Get ready for an inspiring September filled with unforgettable experiences! From captivating performances and groundbreaking exhibitions to enriching conversations and cultural celebrations, this month offers endless opportunities to explore, learn, and connect.
Image credit: Russell Fitzgerald, Carnival At New Hope Or The Agony To Be Loved (Detail), 1961. Collection Of The Morris And Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Gift Of Dora Fitzgerald, 1992
That Directionless Light of the Future: Rediscovering Russell FitzGerald
September 3 – December 8 | The Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery | Free admission
Explore the Belkin Art Gallery’s latest exhibition, curated by Jon Davies, which features rarely seen works by Russell FitzGerald. This show delves into how secret and subcultural knowledge reveals new dimensions of the postwar avant-garde.
Image credit: Kelly Wood, Garbage Bag (Negative), 1997, Part Of The Series Continuous Garbage Project. Collection Of The Morris And Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Anonymous Gift, 2005
An Opulence of Squander
September 3 – December 8 | The Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery | Free admission
Explore An Opulence of Squander, curated by Weiyi Chang, which critiques the impact of relentless growth on ecology and society. Featuring works by Richard Ibghy & Marilou Lemmens, Mike MacDonald, and Kelly Wood, this exhibition challenges the ideology of unchecked expansion.
Artivism: Heart On Fire
September 4 to November 1 | Various times and locations | Free and ticketed events
Explore the 8th annual UBC Artivism festival, Heart on Fire. This festival highlights stories of resilience and community activist art, with the aim of challenging dominant narratives through live performances, poetry, drag, art making, music and more.
Making the Most of Your Time at UBC
Thursday, September 12 | 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Compass Hub
Free
Join English professor and Associate Dean of Students Laurie McNeill and the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) for a casual coffee chat as we kick off the year. Learn tips for success in the classroom, discover ways to get involved on campus, and find out about must-attend events and available support. This event is open to all undergraduate Arts students from any year level. Come with your questions and get ready for a great start to the academic year!
Come Toward the Fire
Saturday, September 14 | 12-7 PM | Chan Centre
Free
The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and Musqueam presents Come Toward the Fire, a festival celebrating Indigenous culture with music, dance, storytelling, film, poetry, food, and crafts. This free, family-friendly event aims to amplify Indigenous voices and showcase creativity. No tickets are needed. A full schedule and site map will be announced later this summer.
“Help! I’m Stressed!” — How to Get Grounded
Wednesday, September 18 | 12 – 1 PM | Compass Hub
Free
As the term gets underway, feelings of stress can start to build up. Come and try out some grounding strategies that can help you regain a sense of calm, so you can sustain your energy and focus throughout the term.
Translation, Multilingualism, Poetics: Language Work in Muslim and Jewish Diasporas
Thursday, September 19 | 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Buchanan Tower 323 | Free
Join us for an interdisciplinary roundtable featuring scholar-translator-poets Denis Ferhatović, Rahat Kurd, and Anna Elena Torres as they explore the power of translation and multilingualism in Jewish and Muslim cultural work. The discussion will challenge state-sponsored narratives and highlight diverse literary traditions. Attend in-person or virtually; registration is required.
Harvest Feastival
Thursday, September 19 | 4 – 9 PM
Tickets: $45-$65, with discounts for faculty, staff, and students
The festival returns with a family-style dinner crafted by Exec Chef David Speight, featuring six locally-sourced dishes. Enjoy surprise musical guests and an Art Crawl through the Arts & Culture District, including performances and exhibitions at Frederic Wood Theatre, the Old Auditorium, Belkin Gallery, and the newly reopened Museum of Anthropology. Presented by UBC Inspired, Sage Catering, and UBC Arts & Culture District.
Homecoming 2024: Tours and a Talk
Saturday, September 21 | 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 2 PM | Belkin Gallery | Free
Join The Belkin for tours of their fall exhibitions and a conversation with Barbara Cole and Richard Cavell on the conservation and re-installation of Lionel and Patricia Thomas’s 1958 mosaic mural, Symbols for Education. No registration is required, but space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Opera Tea: Welcome and Welcome Back
Sunday, September 22 | 2 PM | UBC Botanical Garden
Ticketed event
This Opera Tea offers an intimate experience with performers onstage, featuring a concert of opera arias and song favourites in the relaxed setting of the UBC Botanical Garden. The event will highlight a new student and preview the upcoming production of H.M.S. Pinafore.
Photo by Leeor Wild, courtesy of The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
Elisapie – Uvattini
Saturday, September 28 | 8 PM | Chan Shun Concert Hall
Tickets: $16-$60
JUNO-winner Elisapie returns to the Chan Centre for the West Coast Premiere of Uvattini, a multimedia show that immerses audiences in the story of her Salluit community in Nunavik. Combining music, narration, video, and performance, she reveals the Inuit experience through poetry and stunning visuals.
Culture Club at MOA: Cedar Hearts for Reconciliation
Sunday, September 29 | 11 AM – 2 PM | Museum of Anthropology | Ticketed event
Join MOA’s family program series, Culture Club at MOA, featuring xʷmәθkʷәy̓әm artist Rita Kompst. In this hands-on cedar weaving workshop, participants will learn traditional techniques and reflect on their role in advancing reconciliation. Paid registration is required and will open soon.
