Connecting Through Creativity
Community Engagement Through Art
Melissa Burgher is a multidisciplinary artist and instructor who brings people together through accessible, collaborative art experiences. She works with municipalities, schools, private organizations, Indigenous organizations, and community groups across British Columbia.
Her experience includes leading large-scale public murals, community painting projects, fibre art installations, weaving workshops, and hands-on creative activities. Through her work with PoCo Arts Council, she has helped organize community art festivals, free art classes, youth activities, artist talks, and creative drop-in programs connecting residents with local artists.
Melissa has led projects such as All in a Dream, a 4,300-square-foot mural in Coquitlam, and collaborative textile projects that encourage storytelling, creative expression, and connection.
She can develop customized art experiences for schools, public spaces, workplaces, festivals, and community organizations. Offerings include collaborative murals, painting workshops, weaving, textile art, nature-inspired installations, team-building activities, and intergenerational storytelling projects.
Melissa is passionate about making art welcoming and accessible, helping people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities learn new skills, share ideas, celebrate community identity, and create meaningful work together.
Students work on Stronger Together at Ecole Irvine in Port Coquitlam. A school-wide projects where many hands helped to bring this tapestry to life!
Cedar, wool, cotton, bull-rush, goose
5’ woven nest sculpture for PoMo Arts, Art Outside 2026.
Materials: Black willow, bull-rush, cedar, cottonwood
Coming Home
A community painted mural on asphalt
PCI Developments and environmental groups approached me to create one of the first projects highlighting plans to remove infrastructure and daylight a once-lively creek within the next 3–5 years. I was excited to be part of this initiative!
The mural illustrates the coastal cutthroat trout’s life cycle, from eggs to mature adults, and their journey toward Burrard Inlet. Along the way, Indigenous plants such as Nootka roses and salmonberries provide important food sources for wildlife. Orange circles represent marine-derived nutrients (MDNs), which enrich soil and support healthier plants, animals, and ecosystems, ultimately benefiting human health and the environment.
One of many painting competitions developed and run by Melissa. This one was in partnership with The Surrey Art Gallery.
A mural painted with staff at Neptune Bulk Terminals in North Vancouver
Creative Connections Across Schools, Cities & Organizations
01 / Project Management
Melissa brings strong project management skills to her artistic practice, combining creative vision with the technical knowledge and hands-on experience to confidently operate a wide range of tools, equipment and materials to bring projects from concept to completion.
02 / Material Knowledge
Melissa has extensive experience working with a wide range of painting materials, surfaces and substrates, adapting techniques and products to suit each project. From traditional canvases to wood, concrete, brick, asphalt and large-scale interior and exterior mural surfaces, she understands how to select the right materials for lasting, high-quality results.
03 / Engagement
Melissa excels at bringing people together through art, creating meaningful opportunities for community participation and collaboration. She has experience engaging people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds in public art projects, workshops and creative initiatives, ensuring participants feel welcomed, included and connected to the creative process.