A private view, one short conversation, and twenty to thirty people worth meeting.
Intimate gatherings in galleries and spaces most people never see after hours. Hosted by Michelle van Eck. By invitation.
Why the evenings are small on purpose.
Vancouver has no shortage of mixers, panels and meetups. What it has less of is a room small enough to have a real conversation in, with people you would not otherwise meet.
Each gathering is built around one space and one conversation. The point is that guests meet each other. There is no pitch, no sponsor wall and no name tags. The venue and the people are the reason to come.
Two and a half hours, on a weeknight.
A glass of wine and time with the work, before anyone speaks.
Twenty minutes with the artist, the curator or a guest whose work depends on a structure most people never see. Recorded for the Anteroom podcast.
The rest of the evening belongs to the guests. Introductions are made, not left to chance.
A short written piece in The Eight the following week, shared with every guest first.
Four gatherings, about six weeks apart.
A public gallery on the waterfront. November 2026.
A contemporary art space. January 2027.
A commercial gallery, after hours. February 2027.
A private collection or design studio. Limited places. Spring 2027.
Venues are announced to guests with each invitation.
“The point of a room is that people meet each other in it, not you.”
From Field Note 036, Belonging is the new capital.
Where the format was tested.
In London I ran a series of private views in Mayfair galleries, one a month for five months, for a network of designers and architects. The finale sold out, and a masterclass that followed filled from the same room.
The short answers.
Founders, owners and decision makers, with a few people from the arts and design. The mix is chosen for each evening so that every guest has someone worth meeting.
The first three gatherings are hosted. The finale has a small number of paid places.
Request one below. Invitations go out about three weeks before each evening, with the venue and the guest in conversation. RSVPs are confirmed individually.
If you run a gallery, studio or unusual space in Vancouver and would like to host a gathering, get in touch.
Tell me a little about you. Invitations go out about three weeks before each evening.
Where the conversations continue.