No need to fret: your welcome back arts guide begins here
By Daryn Wright
Somewhere, amongst the modernist architectural catastrophe that is SFU, there exists an arts community. Yes, it’s hard to find amongst those thick cement walls and uncomfortable wooden benches, especially if you’re a newcomer and unfamiliar with the many nooks and crannies of the several campuses, but it does exist. Consider this guide the first place to go to for all things artsy at SFU.
The Audain Gallery
Located at the Goldcorp Center for the Arts at SFU Woodward’s, the Audain Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 12–6 p.m. With a focus on conceptual and experimental projects, the gallery encourages an engagement with contemporary art. Free and open to the public, previous exhibitions include The Primary Education of the Autodidact by Raqs Media Collective, and So Crazy it Just Might Work by third-year SFU visual arts students. Special events and workshops are held throughout the semester.
SFU Gallery
Two locations: Teck Gallery at SFU Vancouver Campus; and SFU Gallery at Burnaby campus, in room AQ3004. Both galleries are open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; and 1– 5 p.m. on Saturday. The main gallery space on Burnaby campus has been open since 1965, and it strives to be inclusive of the SFU arts community. Both galleries reflect SFU’s radical history, and show contemporary involvement with the arts. Events are held monthly, and relevant publications are sold through the gallery. Exhibitions change every couple of months, and admission is free, so it’s easy to slip into the gallery between classes.
inter/tidal. An Interdisciplinary Journal
Published by the SFU Humanities Student Union, inter/tidal. accepts papers/essays, reviews, poetry, short fiction, and the visual arts. Subjects are generally concerned with contemporary issues in the humanities. Back issues are available online. See intertidalsfu.com for more information.
SFU Philosopher’s Cafe
If you’re looking for engaging discussion outside of the classroom, look no further. The cafe is a series of informal talks held in various locations around the city, such as the beach, community centers, and coffee houses. Covering a variety of subjects, upcoming sessions include: Social moguls, social virtuosos: who among us is capable of driving change?, and How does creativity work? See sfu.ca for complete schedule.
The Goldcorp Center for the Arts
Heart of the SFU Woodward’s Campus, the Centre for the Arts holds events ranging from theatre performances to film previews to arts forums. Upcoming events include: Far Side of the Moon, November 1–4 and 6–10 and Bah! Humbug! 2012 — An SFU Woodwards Seasonal Tradition from December 12–16.
If you still can’t get your arts fix, the best next thing is to talk to your peers about what they’re involved in — or read The Peak!
