Krystal Paraboo (she/her) is an award-winning independent Curator, Art Historian, Writer, and Community Builder. She is currently a Public Art Planner with the City of Vancouver. Krystal places tremendous value on bridging activism and artistic expression with cultural development, based on the foundation of fostering authentic human connection and inclusive practices. She graduated with a Bachelor of Honour’s Degree from Queen’s University in 2013, with a double major in Art History & History. She also attended the Bader International Study Centre in the United Kingdom, with extensive study in Art History and Curatorial Studies on-site at the Courtauld Institute, National Gallery London, and the British Museum.
Krystal has made a substantial footprint in Vancouver’s art community. Her work has spanned within both public and private art institutions over the years, including the Vancouver Art Gallery and Rennie Museum, working directly with both established and emerging artists. She has recently shifted to research in the public art realm, transforming spaces through placemaking. Krystal is leading the Public Art Program with the Black + Indigenous Design Collective (BIDC), and has previously curated a record-breaking number of local Black Artists to produce murals through the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project (BSRP) with the Vancouver Mural Festival. Alongside artist Anthony Joseph, she won a Heritage BC Award in the category of Education, Communication & Awareness for the mural “Hope Through Ashes: a Requiem for Hogan’s Alley.” Krystal has curated numerous additional local art exhibitions including “The Great Big Vancouver Paradox'' in 2018 for Capture Photography Festival, and most recently “Roots Revealed: Contemporary Art of the Caribbean Diaspora” at Seymour Art Gallery.
Moreover, Krystal loves to engage in anti-racist and community building projects that seek to elevate marginalized groups. She has volunteered with non-profits such as Hogan’s Alley Society and Ethos Lab. During 2020, Krystal came together with multiple BIPOC leaders in the B.C. arts sector to create a new anti-racism initiative Sector Equity for Anti-Racism in the Arts (SEARA), dedicated to community mutual aid. As the Fund Lead, she led raising money across arts organizations for BIPOC artists affected by COVID-19.
Krystal has written reviews for various local publications, including Canadian Art, SAD Magazine, Contrast Collective and Discorder Magazine. She specializes in: curatorial art projects, art education, research, fundraising, policy, events, communications, community building, art consulting, non-profit design and management, organizational development, and anti-racism training.