Congratulations, Class of 2019!
June 14 is convocation day and the Faculty of Fine Arts is very excited to welcome 224 new graduates to our alumni family! Here is a quick glimpse into our diverse group of graduates: 24 Department of Art History & Visual Studies 44 Department of Theatre...
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Visual Arts student Laura Gildner wins Victoria Medal
No question, Department of Visual Arts undergraduate student Laura Gildner has been having a great year: not only was she shortlisted for the 2018 Lind Photography Prize—for the second year in a row—but she also had a solo exhibit of recent work at Vancouver’s Polygon...
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Posthumous international award for Patrick Lane
The late award-winning poet and novelist Patrick Lane will receive one final honour when he is posthumously presented with the European Medal for Poetry and Art on June 7. Beijing-based poet Dr. Zhao Si Fang, vice-president of the award, will make the presentation at...
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Diving deep: meet the alumni driving Hakai Magazine’s sea change
Whether it’s jellyfish in space, sloths in the water, hidden Hawaiian birds’ nests, shell money in Papua New Guinea, or a catch-and-release community aquarium on Vancouver Island, the world of water conjured up by Hakai Magazine is rich, complex and highly readable....
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Alumni filmmakers Jeremy Lutter & Ben Rollo embrace the dark
UVic's Writing department does a brisk trade in filmmakers, thanks to an award-winning range of alumni directors, producers and screenwriters. But while most focus on creating dramas, thrillers and rom-coms, long-time collaborators Jeremy Lutter (BA ’05) and Ben Rollo...
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Three Fine Arts alumni receive Pro Art awards
Anyone looking for the continued impact of Fine Arts alumni on Victoria's vibrant arts scene needs look no further than the winners of the 2019 ProArt Regional Arts Awards—all three of whom are Fine Arts alumni. On May 9, members of the Greater Victoria arts community...
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The Art & Science of Listening
Whether it’s Queen recording their iconic title track in Bohemian Rhapsody or Will Ferrell’s hilarious “More Cowbell” sketch on Saturday Night Live, what happens in the recording studio has long been mythologized in popular culture. It's also at the core of Kirk...
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Celebrate Star Wars Day with Charles Ross
When Theatre alum Charles Ross (BFA ’98) debuted his One-Man Star Wars Trilogy back in 2002, the cultural landscape was quite different: audiences were already becoming jaded by the new prequels, spin-offs like Rogue One, The Clone Wars and Solo were as yet...
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Two Indigenous authors join Writing department faculty
It’s definitely a time of change in UVic’s celebrated Department of Writing, due in large part to this year’s retirement of both award-winning novelist Bill Gaston and acclaimed playwright Joan MacLeod. But with change comes opportunity, as seen by the hiring of not...
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Audain professor makes history again with Witness Blanket
Indigenous concepts and Western legal principles have been united in a historically unique agreement signed by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) and Carey Newman, Audain Professor in the Department of Visual Arts. The agreement covers the protection and use...
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Don’t miss the annual BFA Visual Arts exhibit
April is definitely the month for exhibits in UVic's Visual Arts department, thanks to a pair of annual exhibitions by graduating artists in both the BFA and MFA programs. While the MFA exhibit is now closed, the annual BFA exhibition is set to engage your senses with...
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Annual MFA exhibit lights up downtown gallery
April is definitely the month for exhibits in UVic's Visual Arts department, thanks to a pair of annual exhibitions by graduating artists in both the BFA and MFA programs. First up is the annual MFA exhibition, showcasing Victoria's best emerging contemporary artists....
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Trumpet great joins Wind Symphony season finale
The UVic Wind Symphony is joined by special guests for their season finale concert on March 29. Featuring solos by trumpet legend Jens Lindemann and School of Music trumpet professor Merrie Klazek, the evening finale—a concerto for wind symphony and jazz quartet—will...
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Student designer reconstructs a storied legacy for latest Phoenix production
Every play needs a set, whether the audience realizes it or not. From a bare wood floor to a drab apartment that slides open to reveal a musical fantasy land, the set is the canvas upon which the actors come to life. But, rather than creating a set from scratch, what...
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Patrick Lane: Rest in Poetry
Award-winning poet and novelist Patrick Lane passed away on March 7 at age 79, the result of a heart attack. His publisher, McClelland & Stewart, made the announcement, calling Lane “one of Canada's most renowned writers” — a claim few would argue. Lane’s...
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Explore the world of Ideafest 2019
It’s neither a surprise nor an exaggeration when UVic describes Ideafest as being about “ideas that can change everything.” This eighth-annual, week-long festival of research, art and innovation runs March 4-9, both on- and off-campus, and offers more than 40 public events designed to inform and engage with thought-provoking and culturally engaging events. And Fine Arts is participating in eight different events this year.
