Welcome to 2025! Wishing you a wonderful new year filled with joy, success and meaningful moments! As we step into this fresh chapter, take a moment to explore the exciting events happening right here in our city. From interesting exhibits to dazzling performances, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
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Town + Country: Narratives of Property and Capital
Jan. 10–April 13
Juniper Tree by Carel Moiseiwitsch. | Photo courtesy of The Belkin.
Town + Country: Narratives of Property and Capital troubles the enduring narrative binary of town and country. Borders between these two terrains have always morphed and slipped around each other theoretically, politically, economically and socially, yet the narrative of the urban/rural divide persists. Indigenous land dispossession and reclamation, capital accumulation in the form of real-estate assets, labour and technological development are all obscured by this persistent fiction. Town and country narratives similarly obscure questions of class, freedom of movement and resource extraction. There will be an opening reception and artist talk on Jan. 9; check out The Belkin’s website for more information.
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River Basin Days
Jan. 11, 2–3 p.m.
www.fraserriverdiscovery.org/rbd
River Basin Days is a monthly series of outdoor public programs geared towards families. Join the Fraser River Discovery Centre at different locations around the Fraser River Basin as they explore this incredible watershed! Their staff will guide participants through one hour of activities, experiments and art projects to learn about the biodiversity of this great river. For more information and to pre-register, check out the Fraser River Discovery Centre’s website.
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I Remember…
Jan. 15–18
www.firehallartscentre.ca/event/i-remember
I Remember… is a full-length work created and performed by award-winning dancer and choreographer Joe Laughlin. At age 63, Laughlin is a senior Canadian artist who has been performing for over 40 years, and this piece is an exploration of a dancer’s aging body and how that informs his art now and into the future. Laughlin is remembering his life in dance, competitive gymnastics, working in South Africa, Move It!, and the many talented artists he has worked with over the years. Combining dance, storytelling and video in an emotional, amusing and relatable reflection on aging, this Joe INK production is inspired by Laughlin’s memories and lessons learned from four decades as a dancer. His message: to keep moving and to remember… you are never too old to do what you love.
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Perfect
Jan. 16, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
www.masseytheatre.com/event/barbie-nwss-dance-show
Playing at the Massey Theatre is Perfect on Jan. 16. BarbeeLand appears perfect at first glance with glittering, flawless Barbees and Kenns living the dream in an endless loop of fabulous parties and perfect poses. But once they begin to malfunction, Perfect Barbee and her closest friends must travel to the real world to discover what is troubling the children that play with them. Follow the NWSS dancers as they bring you through a journey of self-discovery, empowerment and a whole lot of pink! Check out the theatre’s website for tickets and more information.
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The Three Musketeers
Jan. 16–Feb. 16
www.artsclub.com/shows/2024-2025/the-three-musketeers
Production of The Three Musketeers, featuring Daniel Fong, Nadien Chu, Braydon Dowler-Coltman, and Alexander Ariate. | Photo by Nanc Price.
All for one and one for all! In 17th-century Paris, a daring young d’Artagnan wishes to join the famed trio of musketeers – Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Harnessing the skills of a swordsman and the heart of a warrior, he sets off with them to thwart a plot of the most dangerous man in France, the evil Cardinal Richelieu. Double-crossings, extravagant sword fights and sweeping romance remind us of a time when love and honour ruled the world. Packed with wit and action, The Three Musketeers will keep you on the edge of your seat! The play will be held at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage; for tickets and showtimes, check out the website for more information.
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Interwoven Realms
Jan. 16–March 2
www.pomoarts.ca/exhibitions-events-page/interwoven-realms
A Journey Through Life, Space and Transcendence, brings together the works of artists Amy Wiebe Lau, Yasir Ali and Stephanie Denz, each exploring presence and connection in unique ways. From the natural cycles of life to the interaction of objects in space and the transcendent beauty of the cosmos, this exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the layers of existence – both tangible and ethereal. Through their exploration of nature, spatial relationships and celestial themes, the artists encourage contemplation of life’s interconnectedness and the balance between the earthly and the cosmic. For more information about the exhibit, check out the Port Moody Arts Centre website.
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Sequentia: Gregorius –The Holy Sinner
Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m.
www.earlymusic.bc.ca/events/sequentia-gregorius
Benjamin Bagby, known for his performance of Beowulf, returns to Vancouver with the astonishing medieval verse epic Gregorius, “The Holy Sinner”. A narrative poem of sin and redemption, Gregorius retells the legend of St. Gregory the Great. Bagby is joined by his medieval music ensemble Sequentia, known for their innovative, intimate and enchanting performances of ancient texts ranging from Hildegard von Bingen to the Icelandic Edda. Sequentia’s virtuosic performances are compelling, surprising in their immediacy and strike the listener with a timeless emotional connection to our own past musical cultures. Check out the Early Music Vancouver website for more information.
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The Height of the Storm
Jan. 17–Feb. 9
The Height of the Storm will be performed at the Jericho Arts Centre from Jan. 17 to Feb. 9. André and Madeleine have been in love for over 50 years. This weekend, as their daughters visit, something feels unusual. A bunch of flowers arrives, but who sent it? A woman from the past turns up, but who is she? And why does André feel like he isn’t there at all? For tickets and showtimes, check out the Centre’s website.
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Dear Plastic
Jan. 18–March 23
www.richmondartgallery.org/dear-plastic
The five featured artists of Dear Plastic, an exhibit by the Richmond Art Gallery, straddle the divide between what is considered artificial versus natural in their engagement with plastic. They clearly delight in the potential of plastic as artistic material, which they reuse, repurpose or reimagine to fashion visually arresting works. The thought-provoking pieces in this exhibition avoid a straightforward environmentalist stance or nostalgia for untouched landscapes. Displaying an acknowledgement of an existence shaped by plastic and an awareness of its positive and negative legacies alike, they capture the many paradoxes of plastic while provoking us to critically reflect on our irreversible enmeshment with plastic. For artist information, please check out the art gallery’s website.
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National Theatre Live: Vanya
Jan. 19, 3 p.m.
Irish actor Andrew Scott brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ radical new version of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Hopes, dreams and regrets are thrust into sharp focus in this one-man adaptation which explores the complexities of human emotions. Vanya will be playing at the Kay Meek Arts Centre’s Grosvenor Theatre on Jan. 19; please visit the theatre’s website for tickets and more information.
