Nature as a catalyst for

creativity, rest, and discovery

We The Roses Fondation is an arts nonprofit that connects a global community of Black and Brown creatives, using nature as a medium for renewal and exploration.

Our Mission

To empower a global community of Black and Brown creatives, We The Roses Fondation (WTRF) draws on the healing power of nature as a medium for creative renewal and exploration. Through curated experiences and a commitment to Black imagination, the fondation stands as a sanctuary of renewal and reflection, using nature's expansive energy as a guiding force.

Blending environmental engagement with artistic expression, WTRF allows creatives to imagine without the confines and expectations of western ideals, and to find potential within a space of rest.

Through geographical activism, WTRF addresses the lack of cultural representation locally by offering sanctuary to artists seeking creative renewal, deepening community globally.

“ Attention Restoration Theory (ART) suggests that exposure to nature can restore prefrontal cortex executive processes. Studies demonstrate that natural environments allow individuals to disconnect from technology and constant demands of modern life, fostering higher-order cognitive functions such as creative problem solving."

Atchley RA, Strayer DL, Atchley P (2012) Creativity in the Wild: PLoS ONE

Our programs

We employ immersive experiences – residencies, workshops, symposiums – that intertwine creativity, community, and nature-based therapy, located in a residence nestled in the woods of Vancouver, Canada.

  • An immersive day-long symposium to root and celebrate how creatives across the Black diaspora can connect on common soil through nature and through art and forge transformative collaborations.  

    By recontextualizing “environment” beyond nature to include history, legacy, and social order, the symposium included art workshops, talks, nature walks, and a sound bath experience to a curated group of artists, curators, and culturalists from Vancouver, Seattle, Portland and LA.

  • Learning & Community Building

    A seven-week program designed for curators of color in British Columbia. The workshop provides training in curatorial concepts, community activism, and non-profit arts development, with guidance from international artists and gallery directors.

  • Nature as a therapy for creative exploration

    The Roses Residency provides a space for Black creatives to reconnect with nature, and find creative clarity, making it a sanctuary for rest, recovery and rejuvenation.

    Each artist arrives into an abundance of possibility -  though a series of bespoke experiences ranging from First Nations elder walks in ancient forests, open ocean swimming and paddling tours, equestrian therapy, to sound bath treatments, each artist is welcomed into a space of like-minded community members aimed at enriching their journey.

    One artist is welcomed into the residency each quarter for a duration that fits into the business of the artist's life. There is no requirement to produce, however, space and resources can be provided should that be part of the creative’s journey. 

    Through an evolving network of local First Nations and Black partners, The Roses Residency is a first of its kind in Canada, and remains committed to the creative freedoms for all underserved communities. 

“I remember hiking though Lynn Canyon (Vancouver, BC), hugging trees, embracing big questions with the open ease that nature provides. It is such spaces that give way to such moments. It’s where we deepen and connect when we might otherwise feel untethered, or as people of colour, rootless.”

Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Marine Biologist, Author, Co-founder Urban Ocean Lab

“Nature reminds me of my role on this planet and humbles any ego that might exist in my practice. Nature reminds me that I am just a vessel.”

Justen LeRoy, Artist & Director of Public Programs, MOCA

“These programs allows artists to connect with and learn from other BIPOC artists both nationally and abroad…it responds to an overwhelming call for access to artists' support grounded in critical understanding of mental wellness.”

Nya Lewis, Director of ArtSpeak, Curator in Residence at the Vancouver Art Gallery