New Phoenix season of plays announced

by | Apr 30, 2026 | Graduate, Theatre, Undergraduate

Exciting news: our Phoenix Theatre has announced their new season for the 2026/27 season, and it features a mix of a Tony-winning musical, a beloved classic and a bold new play. But did you know Phoenix productions also serve an integral academic part for students enrolled in the Department of Theatre’s Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees?

When you attend the Phoenix, you experience some of this city’s most exciting and eclectic theatre while participating in the education of our students. Our students learn by doing, so they’re involved in every aspect of these productions: from acting to the design, creation and management of sets, costumes, props, sound and lighting. Discover the difference that the youth, talent and energy of our students can make and get a preview of Canada’s next generation of theatre artists!

Exciting news: our Phoenix Theatre has announced their new season for the 2026/27 season, and it features a mix of a Tony-winning musical, a beloved classic and a bold new play. But did you know Phoenix productions also serve an integral academic part for students enrolled in the Department of Theatre’s Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees?

When you attend the Phoenix, you experience some of this city’s most exciting and eclectic theatre while participating in the education of our students. Our students learn by doing, so they’re involved in every aspect of these productions: from acting to the design, creation and management of sets, costumes, props, sound and lighting. Discover the difference that the youth, talent and energy of our students can make and get a preview of Canada’s next generation of theatre artists!

The Cherry Orchard

November 5-14, 2026 • 
Guest director: Carmen Aguirre

Chekhov’s final masterpiece — a portrait of changing fortunes in a world on the brink of transformation. Returning from Paris to her family’s estate and beloved cherry orchard, Madame Ranevskaya discovers the property is deeply in debt and at risk of being lost. With the orchard facing a possible auction to cover what is owed, the family clings to memory and tradition, reluctant to face what lies ahead. Infused with Chekhov’s sharp wit, the play is set against a rapidly changing social landscape. As the auction nears, the future of the orchard and the life they have always known hangs in the balance.

Michael Frayn’s (Noises Off) translation is praised for capturing Chekhov’s delicate balance of comedy and tragedy. His lively, modern language highlights the play’s humour and irony while maintaining its emotional depth, making this classic accessible for today’s audiences. Chekhov himself insisted that The Cherry Orchard was a comedy and even described parts of it as farce. He was famously frustrated when Konstantin Stanislavski, the co-founder of the Moscow Art Theatre and director of the play’s 1904 premiere, staged it as a tragedy. That tension between laughter and loss remains at the heart of the play.

The Wolves

February 4-13, 2027 • MFA Director: Amanda Lisman

Jump. Shuffle. Lunge. Repeat! A girls’ indoor soccer team moves through their pre-game warm-ups over a season, capturing a raw, energetic snapshot of adolescence. As they stretch and train, their conversations move from school and relationships to bigger questions about the world and what lies ahead. The familiar rhythm of teenage banter blends humour and gossip with moments of unexpected depth, gradually revealing the group’s personalities and social dynamics. Rather than centring on a single main character, the story unfolds through the collective voice of the team. Funny, vulnerable, and deeply human, it’s a candid portrait of teenage girls coming into their own.

“I wanted to see a portrait of teenage girls as human beings — as complicated, nuanced, very idiosyncratic people who weren’t just girlfriends or sex objects or manic pixie dream girls but who were athletes and daughters and students and scholars and people who were trying actively to figure out who they were in this changing world around them.” — Wolves playwright Sarah DeLappe

Curtains

March 4-20, 2027 • Director: Jacques Lemay

Golden Age Broadway sparkle meets the intrigue of a classic detective mystery in this Tony- and Drama Desk Award-winning musical with book by Rupert Holmes (“Escape: The Pina Colada Song”), music by John Kander & lyrics by Fred Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret).

When the supremely untalented leading lady of a Broadway-bound show drops dead during her final bow, the entire cast and crew become suspects. Enter Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, a detective—and devoted musical theatre fan—determined to solve the case. This large-scale production delivers big laughs, dazzling numbers, and plenty of twists. By the final curtain, the biggest question isn’t just whodunit, but whether the show can go on.
Featuring music by legendary songwriting duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, Curtains is directed and choreographed by Jacques Lemay, whose previous Phoenix Theatre shows include audience-favourite musicals The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2024) and The Drowsy Chaperone (2018).

Find individual or season ticket information at the Phoenix Theatre website.

Exciting news: our Phoenix Theatre has announced their new season for the 2026/27 season, and it features a mix of a Tony-winning musical, a beloved classic and a bold new play. But did you know Phoenix productions also serve an integral academic part for students enrolled in the Department of Theatre’s Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees?