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Phoenix Theatre’s “Trojan Women” takes us back to the war that begat all wars
It’s an ironic contradiction of the human condition that the only thing as timeless as war is our simultaneous desire for peace. Sadly, this makes Phoenix Theatre’s mainstage production of Trojan Women as current as when it was first performed in 415 BCE. “The play is...
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Latest Music concerts both big and intimate
It’s another busy weekend for the School of Music, with two headlining concerts filling their stages with talent.
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Distinguished Alumnus Nathan Medd reflects on the state of the arts
From the nation’s capital to one of the world’s leading creative spaces, the career of Department of Theatre alumnus Nathan Medd has gone far and fast since his graduation with a BFA in 2001. Now named the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient for the Faculty of Fine Arts, Medd has made a name for himself as one of Canada’s brightest young arts leaders.
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UVic Orchestra explores New World
The UVic Orchestra concert on February 1 takes its inspiration from Dvorák’s From the New World Symphony “by turning towards the future in presenting new and recently discovered musical ‘worlds’ and landscapes,” says conductor and School of Music professor Ajtony Csaba.
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Fine Arts is full-on during Alumni Week 2019
UVic celebrates graduates old and new with our annual Alumni Week, running Feb 1- 8 across campus. From film screenings and fascinating talks to concerts, a curling bonspiel, Vikes basketball and the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards night, there will be over a dozen special events to check out. Better still, most are free, although you may have to register in advance. And Fine Arts is a big part of Alumni Week this year, as we participate in five different events showcasing the talents of a number of our alumni.
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Fine Arts Wellness Day is back
Start the semester with a healthy mindset at the annual Fine Arts Wellness Day, running 11am-2pm on Wednesday, Jan 16 in the Fine Arts lobby. All Art History & Visual Studies, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts & Writing students are welcome to drop by to sign up for...
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Faculty concert series a January highlight
2019 is off to a harmonious start, thanks to a stellar series of faculty concerts at the School of Music. But while all of these performances feature current teaching faculty, there are also a number of concerts and recitals featuring current students and alumni. Be...
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Top 10 Fine Arts stories of 2018
There was certainly no shortage of Fine Arts news in 2018, given that we tracked nearly 300 local, national and international media stories about the creative activities of our faculty, alumni, students and staff . . . and those are just the stories we know about....
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Try this art history holiday quiz!
Nothing says the holidays quite like a quiz—whether it’s focused on movies, carols or the roots of traditions, a holiday quiz has become a staple for most people. With that in mind, the annual Art History & Visual Studies Christmas Quiz is back to challenge your visual knowledge.
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Syrian quartet escapes ravages of war for fellowship at UVic
The dramatic story of a Syrian guitar quartet escaping the ongoing destruction of the Syrian civil war for a fellowship at the University of Victoria offers a remarkable message about the power of music, hope and determination. Alexander Dunn, an internationally renowned guitarist and instructor with UVic’s School of Music for nearly three decades, played a vital role in bringing the Orontes Guitar Quartet to the university as recipients of a prestigious Artist Protection Fund Fellowship grant.
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TubaChristmas a “sonic hug” for the city
For 40 years now, tuba and euphonium players from all across Vancouver Island and beyond have been gathering at Market Square in downtown Victoria for one of the city’s most anticipated holiday traditions. TubaChristmas returns to once again raise money for the Times Colonist Christmas Fund, a charity that assists the people most in need in the Greater-Victoria community.
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Final novel by celebrated Indigenous author Richard Wagamese launched at UVic
From telling stories that helped us understand what it meant to be Canadian to inspiring future generations of writers, Richard Wagamase was one of Canada’s most beloved authors. His death in 2017 at just 61 was a profound loss for our country’s literary culture, and...
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The Drowsy Chaperone a smash success!
The response to Phoenix's current production of The Drowsy Chaperone, directed by Jacques Lemay, has been fantastic. From audiences to reviewers alike, this production is being hailed as one of the Phoenix's best shows ever! It's such a hit, in fact, that the show is...
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Writing alum Esi Edugyan wins second Giller Prize in seven years
Internationally acclaimed Department of Writing alumna and Greater Victoria-based author Esi Edugyan has won the 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize for her latest novel, Washington Black. Edugyan wins $100,000 on this, the 25th anniversary of Canada's richest literary...
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AHVS professor Carolyn Butler-Palmer advised on new $10 bill Copy
When Art History & Visual Studies professor Carolyn Butler-Palmer received an email from the Bank of Canada back in 2017, she didn’t put much stock in it. “To be honest, I thought it was a scam email,” she laughs, “but in fact they wanted to speak to me as an art historian.”
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A shifting focus: from photography to film
Like many outstanding students, the term “overachiever” is a good fit for graduating international Visual Arts major Guochen Wang.
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