The latest arts, culture and other happenings in Vancouver this April, 2023. Have a tip? Email kristi@looselipsmag.com.
White Noise: A theatrical comedy about two families who have dinner together for the first time during Truth and Reconciliation week, White Noise explores what it means to live in Canada from two different paradigms and asks us to consider: How do we deal with internalized racism? Written by the late playwright Taran Kootenhayoo.
Date: April 15 – May 7
Location: Firehall Arts Centre (280 E.Cordova Street)
Kids First: Come get creative on the first Saturday and Sunday of the month with a day of art-making and fun. Kids First is an opportunity for families of all kinds to create an in-house art project, based on the exhibitions being shown in the Gallery. The projects are geared towards children ranging in age from 5 to 12 years old, though there is no age requirement to participate.
Date: April 1 + 2
Location: The Polygon Gallery (101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver)
Collage Party Feat. Karice Mitchell: Join us for a collage party led by Vancouver-based artist Karice Mitchell. Drawing inspiration from various artists who make use of found images and text – such as Wedge Collection artists Aaron Jones, Carrie Mae Weems, and Lorna Simpson – along with Michell’s own process of working with vintage magazines, this event will be focused on exploring how to respond to and manipulate found images.
Date: April 13, 7 PM
Location: The Polygon Gallery (101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver)
A Small but Comfy House and Maybe a Dog: This solo exhibition by Amy Ching-Yan Lam explores how our daily experiences reflect on the historical trajectories of money, class, and capitalism. The title of this show comes from a childhood letter that Amy wrote to her future self, describing the comforts of domestic stability that come from “a small but comfy house and maybe a dog.”
Date: April 22 – June 11
Location: Richmond Art Gallery
The Children Have To Hear Another Story: Alanis Obomsawin: In a survey of the breadth of filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin’s lifework from the 1960s to the present, this exhibition demonstrates her remarkable achievements in education, music, documentary cinema and activism that have mobilized Indigenous voices and ideas to transform society.
Date: April 7 – August 7
Location: Vancouver Art Gallery
Matriarchs Seen and Unseen: Featuring over 20 striking portrait photographs of matriarchs of the Northwest Coast by Nuu-Chah-Nulth photographer Melody Charlie, the exhibition celebrates and honours the work of these women, showcasing their strength, wisdom, leadership and deep connections, while documenting ceremonies and traditional cultural practices.
Date: March 29 – June 25
Location: Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Femme Festival: With seven performances from women in music, theatre, dance, comedy, and circus, The Cultch’s Femme Festival will fill three stages in East Vancouver this April and May.
Date: April 15 – May 14
Location: All The Cultch venues | Historic Theatre, 1895 Venables | York Theatre, 639 Commercial Dr. | Vancity Culture Lab, 1895 Venables | RE/PLAY, online
TRANSFORM Cabaret Festival: Watch nine groundbreaking, collaborative works by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists for FREE! TRANSFORM Cabaret Festival is unlike any other festival in the world. With a focus on empowering Indigenous artists and encouraging collaboration with non-Indigenous artists, this festival brings communities together to create lasting social change and groundbreaking performance.
Date: Until May 28
Location: Online via The Cultch
Bright Futures: This group exhibition examines the lasting influence of Bill Reid’s iconic art on the development and creation of contemporary Northwest Coast art today. Bright Futures will feature works by fourteen emerging and established Northwest Coast artists alongside a selection of works from Bill Reid Gallery’s permanent collection.
Date: April 26, 2023–January 14, 2024
Location: Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Stupid F*cking Bird: Sort of adapted from Chekhov’s The Seagull, Posner’s retelling of the comedic tragedy retains much of the twisted dark humour of Chekhov’s original—complete with complicated love triangles and the titular dead gull—while introducing a modern and North American sensibility to the 1895 masterpiece.
Date: April 12 – 23
Location: The Cultch’s Historic Theatre, 1895 Venables St
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival: The Festival unites Vancouver citizens – a citizenry with a richly diverse cultural heritage– in happy celebration of this unique seasonal phenomenon.
Date: April 1 – 23
Location: Various Venues
RUBABOO: Derived from the Michif word for “leftovers stew” or “big pot,” Rubaboo will take audiences on an intimate, moving, and joyous journey—guided by powerhouse Métis performer Andrea Menard. An acclaimed singer-songwriter and actor, Menard’s lyrical voice and masterful storytelling will envelop you in the beauty of Métis culture. Featuring the sounds of drums and guitar, this grand musical feast includes songs of reconciliation, unity, love, frustration, and resilience.
Date: Until April 30
Location: The Arts Club’s Granville Island Stage
Rebecca Belmore: Hacer Memoria: Hacer Memoria is an outdoor sculpture that extends along the top of The Polygon Gallery’s east-facing façade. This public artwork consists of nine oversized blue and orange shirts sewn from tarpaulins The long-sleeved shirts, which hang in a row with the backs facing out, are each emblazoned with a single letter. Together the letters spell “hereafter.”
Date: Ongoing
Location: The Polygon Gallery (101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver)
Deanna Dikeman: Leaving and Waving: For 27 years since 1991, Deanna Dikeman took photographs as she waved goodbye and drove away from visiting her parents at their home in Sioux City, Iowa. “I just took these photographs as a way to deal with the sadness of leaving. It gradually turned into our goodbye ritual.”
Date: Until April 23
Location: The Polygon Gallery (101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver)
