SFU Woodward’s new Vancity Community Engagement Office is leading SFU’s mission to engage with the inner-city community through the arts.

The office is funded with a $500,000 grant from Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity) and will offer tuition-free programs in fine arts and cultural democracy to inner-city residents.

"By bringing down some of the walls of the university, not only will we have an opportunity to get people into the university, we will also encourage people to go out of the institution,” says the office’s first coordinator, Am Johal.

“In that exchange, we will build the foundation for community engagement through the arts at SFU Woodward’s.”

A writer and community activist, Johal brings years of expertise in the arts and social outreach to his new position. He was, among other things, chair of the 2010 Winter Olympics watchdog group, Impact on Community Coalition, and co-founder of UBC's Humanities 101 program, which offers non-credit university-level courses to people living on the Downtown Eastside and surrounding areas.

“One of the core values for both SFU and Vancity is community engagement,” says Owen Underhill, director of the SFU Woodward’s cultural unit. “Johal will energize our outreach by building new relationships with local residents and groups and showing how the university is open, welcoming and an active member of the community.”

“Art is a powerful tool for social change,” adds David Berge, Vancity’s senior vice-president of community investment. “We’re thrilled to partner with SFU to provide financial and educational opportunities to arts organizations and community artists trying to make a living while helping to change communities.

“It’s important for us to work together to create a vibrant community that is inclusive of all residents.”

A Social Justice Discussion series begins this month. The first in the series, Health, Harm Reduction and the Law, is on May 17, 6:30 pm at the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema.