Original paintings from the VanArtHub collection

Buying original art in Vancouver

VanArtHub vs 13 Vancouver galleries, compared honestly

VanArtHub is a Vancouver gallery with 155 original signed paintings and drawings, every one publicly priced between $531 and $5,980, with free fully insured shipping across Canada and the USA and a 14-day return that includes paid return postage. Of the 13 other Vancouver galleries reviewed here on 4 August 2026, only 5 publish artwork prices on their websites and only 5 let you buy without sending an enquiry first. These 13 comparisons set out what each gallery does better, including where it beats VanArtHub.

Browse the 155 originals
13Galleries compared
155VanArtHub originals live
$531Lowest price on the site
14 daysTo return, postage paid

What Vancouver galleries publish before you buy

Every gallery on this page was checked against its own live website on 4 August 2026. The chart counts how many of the 13 publish each thing openly, without a phone call or an email. It is not a criticism of any gallery: pricing by conversation is a long-standing and legitimate way to sell art. It does explain why buying an original can feel harder than it should.

Out of 13 Vancouver galleries reviewed

VanArtHub is excluded from the count so the survey stays neutral. VanArtHub publishes all five.

Publish artwork prices on their website5 of 13
Let you buy online without sending an enquiry5 of 13
Publish a refund or return policy before you buy3 of 13
Include free shipping on an original in the price0 of 13
None of them
Publish a delivery time for another province0 of 13
None of them

Bau-Xi Gallery, Art Works Gallery, Sam’s Original Art, Chali-Rosso Art Gallery and Federation Gallery publish prices and offer online checkout. Chali-Rosso, Federation Gallery and Sam’s Original Art publish refund terms, though Sam’s guarantee excludes original paintings. Art Works publishes its shipping rates openly, at $160 for most canvases within Canada. None of the 13 includes free shipping on an original in the listed price or publishes a delivery time to another province.

What VanArtHub does differently

VanArtHub sells original, hand-signed paintings and drawings by a curated roster of local artists. Its gallery is at 1242 Davie Street in the West End, open seven days a week, and the same collection is on this site at a published price. Everything below is what that combination gets you.

  • All 155 works carry a public price, from $531 to $5,980, median $1,265.
  • Free fully insured shipping is included in the price, never quoted separately.
  • 14 days to return any piece for a full refund, with return postage paid by VanArtHub.
  • A Certificate of Authenticity with every piece, signed by the artist.
  • Lifetime Trade-Back: exchange any piece for store credit years later.
  • Originals only. No prints, no reproductions, no editions.
  • Delivery in 3 to 7 business days in Canada and 5 to 10 in the USA.
  • Rated 5.0 out of 5 on Etsy by verified buyers.

Where a traditional gallery beats this is the room itself, the conversation with a gallerist who knows the artists, and services like framing, appraisal, restoration, installation and rental. Each comparison below says plainly which of those the other gallery does better.

All 13 comparisons

Each page covers price transparency, how you buy, shipping, returns, what is included, and the situations where the other gallery is the better choice.

Galleries that publish their prices

The five Vancouver galleries that show what a piece costs before you contact them, and let you check out online. These are the closest comparisons to VanArtHub.

Gallery Row and Granville Island

Established commercial galleries in the South Granville and Granville Island clusters. All price by enquiry, and all offer a physical space and a gallerist that an online shop cannot.

Specialist and community galleries

A non-profit rental programme, a specialist historical dealer, an artist cooperative and a single-painter studio. Different models, different reasons to choose them.

Buying original art in Vancouver: common questions

Which Vancouver galleries show prices on their websites?

Of the 13 galleries reviewed here on 4 August 2026, five publish artwork prices openly: Bau-Xi Gallery, Art Works Gallery, Sam’s Original Art, Chali-Rosso Art Gallery and Federation Gallery. The rest, including Kurbatoff Gallery, Ian Tan Gallery, Vancouver Fine Art Gallery, Jennifer Kostuik Gallery and Petley Jones Gallery, ask you to contact them for a price. VanArtHub publishes a price on all 155 of its originals.

Why do so many art galleries hide their prices?

It is a long-standing trade practice rather than a trick. Pricing by conversation lets a gallerist explain an artist's career stage, discuss payment terms, and match a buyer to work they would not have found alone. The cost is that a buyer who is not ready to start a conversation often never finds out what anything costs, which is why online galleries publish prices instead.

Where can I buy affordable original art in Vancouver?

VanArtHub has 13 original works under $700, all publicly priced with free insured shipping. Federation Gallery on Granville Island lists many works under $500 and offers payment in three instalments. Arts Off Main, an artist cooperative off Commercial Drive, sells small originals and crafts in person. The Vancouver Art Gallery's Art Rental and Sales programme rents juried BC artwork from $10 a month if you would rather not buy yet.

Can I return an original painting if it does not suit the room?

At VanArtHub, yes: 14 days from delivery, full refund, and VanArtHub pays the return shipping. Among the 13 other galleries reviewed, Chali-Rosso Art Gallery publishes a refund policy and Federation Gallery states a 100% refund guarantee. The others do not publish return terms, so ask before you buy. Bau-Xi Gallery takes a different approach and offers in-home trials instead.

Is it better to rent art or buy it?

Renting suits uncertainty and short leases. The Vancouver Art Gallery's Art Rental and Sales programme, running since 1952, rents from over 1,000 juried BC artworks starting at $10 a month. Buying suits conviction, and the risk is smaller than it looks when the gallery publishes a return policy: VanArtHub's 14-day return and Lifetime Trade-Back mean a purchase can be undone or exchanged later.

Does VanArtHub have a gallery I can visit in Vancouver?

Yes. The VanArtHub gallery is at 1242 Davie Street in Vancouver's West End, open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is a small space compared with the larger South Granville rooms, so if you want to see a lot of work in one afternoon, South Granville Gallery Row, Granville Island and the Vancouver Art Gallery are all worth the trip too. Plan your visit.

Are these comparisons fair to the other galleries?

Every fact about another gallery was read from that gallery's own live website on 4 August 2026 and is attributed on the page it appears on. Each comparison includes a section on what the other gallery does better and at least one situation where it is the recommended choice. Nothing here claims a gallery lacks something without having checked its site first.

Sources: each gallery's own website, checked 4 August 2026. VanArtHub's catalogue figures come from its live product data on the same date. If you spot something out of date, it has probably changed on the gallery's site, so check with them directly.

See every price before you decide

155 original signed paintings and drawings, from $531. Free insured shipping across Canada and the USA, and 14 days to send anything back at no cost.

Certificate of Authenticity with every piece. Rated 5.0/5 on Etsy.