When you attend the Phoenix, you experience some of this city’s most exciting and eclectic theatre while participating in the education of our students. Our students learn by doing, so they’re involved in every aspect of these productions: from acting to the design, creation and management of sets, costumes, props, sound and lighting. Discover the difference that the youth, talent and energy of our students can make and get a preview of Canada’s next generation of theatre artists!

The Cherry Orchard

November 5-14, 2026 • 
Guest director: Carmen Aguirre

Chekhov’s final masterpiece — a portrait of changing fortunes in a world on the brink of transformation. Returning from Paris to her family’s estate and beloved cherry orchard, Madame Ranevskaya discovers the property is deeply in debt and at risk of being lost. With the orchard facing a possible auction to cover what is owed, the family clings to memory and tradition, reluctant to face what lies ahead. Infused with Chekhov’s sharp wit, the play is set against a rapidly changing social landscape. As the auction nears, the future of the orchard and the life they have always known hangs in the balance.

Michael Frayn’s (Noises Off) translation is praised for capturing Chekhov’s delicate balance of comedy and tragedy. His lively, modern language highlights the play’s humour and irony while maintaining its emotional depth, making this classic accessible for today’s audiences. Chekhov himself insisted that The Cherry Orchard was a comedy and even described parts of it as farce. He was famously frustrated when Konstantin Stanislavski, the co-founder of the Moscow Art Theatre and director of the play’s 1904 premiere, staged it as a tragedy. That tension between laughter and loss remains at the heart of the play.

The Wolves

February 4-13, 2027 • MFA Director: Amanda Lisman

Jump. Shuffle. Lunge. Repeat! A girls’ indoor soccer team moves through their pre-game warm-ups over a season, capturing a raw, energetic snapshot of adolescence. As they stretch and train, their conversations move from school and relationships to bigger questions about the world and what lies ahead. The familiar rhythm of teenage banter blends humour and gossip with moments of unexpected depth, gradually revealing the group’s personalities and social dynamics. Rather than centring on a single main character, the story unfolds through the collective voice of the team. Funny, vulnerable, and deeply human, it’s a candid portrait of teenage girls coming into their own.

“I wanted to see a portrait of teenage girls as human beings — as complicated, nuanced, very idiosyncratic people who weren’t just girlfriends or sex objects or manic pixie dream girls but who were athletes and daughters and students and scholars and people who were trying actively to figure out who they were in this changing world around them.” — Wolves playwright Sarah DeLappe

Curtains

March 4-20, 2027 • Director: Jacques Lemay

Golden Age Broadway sparkle meets the intrigue of a classic detective mystery in this Tony- and Drama Desk Award-winning musical with book by Rupert Holmes (“Escape: The Pina Colada Song”), music by John Kander & lyrics by Fred Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret).

When the supremely untalented leading lady of a Broadway-bound show drops dead during her final bow, the entire cast and crew become suspects. Enter Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, a detective—and devoted musical theatre fan—determined to solve the case. This large-scale production delivers big laughs, dazzling numbers, and plenty of twists. By the final curtain, the biggest question isn’t just whodunit, but whether the show can go on.
Featuring music by legendary songwriting duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, Curtains is directed and choreographed by Jacques Lemay, whose previous Phoenix Theatre shows include audience-favourite musicals The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2024) and The Drowsy Chaperone (2018).

Find individual or season ticket information at the Phoenix Theatre website.

Curtains

March 4-20, 2027 • Director: Jacques Lemay

Golden Age Broadway sparkle meets the intrigue of a classic detective mystery in this Tony- and Drama Desk Award-winning musical with book by Rupert Holmes (“Escape: The Pina Colada Song”), music by John Kander & lyrics by Fred Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret).

When the supremely untalented leading lady of a Broadway-bound show drops dead during her final bow, the entire cast and crew become suspects. Enter Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, a detective—and devoted musical theatre fan—determined to solve the case. This large-scale production delivers big laughs, dazzling numbers, and plenty of twists. By the final curtain, the biggest question isn’t just whodunit, but whether the show can go on.
Featuring music by legendary songwriting duo John Kander and Fred Ebb, Curtains is directed and choreographed by Jacques Lemay, whose previous Phoenix Theatre shows include audience-favourite musicals The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2024) and The Drowsy Chaperone (2018).

Find individual or season ticket information at the Phoenix Theatre website or call the box office at 250-721-8000.

Visual Art MFAs exhibit featured at downtown gallery

by | Apr 20, 2026 | Art History & Visual Studies, Events, Faculty, Graduate, indigenous, Visual Arts

Art by Visual Arts MFA Moozhan Ahmadzadegan at the Hourglass (photo: Shay Ball)

Back in February, we announced that Visual Arts is now a partner with the new Hourglass studio developed by Vancouver Island Visual Arts Society, who also run downtown’s ambitious 80-artist Rockslide Studio & Gallery.

Now, we’re hosting an exclusive exhibition of work by 11 current and graduating Visual Arts MFA students at the Hourglass. The MFA exhibit Passage will run April 18  through May 16 and features diverse work across multiple mediums including sound, painting, sculpture, installation and fibre.

Created with support from the City of Victoria’s Storefront Activation Program, Hourglass is an 8,500-square-foot space housed in the former Volvo dealership at Yates and Cook. Repurposed to house 18 art studios plus exhibition space, Visual Arts professors Heather Igloliorte and Joel Ong, plus three graduate students, now have dedicated studios in the Hourglass.

“Having studio and presentation space at the Hourglass studios gives us a place to create and a place to connect,” says Visual Arts chair Megan Dickie. “We’re excited to build stronger ties with the Victoria arts community and to see MFA students working alongside our new faculty.”

Just as directors need a stage and scientists need a lab, professional artists need a dedicated studio to support their work. “Access to studio space is essential to a successful artistic practice, whether you’re an established artist-researcher or an emerging one,” says Dickie. “That’s true for new faculty members like Heather and Joel, and it’s just as true for our MFA cohort.”

Like so many arts spaces in Victoria — including the bustling Rockslide itself — the Hourglass location is destined to be short-lived, as the property is slated for redevelopment into a 21-storey mixed-use tower over the next few years. But until then, it will serve as the city’s latest innovative arts space.

Work by Kylie Fineday on view in Passage  (photo: Shay Ball)

Naming A Crisis uses art to address overdose deaths

by | Apr 14, 2026 | Alumni, Events, Faculty, Graduate, health, Visual Arts

Organizers Stephanie Harrington (left) & Amanda Farrell-Low in front of Laura Dutton’s installation

Tuesday April 14 marked 10 years since BC declared the overdose crisis a public health emergency, and more than 18,000 people have died from toxic drugs: a decade on, nearly five people a day are dying. While that scale of loss is hard to comprehend, the new multimedia arts installation Naming A Crisis has been created to show the magnitude of this crisis . . . one name at a time.
Conceived of by Writing MFA alum Stephanie Harrington, Visual Arts instructor and alumna Laura Dutton and Amanda Farrell-Low (communications officer for UVic’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research), Naming A Crisis honours lives lost to toxic drugs. “We wanted to honour these individuals but also convey the scale of loss at the same time, because it’s astronomical,” Farrell-Low said in this Victoria News article.
Presented by the Victoria Arts Council and running through April 26 on the lower floor of downtown’s Bay Centre, one of the most powerful visual highlights of Naming A Crisis is Dutton’s three-channel audio/video installation, which features the names and photos of people lost to drug-related harms — including family members for both Harrington and Farrell-Low. There will also be a series of community events throughout the exhibit, including art, photography, spoken word, participatory works, speaking events, workshops and more.
 
“I want people to walk away with a better understanding of the toll of this crisis and the human cost of it,” Harrington told Victoria News. “I want them to understand that there’s a lot of people doing work to change what’s happening and that there are solutions out there. There just isn’t the political will or courage to implement those solutions.”
 
You can also hear Stephanie and Amanda speak on CBC Radio’s On The Island.
 
See the full events list here.

Annual BFA exhibit showcases student success

by | Apr 13, 2026 | Art History & Visual Studies, Events, Faculty, indigenous, Visual Arts

While the spring semester is ending, graduating art students are busy transforming the Visual Arts building into a gallery for their annual BFA exhibition, this year called Say When — a title chosen by the BFA class themselves.

Sarah Massey, a student on the exhibit’s communications committee, perfectly describes the show: “Say When. We offer you this invitation to experience our exhibition with us — at your own capacity. Art making is a way of claiming time and space in a world that wants to steal both. It’s complexity when we’re being sold simplicity. It’s collaboration when everything around us is designed to isolate. Come in. Stay as long as you want. Decide what it means. Say when.”

Say When opens with a gala reception from 7 – 10pm Thursday, April 16, then the Visual Arts building will be open between 10am-6pm daily through April 24. (If something catches your eye, take a closer look: many art pieces will be available for purchase and taken home once the exhibition closes.) See exhibition details here.

33 unique talents

Liya Tensae, one of the graduating students and chair of communications for the exhibit, emphasizes the range of talented students. “There’s a little bit of everything in this show,” she says about the numerous art styles and mediums used, including — but not limited to — painting, sculpture, installations and digital media, but all contemporary works.

Amelia Beauregard is one of the class’s media artists who turns videos into installation pieces. “She is really phenomenal with video,” Tensae says. “She’ll be using one of the rooms for a fully immersive video, sculptural and sound installation.” Other artists, Tensae explains, have created dual channel or single channel installations, using screens or projections.

The exhibition is also a class — formally titled Art 401: BFA Exhibition & Professional Practices — has a handful of conceptual artists, and among them is Ash Wilson, who works with installations that focus on landscapes. But her focus is not on a pictorial sense, it’s on a more personal level where she explores how we interact with the land—specifically, how we may perceive or disturb a landscape. “All those really cool aspects,” Tensae explains, “there’s a lot of research that goes into her work, and then it’s presented in these installations.”

Another conceptual artist is Marissa Parsons, who is particularly interesting due to her dual program in visual arts and computer science. Parsons combines these programs in her pieces, using math and formulas to make her art. Tensae describes a piece Parsons made where she uses pins and string to create a spider by layering the string: “she made that not just from imagery, but she plotted all the data points, then made it into a physical sculpture.: Using math is essential to Parson’s work, so she works hard to bring the science forward in her artistic practice.

An extra-large show

Beauregard, Wilson, and Parson are only three of the incredible 33 artists who make up this show. “Everyone brings their own unique perspectives, work, hands, soul, body, and mind into everything!” Tensae says. “An interesting thing about a show this large is . . . the way that we all come together. That we’re able to use this entire fabulous building to make a cohesive show.”

With this large, unique group, the 2026 class is hoping to use more of the Visual Arts building than previous classes. Usually, the BFA show uses the first floor of the building, taking up every wall, room, empty space, nook and cranny to fill it with art, but this year, they’re hoping to take advantage of the upstairs space. Tensae explains that the curatorial team has been working hard to ensure that every artist and art piece will stand out and be highlighted on its own.

Having a huge class can seem intimidating, with so much art in a limited space, but Tensae finds it opens possibilities, rather than closing them. “There’s so many more voices, so many more visions, and there’s many more artworks to pull together,” she says. “Another benefit of a big show is more perspectives. When we have more ideas in the room, there’s just a lot more to work from,” she explains.

Liya Tensae being interviewed by CHEK TV

A show for both the artsty and the non-artsy

After a long year of working endless hours in the art studio, the BFA graduating class is thrilled to put on a fabulous show that is worth checking out. “If you consider yourself an art person, if you don’t consider yourself an art person, I think there’ll be something here for you,” says Tensae. “And I think you’ll have a great time nonetheless.”

We were fortunate to have local CHEK TV come do a two-hour sneak-peak live broadcast of the exhibit, which you can watch here — just choose either the 5 or 6pm news broadcast and then scroll through to see five students talking about their work.
 
We’re also excited to be working with UVic’s Alumni Relations to host a special alumni-only reception from 7-9pm Friday, April 17 — for which you can still register here. It’s free to attend and you even get free parking if you register in advance. Please join us in supporting local emerging artists and this year’s graduating Visual Arts students!
 
—Claudia Phillips

Visual Arts joins new downtown studio

by | Apr 2, 2026 | Faculty, Graduate, indigenous, News, Research, Visual Arts

We’re excited that UVic’s Visual Arts department is part of Victoria’s newest collective studio and gallery space: The Hourglass. Developed by Vancouver Island Visual Arts Society (who also run downtown’s ambitious 80-artist Rockslide Gallery), with support from the City of Victoria’s Storefront Activation Program, Hourglass is an 8,500-square-foot space housed in the former Volvo dealership at Yates and Cook, now repurposed to house 18 art studios and an exhibition space.

Visual Arts professors Heather Igloliorte (Canada Research Excellence Chair in Decolonial & Transformational Indigenous Art Practices) and Joel Ong (Canada Research Chair in Emergent Digital Art Practices), along with three graduate students, will have dedicated studios in the Hourglass.

“Having studio and presentation space at the Hourglass studios gives us a place to create and a place to connect,” says Visual Arts chair Megan Dickie. “We’re excited to build stronger ties with the Victoria arts community and to see MFA students working alongside our new faculty.”

Visual Arts will also maintain a small project space in the building to share work by students, instructors and community members: the first public presentation was the group exhibition The Work Yet to Come, which ran March 27-29 and featured the work of eight early-career Indigenous student artists.

One of the grad student studios

Like so many arts spaces in Victoria — including the bustling Rockslide itself — the Hourglass location is destined to be short-lived, as the property is slated for redevelopment into a 21-storey mixed-use tower over the next few years. But until then, it will serve as the city’s latest innovative arts space.

Follow the Hourglass here