To mark the 15th Victoria's Rifflandia Festival, the Royal BC Museum is hosting a special Pocket Gallery installation celebrating the artists and ideas that have shaped the festival's identity.
As part of the museum's Beyond the Beat exhibition, which displays performers who use their platforms to speak out on urgent issues such as climate change and political resistance, the Rifflandia display runs now until January 2026.
“This installation is a powerful extension of Beyond the Beat, highlighting how music not only entertains but also inspires action,” said Jodi Giesbrecht, vice president of archives, collections and research at the museum, in a news release. “Rifflandia’s history is rich with artists who’ve used their platforms to challenge injustice, and we’re proud to celebrate that legacy in the Pocket Gallery.”
Featured voices include former Rifflandia performers Public Enemy, Moby, Macklemore and Courtney Love – artists known for publicly confronting injustice and elevating community voices.
“This was such a fantastic opportunity for us to not only highlight our contribution to the West Coast music scene but also a chance to showcase artists that fought for causes that are central to our own value systems”, noted Jill Van Gyn, director of business development for Rifflandia. “Today, more than ever, we need art to intersect with the power of resistance and change.”
This year’s festival, running from Sept. 11 to 14 on the Matullia Lands at Rock Bay, includes a lineup including Public Enemy, Alessia Cara, Charlotte Cardin, Maribou State and NxWorries.
The Pocket Gallery is located in Clifford Carl Hall on the main floor of the Royal BC Museum. Admission is free.
