SCA | Quick News | August 1, 2025
Happy Pride 2025!
Now that it's August and the long weekend is upon us, you're maybe planning your Pride celebrations. To start, check out a kind of overview listing on What's On Queer BC HERE. More selective, the frank theatre company, which has SCA alumnus Fay Nass as Artistic and Executive Director, has shared some "Pride 2025 picks" on Instagram. See them HERE. The Birdhouse is presenting a Pride Festival at multiple venues over the long weekend. More HERE. The Vancouver Dyke March runs Saturday, August 2, meeting at 11:00 AM at McSpadden Park (2125 Victoria Dr, Vancouver). More HERE. Linda Arkelian, who has been running a series of dance workshops in our studios, is presenting a "Pride Ballet Event" here at ours on Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Pre-Register with Linda via her Facebook account HERE. ?NUMB?DAME? (with SCA student Saskia Cseh) is playing a free Pride gig at Redgate (1965 Main St., Vancouver) on Saturday, August 2, 2025, with doors at 8:00 PM, music at 9:00 PM, and karaoke to end the night. More HERE. Fly Guy (SCA alumnus Taryn Walker) is DJing a Pride Happy Hour at the back patio at Numbers (1042 Davie St, Vancouver) on Friday, August 1, 2025, from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM, presented by Prism Vancouver. Get tickets HERE. And, of course, the Vancouver Pride Society is presenting a number of events over the long weekend, including the annual Pride Parade on Sunday, August 3. More HERE. We're sure there much more happening, beside, including a few parties of your own. Happy Pride, everyone!
MOTO gets support!
The International Film Festival Rotterdam has selected MOTO, a feature-length creative documentary directed by the SCA's Chris Chong Chan Fui, to receive Hubert Bals Fund Development Support. Congratulations, Chris and team! More HERE.
Defining Voices
Turning Point Ensemble, which has the SCA's Owen Underhill as Artistic Director and conductor, have announced Defining Voices, which they describe as "a multi-phase project that supports composers in developing new works for voice and chamber ensemble," including working with "composer Edward Top and soprano Robyn Driedger-Klassen, workshops, and opportunities for public performance in TPE’s 2026–27 and 2027–28 concert seasons." More HERE.
Stir talk Vines with Strain
Stir Vancouver spoke with Manuel Axel Strain, who's the new co-artistic director of Vines Art Society, about the upcoming Vines Art Festival, founded by SCA alumnus Heather Lamoureux, which is running August 6 – 16, 2025, at parks around so-called Vancouver. Read it HERE.
Summer sounds with houseguest and Hot Dyke Party
Vancouver Civic Theatres hosted a free outdoor "summer sounds" concert with houseguest and Hot Dyke Party (SCA alumni Arthi Chandra, Cindy Kao, and Hannah Meyers, and Blue Chu, Hayley Sullivan, and Thule van den Dam) to celebrate Pride on July 31, 2025, at šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn (south side of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre at 630 Hamilton St, Vancouver). More HERE.
A Bright Mark Left
SCA alumnus Charlene Vickers joins Shannon Pawliw and Jean Paul Langlois in A Bright Mark Left, which runs August 15 – September 6, 2025, at THIS Gallery (108 E. Broadway, Vancouver), with an opening on Saturday, August 16, from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM. More HERE.
Ramsey talks with Barbosa
Elliott Ramsey, SCA alumnus and curator at The Polygon Gallery, was in conversation with Alejandro A. Barbosa on Thursday, July 31, as part of the book launch for a "limited-edition artist publication by Barbosa," presented in support "Barbosa’s monumental new installation I Got Us the Moon," which runs to September 28, 2025, at The Polygon (101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver). More HERE.
Away by Purple Heck
Sample Away from The Big Freeze, the upcoming new record by Purple Heck, SCA alumnus James O'Callaghan's rockist alter-ego. Listen on Bandcamp HERE.
Resonance Through the Haze
Gamelan Kembang Telang, which includes SCA PhD student George Rahi, is performing as part of Resonance Through the Haze, "an evening of musical performances and readings reflecting on collective responsibility in an age of ecological uncertainty," on Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM, at Helena Gutteridge Plaza at Vancouver City Hall (453 W. 12th Ave., Vancouver). More HERE.
Block A extension
Playwrights Theatre Centre, which has SCA alumni Melanie Yeats as Creative Managing Director and Davey Samuel Calderon as Artistic Producer & Dramaturg, has extended the application deadline for their Block A program, which they say is for "emerging playwrights/theatre creators and established writers of other mediums excited to write for the stage to work together in a cohort to develop their writing with the support of a senior playwright mentor." Apply by August 11, 2025. More HERE.
