Artist and Students Partner for Benches of Diversity Community Project

A local artist, three Langley schools, and hundreds of creative ideas about celebrating diversity in the community have culminated in a one-of-a-kind functional art project that has been installed in the Township of Langley’s Derek Doubleday Arboretum.

Two “Benches of Diversity” have been created by local ceramic artist Elaine Brewer-White with help from students at R.E. Mountain Secondary, Langley Secondary, and H.D. Stafford Middle School, and a school in New Westminster.

The eight-foot cement mosaic benches feature more than 400 handmade tiles that students in Grade 6 to 12 painted with self-portraits and words about how diversity makes us a better community. The project was made possible by a generous anonymous donation and the benches were gifted to the Township of Langley in support of its Arts and Cultural Services Plan.

The Plan was initiated to enrich the Township’s arts and cultural community by creating and maximizing spaces where arts and culture can thrive, enhancing communications, connections, and collaborations between arts and cultural groups, and promoting a diversity of accessible arts and cultural experiences for all ages.

“Arts and culture play such an important role in our community, and with so many creative, talented people living and working in the Township, we want to foster partnerships and encourage activities that will create a variety of opportunities for residents, now and into the future,” said Peter Tulumello, the Township’s Director of Arts, Culture and Community Initiatives.

“We really appreciate the thought, dedication, and talent that went into the Benches of Diversity,” he said. “It is such a unique project and wonderful to see members of the arts community and so many young people expressing themselves and making this public art contribution. These benches and the messages celebrating diversity and inclusivity they contain will be enjoyed by everyone who visits the Arboretum for years to come.”

The Benches were officially unveiled by Brewer-White, the local students, and members of Township Council on May 3.

For more information, contact Al Neufeld, Township Deputy Director of Public Spaces and Community Initiatives at 604-533-6085 or aneufeld@tol.ca; or Benches of Diversity artist Elaine Brewer-White at elainebrewerwhite@gmail.com.