The Downtown Art Walk features public art created by local and regional artists. The č̓iinuł (totem pole) in Anchor Park was gifted to Tofino by Tla-o-qui-aht master carver Joe David as a gesture of moving optimistically forward together. You can visit artist-run Roy Henry Vickers and Mark Hobson Galleries, and House of Himwitsa, featuring the work of Indigenous artists. You can tour outdoor installation work like the imaginative Float‘em Garden, next to the district office, crafted out of repurposed marine debris by Pete Clarkson.

A recurrent theme you will discover is a reverence for place and an invitation to help preserve and protect the incredible beauty and natural resources here in Clayoquot Sound.

Godfrey Stephens’s towering Weeping Cedar Woman in the Village Green was initially created as a protest sculpture. It was part of the historic War in the Woods, which sought to preserve the ancestral gardens of the Tla-o-qui-aht people who have been here since time immemorial.

Many of the artists like Michael Dennis, whose Nike stands in front of Wolf in the Fog, work from salvaged materials.

In First Light, ceramic artist Daniela Petosa was inspired to incorporate images and surf-shaping techniques in homage to local surf culture. This piece was specifically commissioned for its space within Tofino’s Community Centre.

Enjoy listening to each of the artists tell you in their own words what inspired their work, about their process, how they became artists and worked on their craft, and what projects or artistic challenges they hope to conquer next. Click on “Introduction” to learn about the work on display. “Listen More” offers a more in-depth conversation with the artist. It’s like a Masters Class in creative inspiration.

Limited public parking is available in the public lot next to the Tofino Clayoquot Heritage Museum downtown and at the Tofino Community Hall.