Bringing ArtsLIVE to SFU Surrey

Over the past few weeks, SFU Surrey came alive in a new way — ArtsLIVE, to be precise!

Thanks to a collaboration between SFU Woodward’s Cultural Unit and funding from the Student Experience Initiative (SEI), ArtsLIVE brought live music and short films to our campus earlier this month. What a treat it has been to watch and jam along with different artists in their element!

As the campus starts to bring back onsite events and activities, ArtsLIVE has been a great way to promote and support the performing arts community, including the many performers who are SFU students and alumni.

On Wednesdays, live music filled the Mezzanine, drawing curiosity from the mall all the way to the fifth floor overlooking the Mezz. I was  particularly glad to see so many students enjoying the music. From jazz guitar to soul and R&B, the diverse talents of Ivan Harrison & Cam Peters, Bukola & Anthony Anderson, and Laydy Jams were on full display, bringing a palpable energy to our campus in ways that we haven’t seen in a long time due to COVID. 

We also got to hear from Jeanette Kotowich, who for the three weeks served as the Indigenous co-host, who welcomed us into the space and set the stage. Jeanette also shared with us her dance practice on the last Wednesday performance, performing a ten minute dance piece that she choreographed. 

Further, on Thursdays our SRYE Atrium had its own ArtsLIVE treatment. A curation of films from F-O-R-M Festival were streamed on the large screens, with many of the films created by SFU students and alumni — another creative way to utilize the space and bring the Surrey campus vibe alive!

My thanks to all the performers and filmmakers who came to share their talents with our campus community, as well as all those who made ArtsLIVE possible at our campus:

• The ArtsLIVE and Woodward’s Cultural Programs team (special shoutout to Charlotte Newman);
• Our Meeting, Event and Conference Services Team;
• Our Facilities Team; and
• Our IT Services Team

I hope that many of you had the chance to check out some of the various performances. It’s my hope that we’ll have more activations like this at the Surrey campus in future!