Home to:
Workroom (program space)
Artist-in-Residence room
Outlet Gallery
PoCo Heritage Museum and Archives
Outdoor stage and outdoor sculpture garden

Facility hours:
Mon – 9:30am – 6pm
Tues – 9:30am – 5pm
Wed – Fri – 9:30am – 4pm
Sat 9:30am – 4:30pm
Sun – Closed

Ongoing exhibits celebrating and preserving Port Coquitlam heritage and culture. Operated by PoCo Heritage.

Hours:
Mon-Sat: 9:30 am to 5 pm
Sun: closed

Port Coquitlam’s adopted its first Cultural Plan and policy in 2001 and recognizes that culture is an essential for the development of a healthy community and for urban revitalization. This plan laid the groundwork for building Leigh Square, Port Coquitlam’s centre for arts, culture and heritage.

Leigh Square was completed in 2007 and is now a cultural meeting place and home to art exhibitions, cultural programs, festivals and special events.

The City of Port Coquitlam adopted Imagine, Port Coquitlam’s Cultural Plan in 2016. This plan is based on the vision that Port Coquitlam’s vibrant culture celebrates our unique small town charm and weaves creativity into our active, outdoor lifestyles.

Visit the Port Coquitlam Heritage and Cultural Society website for more information on the city’s history, as well as upcoming museum exhibits and events.

Leigh Square encourages and facilitates community development through arts, culture and heritage within Port Coquitlam and serves as a cultural meeting place, a 21st century community arts centre. It serves as a hub to build understanding, connections and opportunities amongst individuals and organizations.

Leigh Square has exhibition, studio and program spaces for performing, visual and literary arts and festivals (e.g. May Day, Farmers Market, Summer in the City, Christmas in Leigh Square), as well as archival/historic display area and commercial space. It is operated by the Recreation Department in cooperation with partners such as the Friends of Leigh Square Society and Port Coquitlam Heritage & Cultural Society under an agreement.

Operating Principle

A community cultural development practice supports professional artists working with community members to create work that addresses specific local issues or concerns and uses art/culture as a vehicle for social change and active participation by artists and the community.

It’s an approach that employs the principles of community development: facilitating rather than providing, supporting rather than directing, and creating an enabling environment that permits community members and artists to work in partnerships to achieve community cultural goals.

Port Coquitlam Arts Council (Poco Arts) is a registered charity that was formed in 2005. This Society was created by interested members of the Port Coquitlam arts community, arts organizations, and businesses in recognition of the growth and importance of the arts in our community.

The creation of the society also aligned with the City of Port Coquitlam’s vision to build a dedicated cultural facility downtown to support and celebrate arts, culture, and heritage as an integral part of being a complete community that is vibrant and attractive.

Founding members of the Society played a critical role in the planning and creation of this new cultural facility, the Leigh Square Community Arts Village, and in the development of a Cultural Policy and Plan.

The Leigh Square Arts Village opened in 2007.  To celebrate the opening, and to continue to create a positive focus on the arts in our community, the Society entered into a partnership agreement with the City to provide governance and nurture the growth of the arts with the support of City staff,  citizens, and the business community.

Mission

The Port Coquitlam Arts Council’s mission is to enable and facilitate the growth and education of artistic and cultural opportunities for the community, and connect the arts with people and businesses. It plays a role in realizing these goals by actively supporting the programs, events, services in collaboration with City staff in Arts & Culture.

Vision

The Societies Vision is to nurture the appreciation, access, and celebration of the arts in Port Coquitlam. To be recognized as advocates of the arts, to ensure that the arts is seen as an important element in building and maintaining a strong and healthy community.

If you wish to support advocacy for the arts in PoCo,  become a member, donate your time or financial resources,  or sign-up for our newsletter please visit our website.

Follow us on our social media links @pocoarts Facebook / Twitter / Instagram.