10 amazing arts events to check out around Vancouver in June
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Summer is just around the corner! As the days get progressively longer, Vancouverites are excited to take in the best arts that the city has to offer.
From Bard on the Beach to Queer Arts Festival and more, here are 10 great Vancouver arts events to check out in June.
And for more fun things happening around town be sure to visit our Listed section.
Bard on the Beach
2018 ‘As You Like It’ Ensemble (Tim Matheson/Bard on the Beach)
What: One of Vancouver’s most beloved theatre companies is returning to Sen̓áḵw/Vanier Park this summer with an exciting lineup of shows.
Bard on the Beach’s 34th season includes a British invasion, a vast historical drama, a tale of political intrigue, and an immersive theatre piece drawn from Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
When: June 8 to September 30, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Vanier Park – 1695 Whyte Avenue, Vancouver
Cost: Various, purchase online
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- You can enjoy FREE outdoor family movies in North Vancouver this summer
- Free jazz concerts are coming to Granville Island on Canada Day
- Over 60 bands are coming to play the free Khatsahlano Street Party this summer
Talking Stick Festival: Summer Reverb
What: A month-long gathering and showcase of Indigenous Performing Arts and Indigenous artists. Talking Stick Festival continues its 22nd-anniversary celebrations with a lineup of concerts, a documentary screening and book launch, dance and theatrical performances, exhibitions, and more.
When: June 1 to 30, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations
Cost: Various, purchase online
What Moves You Reception and Parker Studio Tours + Hall Exhibition
What: The seventh annual ParkerArtSalon includes What Moves You, a preview exhibition showcasing over 50 artists at the Pendulum Gallery until June 16. A reception will be held on Thursday, June 8.
Two days later, on Saturday, June 10, art lovers can meet the participating Parker Street Studios artists during studio tours hosted by Curated Tastes and a hall exhibition at 1000 Parker Street.
When: June 8, 2023 (What Moves You Exhibition Reception), June 10, 2023 (Parker Studio Tours + Hall Exhibition)
Time: 6 to 8 pm (Thursday), 12 to 5 pm (Saturday)
Where: Pendulum Gallery – 885 W Georgia Street, Vancouver (Thursday); Park Studios – 1000 Parker Street, Vancouver (Saturday)
Cost: Free
Vancouver Art Gallery – Free First Friday Nights
Vancouver Art Gallery/Facebook
What: The Vancouver Art Gallery was founded in 1931 and is renowned as one of North America’s leading visual arts institutions. There are a variety of exhibitions currently on display at the largest public art museum in Western Canada, and you can explore them for free on the first Friday of every month.
When: The first Friday of every month
Time: 4 to 8 pm
Where: 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free
Giants, Dragons, & Unicorns: The World of Mythic Creatures
What: Giants, Dragons, & Unicorns: The World of Mythic Creatures is an exhibition from the American Museum of Natural History filled with unique cultural artifacts. The Museum of Surrey exhibit spotlights the similar and different ways that people around the globe depict mythic creatures.
When: Now until September 16, 2023 (Closed on Mondays and statutory holidays)
Time: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm (