CULTURE — Articles

In Enemy Lines, Mayumi Lashbrook unearths a history she was never told

At the Firehall Arts Centre, the Toronto-based choreographer reckons with the forced displacement of Japanese Canadians and the cycles of fear-based thinking that still echo today

Haunting Reedland draws on age-old Netherlands trade, at Dutch Film Festival April 25

A reed cutter tries to solve a murder in Academy Award submission for Best Foreign Language Film; plus documentaries and soccer as fest enters second installment

CULTURE, FESTS, SCREENJanet SmithApril 20, 2026Dutch Film Festival, SFU Woodward's

Sakura Days Japan Fair brings vibrant Nikkei culture to VanDusen Botanical Garden, April 11 and 12

In its 20th edition, the annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates Japanese artistry and eclectic cuisine

Krystle Dos Santos and Dawn Pemberton’s ode to Hogan’s Alley hits VIFF Live, April 4

Powerhouse vocalists preview songs from stage show Meet Me at Vie’s alongside a screening of local documentary Union Street

BC Achievement Foundation welcomes nominations for Sam Carter Award and Polygon Award until February 15

Titles elevate local artists whose work deserves national recognition, while also highlighting the creativity that shapes B.C.’s cultural landscape

CULTURE, ART & DESIGNStir VancouverFebruary 6, 2026Partner Content, BC Achievement Foundation

Vancouver arts groups mark Black History Month with film screenings, live music, and more

Artists like Dee Daniels, Brandon Thornhill, and Krystle Dos Santos are performing around the city this February

Ghanaian music scholar Kofi Gbolonyo leads upbeat Celebrate Africa! event at BlueShore at CapU, January 30

Long-time UBC and CapU faculty member puts on a show featuring dozens of local musicians, plus vocalists Dawn Pemberton and Khari McClelland

Dozens of musicians and dancers take the stage for Celebrate Africa! at BlueShore at CapU, January 30

Big bands play West African music with guests Dawn Pemberton, Khari McClelland, and others

Nikkei Mochitsuki celebrates a year-end Japanese tradition, December 29

Taiko drums and dance add to the festivities at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre

CULTURE, CULINARY, WHAT'S STIRRINGJanet SmithDecember 23, 2025Nikkei, Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre

Stir Q&A: Lai Hung-Chung’s Birdy explores freedom through feathers

Presented by DanceHouse, Taiwan’s Hung Dance draws on the headpieces of Chinese opera to conjure calligraphy, weapons, and birds in flight

DANCE, CULTUREJanet SmithNovember 19, 2025DANCEHOUSE, DanceHouse, Vancouver Civic Theatres

Alliance Française Vancouver hosts its annual V-Unframed exhibition, November 20 to 23

Themed “Storytelling Across Media”, event unites art and technology through a dance performance, immersive experiences, and more

At the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival, departed loved ones draw near in Spirit Encounters

Mexican-born artist Gerardo Avila helps celebrate the Day of the Dead and highlights the joys of the holiday through the magical migration of monarch butterflies

The Narrow Group and Emily Carr University make shortlist for Granville Island arts and innovation hub

Also in the running to transform the historic 125,000-square-foot building is nonprofit organization 221A

NEWS, CULTUREJanet SmithOctober 21, 2025granville island, Granville Island, Emily Carr University, ECUAD, 221A, The Narrow Group

France's Illyes Ferfera Quartet performs at Alliance Française Vancouver, November 13

The concert is part of the group’s Canadian tour of Tawazûn, its debut album rooted in Algerian melodies and energetic jazz

In Eternal Gestures, Alvin Erasga Tolentino embodies multifaceted relationships to the land

Co.ERASGA world premiere features commissions by three Indigenous women choreographers: Starr Muranko, Margaret Grenier, and Michelle Olson

DANCE, CULTUREEmily LythOctober 3, 2025Co.ERASGA, Alvin Erasga Tolentino

Renee Fajardo sings Disney tunes at Gateway Theatre's To the Moon: Mid-Autumn Celebration, October 5

Celebratory event also includes a lantern-making workshop and complimentary mooncakes

CULTURE, MUSICEmily LythOctober 1, 2025Gateway Theatre

Stir Cheat Sheet: 5 events at BC Culture Days that encourage self-care and connection

All-new CARE Series acknowledges the role the arts play in supporting mental health

CULTUREStir VancouverSeptember 11, 2025Culture Days, BC Culture Days

Chan Centre hosts fourth edition of ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl Come Toward the Fire, September 20 and 21

Indigenous-led festival features performances by powwow group Northern Cree and pop singer Tia Wood, plus film screenings, a marketplace, and more

On Granville Island, 221A makes shortlist to turn former Emily Carr building into an arts and innovation hub

Nonprofit’s proposal for the 125,000-square-foot building revolves around a concept by Musqueam weaver Debra Sparrow

NEWS, CULTUREJanet SmithAugust 15, 2025granville island, Granville Island, 221A, CMHC, Emily Carr University

Onibana Taiko pumps Japanese tradition full of riot grrrl aesthetics at the Powell Street Festival

Taiko artists Noriko Kobayashi and E. Kage reflect on punk-rock roots and gender expression

FESTS, CULTURE, MUSICJanet SmithJuly 23, 2025Powell Street Festival, Summer 2025, taiko, Onibana Taiko

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