Pieces from the Expressions from the Front Lines; A Journey through the Toxic Drug Crisis exhibit on display at Gallery Vertigo in Vernon (photo courtesy of Interior Health)

By Liam Verster

Expressions From the Front Lines

Art exhibit in Vernon explores toxic drug crisis from a lived experience lens

Aug 13, 2025 | 10:31 AM

An art exhibit on display in Vernon explores a new perspective on the toxic drug crisis.

The exhibit, Expressions from the Front Lines; A Journey through the Toxic Drug Crisis, is on display at the Gallery Vertigo, located at 2901 30th Avenue in downtown Vernon.

The exhibit is a grassroots initiative by Interior Health peer volunteers from the Vernon Downtown mental Health and Substance Use Clinic, and consists of a collection of expressions from community members with lived or living experience of substance use.

IH partnered with the Vernon Community Arts Centre to host a series of free workshops and in-house art nights where community members were able to access supplies in a supportive space to create their pieces.

“This exhibition grew from the vision of Peer Volunteers at Interior Health’s Vernon Downtown Mental Health and Substance Use Clinic that individuals with lived and living experience of substance could use art as a way to bring our community together for International Overdose Awareness Day,” IH peer coordinator, Keri Locheed, stated.

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The pieces within the exhibit focus on connection, healing, and remembrance, with a focus on elevating the voices and creativity of people with first hand experience of the toxic drug crisis.

“I want the exhibit to show the value and the talent of people in our community who use drugs,” Cheryl Jackson, an IH peer volunteer in Vernon, said.

“We want to destigmatize substance use and also honour those people who have become victims of the toxic drug crisis.”

The exhibit being on display also aligns with raising awareness on the subject in advance of International Overdose Awareness Day, which falls on Sunday, August 31.

The exhibit can be seen at Gallery Vertigo on weekdays until August 28.