Humanity In Art is the artistic partnership of Saskatchewan-born, Lys Glassford (they/them) and BC local, Lauren Semple (she/they). With a driving love and passion for big art, urban rehabilitation, and community, these queer public art advocates have been rehabilitating the blank walls of the central island for the past several years.

Humanity In Art was founded by Lys, a Nanaimo street artist, in 2013 and quickly became known for aerosol art, colourful murals, and local community improvement projects.

In 2017, Humanity In Art relaunched as a new partnership with Lauren, an artist and community advocate. Together they founded Humanity in Community Foundation dedicated to rehabilitating and adorning urban spaces with large-scale murals and public art in support of street artists and vibrant communities.

In 2018 this dynamic duo tackled the old A&B Sound building in downtown Nanaimo and transformed this unloved and unused eyesore into the Urban Art Gallery and Open Art Wall. In 2020, as the Artistic Director and Festival Producer, they brought Nanaimo’s first mural festival to life. Hub City Walls brought three new murals to the Arts District and an exciting new event to Vancouver Island.