Gabriola Artists for Peace
Charity Auction & Exhibition
About this Fundraiser
Gabriola Artists for Peace is a community fundraiser for People for a Healthy Community (PHC), celebrating what peace means to local artists. Each artwork is created on a wooden dove, inspired by the iconic Gabriola Peace Dove, first introduced in 1984. The dove is a symbol of non-violence, spirit, and higher transcendence—some original doves can still be seen in residents’ yards today.
Reimagined by Jonathan Hoskins, this project brings together local artists to create one-of-a-kind Peace Dove artworks. Pieces are first displayed at the Gabriola Library and then exhibited at Gabriola Community Hall, culminating in a lively fundraiser auction. Proceeds support PHC programs, keeping the circle of peace alive in our community.
Gabriola Reginal Library
Aug. 28 - Sept. 17
Public Showing
Attend a sneak-peek public preview of the Peace Doves at the local library and visit the Peace display in support of the upcoming fundraiser.
Gabriola Community Hall
Sept. 19
Charity Auction & Exhibition
Experience the Peace Doves gallery exhibition and enjoy music, food trucks, and celebration. And don’t forget to place your bid on your favourite dove to support a great cause!
Call for Artists
Gabriola artists are invited to participate in a community-wide art exhibition and fundraiser exploring peace through creative expression. Artists are asked to paint, modify, recreate, or reimagine a dove, interpreting what peace means to them. Each artwork will become part of a fundraiser auction supporting the work of PHC.
The history of The Peace Dove:
A Symbol That Gives Back
1984
In 1984, Gabriolans responded to nuclear weapons testing in Canada with a quiet but powerful gesture. White, wooden doves began appearing across the island — simple symbols of peace mounted on homes and along driveways. They reflected a shared belief that even small communities can stand for something larger: safety, compassion and collective responsibility.
One of those original doves now rests at the Gabriola Museum, reminding us that community action does not have to be loud to be meaningful.
The doves returned years later during global protests against the war in Iraq. Once again, Gabriolans chose to express solidarity through creativity and connection. The dove became more than a protest symbol — it became a marker of shared values in a diverse community.
“Gabriola has always been a community of different mindsets,” recalls artist Dar Mace, one of the original organizers in the 1980s. “But there has always been the idea of community and getting along with others.”
2024/25
In 2024, Jonathan and Lynne Hoskins felt inspired to reintroduce the doves. Jonathan carefully traced the original design, cutting, sanding and painting each one by hand. The form remains intentionally simple — accessible to all, open to interpretation, and rooted in history.
In 2025, the project took on new life through a partnership with People for a Healthy Community. Together, we transformed the doves into an annual fundraising auction, inviting local artists to reimagine them as one-of-a-kind pieces of art.
2026
This is now our second year collaborating on the Peace Dove Auction, and the response continues to be deeply encouraging.
Every dove auctioned supports PHC programming — from food security and mental health supports to housing assistance and community outreach. The funds raised help create the conditions that allow peace to thrive: stability, dignity, connection and care.
For PHC, peace is not just a symbol. It is the everyday work of ensuring neighbours have what they need to live safely and with belonging. It is building relationships across differences. It is strengthening the fabric of the community so that no one faces hardship alone.
Across the island, the white doves remain visible reminders of who we strive to be. Through this partnership, they have also become instruments of tangible impact — turning a symbol of hope into direct support for community well-being.
In times of uncertainty and division, the Peace Dove reminds us that healthy communities are built together — through creativity, generosity and a shared commitment to one another.
And when we invest in each other, peace becomes more than an idea. It becomes action.