Over the last two decades, the Chan Centre has played an invaluable role as an international hub for the performing arts, and a leader in arts education in Canada. But the current global health crisis has had a devastating impact on the performing arts sector. With community gathering and engagement brought to a halt in order to keep people safe, the Chan Centre closed its doors in March, cancelling performances, lectures, graduations, and all in-person activities.

The economic impact of the pandemic will be discussed for years to come, and the Chan Centre, like so many others in the arts and culture sector, has not been spared. As both a venue and a presenter, the adverse financial consequences of no earned revenue from ticket sales or venue rental have been  compounded. We look forward to the day when we can open our doors for audiences again, but in the meantime Chan Centre staff have worked hard to ensure that we are able to continue to thrive and fulfill our mandate into the future. We are:

 

• Continuing to curate the work of incredible artists and presenting them to you in a high-quality, engaging digital format.

• Providing critical support for existing arts partners and other performing arts organizations in Vancouver by offering a venue for recording.

• Supporting UBC School of Music and Theatre & Film students by providing spaces large enough for safe physical distancing for their indispensable face-to-face learning.

 

The Chan Centre is inviting audiences to enjoy the transformative and healing power of the performing arts through online experiences including it’s Dot Com Series. And, we have welcomed UBC music and theatre students for classes, rehearsals, and digital performances.

With the majority of venues still closed, or lacking in technological resources or expertise, we have provided a critical lifeline for the performing arts in Vancouver. We have supported many other arts organizations, large and small, by sharing the Chan Centre’s extraordinary venue so they may record performances to share with their audiences.

As we forge ahead, it is our sincere hope to continue these activities. But for that we need your help. We have always been able to depend upon the generosity of our audiences and patrons and we need you now more than ever.

“The arts are enduring significant change, but artists and audiences are still eager to connect. Although the seats are still empty, our concert hall is anything but silent. The Chan Centre remains an important resource, committed to supporting the performing arts both at UBC and throughout Vancouver by presenting new work in new ways.”

-Pat Carrabré, Director of the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts