Creativity is something we can all practice.  

It can also feel hard at times, but it’s also a brave and meaningful choice. Art, in all its forms, asks us to take a moment to reflect, to question familiar ideas, and to remain open to change. It encourages growth, learning, and persistence, even when the process feels uncertain or unfamiliar.  

At its best, creativity is more than self‑expression. It is a way of connecting with others and making space for different perspectives. Creating something and sharing it with the world requires openness, intention, and trust. 

This kind of creativity takes courage. It takes courage to create honesty, to share work publicly, and to allow it to contribute to something beyond oneself. Vancouver artist Sandra Yuen embodies this spirit and reflects on this approach in our upcoming free event: Voices of Hope: From Expression to Understanding. 

Sandra Yuen is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist with lived experience, whose work spans visual painting, poetry, music, writing, and public speaking. Across all these forms, her work is thoughtful, bold, and full of life. She uses creativity as a way to explore emotion, healing, and shared human experiences. 

Sandra’s art creates space for reflection, and her pieces feel intentional and bright, reminding us that art can express what words sometimes cannot. Alongside sharing her story and creative journey at this year’s event, BCSS has commissioned Sandra to create an original painting inspired by themes of expression, hope, and shared humanity.  

Using the iris flower to reflect BCSS, the artwork carries the spirit of the day beyond words and into something we can see and feel, like our event poster, offering a visual reminder that understanding can be felt as well as learned. 

View more of Sandra’s work on her website here.  

Creativity has the power to open doors to understanding, connection, and hope. We invite you to be part of that experience and hear Sandra Yuen’s story firsthand at Voices of Hope: From Expression to Understanding.

Join us May 23, in person at the Cultch Historic Theatre in Vancouver or online to listen, reflect, and engage with Sandra’s journey as she shares how creativity has shaped her healing and helped transform personal experience into collective meaning. Whether you are an artist, a supporter, or someone curious about the role creativity can play in mental health and recovery, your presence matters. 

Together, we can listen, learn, and reimagine what healing can look like.