2022
Professional Artistic Growth Made Accessible began in 2022 as a partnership between Seema Shah & Outsiders and Others’ Artistic Director & Curator, Yuri Arajs.
The 2022 project included:
21 individual consultations for visual artists provided by Yuri
3 professional development workshops co-facilitated by Yuri & Seema
– Portfolio Review Workshop
– Marketing Your Art & Yourself
– What’s On Your Mind? Q&A Session
2 gallery exhibitions co-curated by Yuri & Seema
– Other Ways of Knowing – Outsiders and Others’ window gallery (view exhibition
– Works by Tanja Ajtic and Will Dewgrave – Outsiders and Others’ main gallery (view here)
For details about past visual art activities, visit: Outsiders and Others’ PAGMA page
2023
In 2023, the partnership between Seema Shah and Outsiders and Others continued. Due to an interest from the community for similar opportunities for writers, a new partnership with author, writing teacher, and manuscript consultant, Betsy Warland, was added.
2023 visual art opportunities included:
16 individual consultations for visual artists provided by Yuri
2 professional development workshops co-facilitated by Yuri & Seema
– Talking About Your Artwork
– Art Portfolio Workshop
2023 writing opportunities included:
5 individual writing consultations provided by Betsy
2 professional development workshops facilitated by Betsy
– Revision & Expanding: How to Make Your Writing More 3D
– Revision & Expanding: How to Make Your Writing More 3D (part 2)
2024
In 2024, the partnerships between Seema and Outsiders and Others, and Seema and Betsy Warland continued.
2024 visual art opportunities included:
12 individual consultations for visual artists provided by Yuri
1 workshop professional development workshop co-facilitated by Yuri & Seema
– Surviving Financially as an Artist (postponed until early 2025 due to circumstances)
2 gallery exhibitions co-curated by Yuri & Seema
– The Many Faces of Time – Outsiders and Others’ window gallery
– The Many Faces of Time: Part Deux – Outsiders and Others’ main gallery (view here)
2024 writing opportunities included:
5 individual writing consultations provided by Betsy
2 professional development workshops facilitated by Betsy Warland, Kate Bird & Seema
– Tips for a Successful Submission (offered twice) – to prepare for upcoming call for writers
1 call for writers for upcoming anthology to be co-edited by Betsy, Kate & Seema – Off the Map: Vancouver Writers with Lived Experience of Mental Health Issues
2025
Off the Map: Vancouver Writers with Lived Experience of Mental Health Issues, an anthology co-edited by Betsy, Kate & Seema, was published by Bell Press in May 2025. More information can be found here. CIF provided funding for the editing for Off the Map.
What People 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
– Participant from 2022 1-on-1 visual art consultation with Yuri
was left feeling confident that I am moving in the right direction.”
“I really liked the two person facilitation. Yuri brings his wealth of creating and curating experience in the “regular” art world as well at the outsider world, and Seema brings her personal lived experience as an artist with a lived experience of mental illness. You complement each other so well. “
– Participant from 2022 visual art workshop co-facilitated by Yuri & Seema
“Several pointers on writing techniques shared by Betsy at the beginning of the session were super helpful. 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 