Some context.

The Trackside Art Gallery has a storied past, with the infamous stretch of wall being the subject of police and jurisdictional conflicts.

In 2024, the area is now a legalized, free wall supported by the Township of Esquimalt, City of Victoria, Capital Regional District, BC Arts Council and other organizations. Due to the efforts of many artists, volunteers, community members and advocates, the site is now celebrated as Canada’s largest graffiti corridor and attracts locals, visitors and tourists annually to the Trackside Paint Jam.

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Known as the “Trackside Art Gallery,” Trackside or just Tracks, the stretch of warehouse facades running parallel to the E&N Rail line is a widely celebrated outdoor urban art gallery along a train corridor. At the Trackside pieces are painted on the backends of many different buildings. There is no official curator or site management at the space. The artwork is supplied by the artists and done without curation or compensation on an informal rotating basis.

Since 2021, the Trackside Paint Jam has been held on an annual basis to bring the community together in a massive outdoor paint jam. Visit the Trackside Paint Jam Instagram to learn more about the event and past artists.

Artists and enthusiasts have contributed to the site's groundskeeping and archiving it’s history since at least the 1980’s. Today in 2024, there is a strong local and global appreciation for street-art style works like those found at the Trackside. Further, there is a recognition that street-art murals and decentralized public art is a hallmark of inclusive societies.

The Trackside is unique in the local arts, culture, and heritage contexts.

Collectives and organizations have come and gone, contributing or intervening with the Trackside, but typically dissolve as the Trackside requires a substantial amount of coordination needed to communicate with all parties involved and secure financial resources.