issues. This anthology was co-edited by Betsy Warland, Seema Shah, and Kate Bird, and published by Bell Press in May 2025.
Funding from Vancouver Coastal Health’s Consumer Initiative Fund (CIF) allowed this project to get off the ground and grow. CIF is an innovative program that funds projects that are proposed, managed, and led by individuals with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use issues. Project offerings are meant to benefit others in the Vancouver community with lived experience of these issues.
What Participants Say
“I found Yuri’s feedback on an exhibition proposal I am working very valuable. He gave me some advice on how to proceed with the proposal that I had not considered….I was left feeling confident that I am moving in the right direction.”
– Participant from 2022 1-on-1 visual art consultation with Yuri
“Feeling like, somehow, my art mattered. Seeing my work in the window with others, and knowing that together our works would speak to others, was wonderful.”
– Participant from 2022 exhibition in Outsiders and Others’ window gallery, co-curated by Yuri & Seema
“Loved getting insights from a writers mind…what works…what doesn’t…Betsy’s experience as a writer is immense and I find any little insight/advice from her extremely valuable…”
– Participant from 2023 writing workshop facilitated by Betsy
Professional Artistic Growth Made Accessible 