Headphone Commute on Loscil
The terrific music review, analysis, and interview site Headphone Commute is going to present SCA alumnus Scott Morgan / Loscil as their featured artist in August. They say if you become a member of their community, "you'll get access to unreleased tracks, exclusive interviews, and many other special perks." Find out more on Patreon HERE.
Madgy talks to The Horror Miser
SCA alumnus Doaa Madgy, who runs the Horror in Seconds film festival (as well as much more besides), was interviewed by The Horror Miser as part of their "Women in Horror" series. Watch it on YouTube HERE.
Basanta's A Large Inscription
SCA alumnus Adam Basanta's A Large Inscription is on display until September 14, 2025, at the Klangraum Krems Minoritenkirche (Minoritenplatz 4, Krems an der Donau, Austria), who shared a sample of the work on their Instagram. See it HERE.
KIOSK recap & next up
SCA alumnus Barbara Adler, who's the Artistic Director of The Only Animal, shared a "recap" of their recent Open Studio with guest artist Shaoni Sen at KIOSK, "which featured cyanotype printing on fabric and paper." More HERE. The next Open Studio features Kerri Flannigan on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at the Persephone Beer Farm (1053 Stewart Rd., Gibsons, BC).
Franky in Untamed
Looking for something to watch on Netflix? Consider Untamed, a murder mystery starring Eric Bana, Sam Neill, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lily Santiago, and SCA student Ezra Franky as Lucy. Watch the trailer HERE.
Clanker on MacCormack
According to Clanker Magazine, an Instagram-based tech and culture account, SCA PhD student Jess MacCormack's work uses "AI as a tool for political resistance." Find out more HERE.
The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life
SCA alumnus DEBBY FRIDAY's new album, The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life, is out now on Sub Pop Records. Sample is on Bandcamp HERE.
O'Brien on the corner
If you happen to find yourself at "the ugliest corner in Richmond" (apparently the intersection of No. 5 Rd. and Cambie Rd., we're told), SCA alumnus Keely O'Brien provided the decorative wraps for a few "traffic cabinets." See them on O'Brien's Instagram HERE.
Snack Witch in JE/US Manifestation
SCA alumnus Snack Witch Joni Cheung is participating in the 3rd edition of the JE/US Manifestation, which runs September 12 – October 19, 2025, at multiple venues in Longueuil / Karonhiatsi'kowahne, presented by Agrégat (Longueuil, QC). More HERE.
Peters and Tran on Thrust
SCA alumnus Deanna Peters and Victor Vân Tran, who are Co-Directors of the Vancouver International Dance Festival, are guests on the latest episode of Thrust, the podcast from dance: made in canada/fait au canada. Listen HERE.
Big City's Free From God
Watch the video for Free From God, the latest track from Big City, the duo of SCA alumnus Katayoon Yousefbigloo and SCA PhD candidate Dave Biddle, out now from Isla. Watch it on YouTube HERE.
UNNAMED BAND and Other Ways at FLEET: Edmonds
UNNAMED BAND, which includes SCA alumni Barbara Adler and Toni-Leah C. Yake, and Other Ways, which includes SCA alumnus Sena Cleave, will be sharing the FLEET: Edmonds studio (at the intersection of Humphries St. and Rosewood Ave. in Burnaby), from August 8 – September 29, 2025. More HERE.
Intercostals clip
SCA alumnus Vanessa Goodman (Action at a Distance) shared a quick video of Intercostals on her Instagram, which was created collaboratively with the dancers during Goodman's summer intensive with Ballet BC. Watch it HERE.
Calling for Exquisite Pressures
What Lab have shared a triple call for submissions for the next run of all of their "Exquisite Pressures in our 25-26 season," hosted by The Only Animal (with SCA alumnus Barbara Adler as Artistic Director), the OURO Collective, and Theatre Replacement (with SCA alumnus Maiko Yamamoto as Artistic Director), with a deadline for all three of August, 2025, at 11:59 PM. Find links to the three calls here: The Only Animal, OURO Collective, and Theatre Replacement.
Kotowich and Goodman on the Dance Centre podcast
SCA alumni Jeanette Kotowich and Vanessa Goodman join Simran Sachar and Virginia Duivenvoorden on the latest episode of The Dance Centre's podcast, with host (and for this episode also an artist-in-residence) Claire French. Listen HERE.
Dead Weighting
SCA alumni Anne Cooper, Alex Mah, Olivia Shaffer, and Antonio Somera Jr. join Francesca Frewer, Arash Khakpour, and dramaturg Raïna von Waldenburg in the Toronto Premiere of Dead Weighting, directed by Peter Bingham, the Artistic Director of EDAM Dance (where Shaffer is also Associate Artistic Director), running August 21, 23 & 24, 2025, at The Betty Oliphant Theatre (404 Jarvis St, Toronto), presented as part of The Morrison Series in the the 8th biennial dance: made in canada/fait au canada Festival. More HERE.
