A Short History of the NOAA

The North Okanagan Artists Alternative is a registered non-profit society and recognized charity comprised of local and regional artists and friends of the arts.

In early 1999,  the group began to meet regularly to discuss art-related issues, to identify the needs of artists and arts audiences in our region, and to lay the foundation for the formation of an artist association. In the year 2000, the NOAA formed and got to work raising funds, creating awareness, mounting art exhibitions, and began making plans for the establishment of an artist-run centre in the North Okanagan. Our official incorporation as a non-profit society was completed in February of 2001; Gallery Vertigo was established in the summer of 2002, and this year, Gallery Vertigo became a registered charity. We have accomplished a lot in ten short years and we are proud of it! In the brief period of time since the formation of the North Okanagan Artists Alternative, a well-spring of talented and energetic people have come forth to offer their support to the organization and its objectives. Visual artists, writers, film makers, university instructors, musicians, fine arts students, performance artists, artisans and many citizens who support the arts have come together in a spirit of co-operation. The synergy which has resulted from the joining together of artists and friends of the arts is an example of what is possible in a community such as ours. This synergy serves to illuminate not only what is possible for the arts community
itself, but also for the larger community, the City of Vernon, and the North Okanagan Region.

Gallery Vertigo grew from the seed of an idea planted by a small group of local of artists. In 1999, this small group began to meet in local coffee shops, restaurants and pubs, drawn together by the desire to discuss art, art theory and professional art practice. From the beginning, a mutual dissatisfaction with the established art venues in the area and a desire for self-governance was voiced. This gave impetus to the movement towards the establishment of more current and exciting opportunities for artists. The group quickly grew in size and moved on to the next logical step which was to exhibit together. A desire to create and view art of a more alternative nature was a uniting force that drove the group forward.

In December 2000, a call was issued to all artists in the region for a group exhibition which was held in a vacant storefront in Vernon’s downtown district. A second exhibition was planned for the Spring of 2001. Encouraged by the overwhelming response from both local artists and the public, the association, which had grown to about 40 artists at the time, incorporated as a registered non-profit society in February of 2001. The North Okanagan Artists Alternative continued to exhibit in random spaces over the next year.
In the spring of 2002, the N.O.A.A. Society organized a members’ exhibition in a particularly appealing second story location in a heritage building in the downtown core. A core group of N.O.A.A. artists rented the space soon after, renovated it at their own expense and launched an alternative gallery.

The gallery’s artists officially merged with the NOAA in May 2003, forming an even larger, stronger, more vibrant and unified artistic community thereby creating the North Okanagan’s first Artist-Run Centre.

The society is currently over 120 members strong and that number continues to grow each year. Gallery Vertigo operates under the auspices of NOAA. The gallery houses four exhibition spaces. In addition, Gallery Vertigo operates a gallery space in cooperation with Okanagan College at the Kalamalka campus in Vernon. Gallery Vertigo is also home to studio areas for eleven artists, several office areas, and a resource room. Programming includes offerings in the literary arts and musical events as well as continuing to host a regular schedule of exhibitions of visual art. Arts-related workshops, lectures and learning opportunities for all ages are provided for the North Okanagan community.

Gallery Vertigo is a registered non-profit society comprised of local and regional artists and friends of the arts. Since September of the year 2000, we have been actively engaged in creating public awareness of the arts in all  its forms by establishing and maintaining Gallery Vertigo, the only artist run centre in the North Okanagan. The centre offers a rich and varied array of visual art exhibitions, cultural events and learning opportunities for all ages.


Our Location
Gallery Vertigo is an Artist Run Centre in Vernon British Columbia.
The gallery is located in the historical Winnipeg Union Bank Building on the corner of 30th Avenue and 31st Street, right in the heart of the city. We are on the second floor of this fine red brick and granite example of Edwardian Classical Revival architecture. Please enter on the 31st Street side of the building and come up the stairs. Visit our two gallery spaces and resource centre. Feel free to chat with artists at work in their studios as well.

Studio Artists and Writers



Who are we?


The North Okanagan Artists Alternative is a registered non-profit society comprised of local and regional artists and friends of the arts.
In early 1999, we began to meet regularly to discuss art-related issues and in order to clearly identify the needs of artists and arts audiences in our region. (more...)