Introducing the 2025 Visiting Artist: Randall Shier

The inaugural Visiting Artist is Randall Shier, an oil painter whose work explores the interplay between architecture and the natural environment. A longtime member of Kelowna’s arts collective, Randall is a recognizable face for anyone familiar with our organization — we are grateful to him for helping us establish this program at The Block. 

Learn more about the 2025 installation, entitled Lost Postcards.

A Canvas for the Community

In the heart of downtown Kelowna, The Block has been established as a new hub for inspiration and innovation. Housing the headquarters of some of the most forward-thinking businesses in the Okanagan, it was only fitting to envision the lobby as an evolving gallery space, celebrating the artistry inherent in the building’s design and augmenting our thriving community of local artists. 

This annual program invites the public to engage with art in unexpected spaces, while offering creatives from our region the opportunity to share their work at the intersection of culture and commerce. 

About the Showcase

Each year, one local artist is selected to showcase their work in the lobby of The Block, downtown Kelowna’s first and only Class A office tower. The showcase is refreshed annually, with each artist given full creative control to explore the themes that matter to them, and to shape how their work plays in this high-traffic public space.  

As they experience the art, visitors to the lobby will be able to learn more about the artist via a QR code and, if they wish, bid to purchase the artwork at the end of its rotation. In addition to an honorarium, promotional support by Mission Group will help augment the featured artist and amplify connections within our local arts community. 

Applications for 2026 are Now Open

Are you a local artist with a story to tell? We see you, and we welcome you to apply to become the next Visiting Artist. Whether you work in paint, photography, mixed-media, sculpture, or beyond, we’re seeking creators who see the world through a unique lens and wish to share their vision with the community.