Hou plays Afternoon Projects
SCA alumnus Julian Yi-Zhong Hou is playing at Afternoon Projects (603 Powell St, Vancouver) with Holy Hum on August 8, 2025, starting at 7:00 PM. More HERE.
Chien-MacCaull on OMNI TV
SCA alumnus Sammy Chien-MacCaull was on OMNI TV a while back talking about the Unity Consciousness Festival, which ran June 29 – July 1, 2025, at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, organized by Chimerik 似不像, which has Chien and SCA alumnus Caroline Chien-MacCaull as Co-Artistic Directors. Watch it HERE.
Martineau's DanceLab showing
SCA alumnus Natalia Martineau, collaborating with SCA alumni Aysha Dulong and Cindy Kao, is having a free studio showing on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 6:00 PM, at The Dance Centre (677 Davie St., Vancouver), presented part of the DanceLab research program. More HERE.
Mr. Nowhere's Disappearing Reappearing Starlight Carnival
SCA alumnus Emma Ciprian is performing as part of Mr. Nowhere's Disappearing Reappearing Starlight Carnival, which is running September 4 – 14 (except September 8 & 9), 2025, in the Sculpture Grove at Ron Basford Park (1218 Cartwright St., Vancouver), presented as part of the Vancouver Fringe Festival. More HERE.
Valentine-Lewis curates Nightcrawlers
SCA alumnus Andrea Valentine-Lewis curated the exhibition Nightcrawlers, with work by Sara Angelucci, Deepti Asthana, Pia-Paulina Guilmoth, and Bill Jackson, which runs to September 27, 2025, at Access Gallery (222 East Georgia St., Vancouver). More HERE.
Walters in SAD Mag
SCA alumnus Sam Walters has a text in the latest issue of SAD Magazine on the theme of "play." Find it at your favourite better bookshop or order on from the source HERE. And hopefully it'll show up digitally eventually so we can link to it!
Lobe MINI FEST
Lobe MINI FEST, running August 14 – 16, 2025, at Lobe Studio (713 East Hastings St., Vancouver) includes SCA alumni Fay Nass, Kaila Bhullar (static lull), and Claine "Gorgoth" Lamb. More HERE.
Recommended Reading
Recommended Reading is a new, we hope recurring part of our weekly Quick News posts that shares readings and other sharable media from SCA faculty, graduate students, and staff. If you're SCA like that and would like to share something, please email us HERE with your picks and a sentence or two to whet readers' interest.
Here are some recommendations from Kay Higgins, our Professional Development Coordinator:
The Employee, Joshua Schwebel and others, published by Art Metropole and Forest City Gallery, 2025.
"In 2020, artist Joshua Schwebel initiated a performance at Forest City Gallery in which a performer, the 'Employee,' performed the mundane activities that are necessary to the maintenance and survival of arts non-profits, mainly, researching, writing, and documenting applications for funding. The often Sisyphean nature of this work, and the continuous incursion of administrative culture into artistic work, are both reflected in this volume’s essays, which include an essay by SCA alumna Mariane Bourcheix-Laporte."
Enemy Feminisms: Terfs, Policewomen & Girlbosses Against Liberation, Sophie Lewis, published by Haymarket Books, 2025.
"Sophie Lewis, the author of Abolish the Family, provides a persuasive survey of feminists and feminist tendencies from the 18th century to the present that promoted racism, colonialism, carceral and capitalist logic, transphobia, homophobia, and censorship. Rather than disavowing these phenomena as 'not real feminism,' or excusing them as 'products of their time,' Lewis examine the ways in which a movement for equality and liberation can work against its own purposes."
Dysphoria Mundi: A Diary of Planetary Transition, Paul B. Preciado, published by Graywolf Press, 2025.
"I was sold on this book when I read the term 'petrosexoracial' in it while on an airplane to Calgary."
And here's a few from Brady Cranfield, which is me, your dutiful SCA Communicator:
In remembrance of Ozzy Osbourne, who passed on July 22, 2025, here's Fraser Watt with "Metal Was Born in Britain’s Urban Working Class" for Jacobin Magazine. For the "maybe this isn't a good idea either" file, here's "Buried Burdens: The True Costs of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Ownership" (PDF), a report from the excellent Yellowhead Institute. Here's "Gaza and the End of History" by Joelle M. Abi-Rached, another informative but depressing and maddening read from Boston Review. And finally, for my "sort of related to my ongoing PhD folder," here's "How to detect consciousness in people, animals and maybe even AI" by Mariana Lenharo in Nature.