MAY 2023

Hello Aurora,

Happy May! As we get closer to summer and the days get longer, there's more time to experience the arts and feel inspired!

We have a great series of events this May including our final concert and pARTy@PdA of the season. You can find out more about these events below. We also will be holding an event for teens (ages 13-16), hosted by our Youth Arts Council. Check our website in early May to register for this free event. At the end of this month, we are celebrating Customer Appreciation Week with a giveaway. Finally, our last community art project event is happening before it is revealed on June 2. Contribute to this one-of-a-kind artwork to commemorate our 50th anniversary!

Our final 50/50 raffle of the season is on right now! Purchase a ticket and make a difference for an in-need member of our community. We're so proud to be able to help people access the arts. By purchasing a ticket (and potentially winning half the pot) you are helping support our community.

Lastly, we still have space in our dance and music summer programs! Find out more below.



- Aurora van Roon

Communications Coordinator

On May 26 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM, take part in a night of abstract painting! Explore positive and negative space through a unique technique taught by instructor, Cyd Eva.

Paint in a positive space with South African house music curated by DJ Costa Besta. Experiment with Essence cards that act as positive affirmations and with different textures, colours, shapes and motifs. Then transform the paintings through negative space using shapes you are inspired to create.

This night will encourage you to think about self-expression, the duality of self, intuition and creation. Each participant will leave with a canvas they painted.

Tickets: $26/person or 2 for $42 | This event is for ages 19+

We still have spaces in our summer dance and visual arts classes. Adults can get moving this summer by taking Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical and Contemporary or Theatrical Dance. We also have space in our summer Drawing and Painting class for adults. For kids, we have Parent and Me Dance, Tiny Hip Hop and Boys Can Dance classes.

You can also register for in-person and online music private lessons. Find out more about the teachers offering lessons here.

Summer Fun! Art Camp is almost full! Visit our registration site to see what camps are still available.

From May 28 - June 3, we want to celebrate our clients! If you stop by the facility during that week, fill out a ballot to be entered to win a gift certificate for Place des Arts!

The first prize is $150, the second prize is $100 and the third prize is $50.

The raffle is open to anyone (adult or child) registered in a lesson or class during the 2022/2023 season.

The draw will occur in early June.

On May 13 from 7:00 - 9:00 PM join us for a wonderful evening of traditional Chinese, folk and chamber music. Enjoy the sounds of the 阮 (ruǎn, a Chinese guitar), the 笙/嗩吶 (sheng/suona, Chinese windpipes) and the 二胡 (erhu, Chinese violin) as the ensemble weaves together diverse and beautiful melodies.

Tickets: Students* & Seniors $16 • Adults $21

*Student pricing is available for all Place des Arts students, regardless of age.

Join us on Saturday, May 6, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM to contribute to our interactive community-engaged art project called Weaving Stories Together in celebration of our 50th anniversary!

The final art piece will be unveiled at the opening reception of Place des Arts' 50^th Anniversary Exhibition on June 2, 2023, from 7:00 — 9:00 PM.

From the Artist:

“Weaving Stories Together is a textile-based project that aims to bring the community together. We will connect and interact through textile art as we add our personal stories, hopes and dreams. As unique and diverse lives intersect, the story changes; it becomes richer and as a community, we grow stronger.”

Marjory began piano lessons at the age of four with her mother Margaret Purdy and has been teaching for over 20 years at Place des Arts.

Marjory loves teaching all levels from the very young beginner to the advanced piano student. She considers the benefits of music education immeasurable for a child’s emotional, social and intellectual development. Her impact at Place des Arts is immeasurable, as she has inspired so many students through her teaching.

See her interview below!

About Creative Connections

This series shares the stories of board members, founders, teachers and other Place des Arts community members. In our 50 years, we have had many incredible, talented and dedicated people that have made Place des Arts the organization it is today. We're so excited to share their accomplishments, their impact on Place des Arts and the impact we've had on them in turn.

We're raising funds to provide subsidies, bursaries, and no-cost community programs at Place des Arts. That means more opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to access arts education and cultural experiences. If you buy a ticket, you could walk away with 50% of the total funds raised through the raffle!

In 2022, Place des Arts awarded:

We are closed on Monday, May 22, 2023 for Victoria Day.

The winner of our Winter Session Survey is Yvette who won a $75 credit on their PdA account.

The winner of our Winter Events Survey is Carol who has won 2 tickets to the upcoming pARTy@PdA event.

Congratulations to the two winners!

May Days Reader and Writers Festival

May 6, 2023 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM at the Wilson Centre in Port Coquitlam

Enjoy free educational presentations and workshops for writers. This festival includes an accomplished group of local authors speaking about many aspects of writing. 

Find out More

Call for Artists: Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival 2023

Deadline: Monday, May 15, 11:59 PM

Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre this October. 

The Community Arts Council of Vancouver is looking for self-identified “Outsider Artists” who are 19 years or older and located in the Metro Vancouver area to apply.

Find out More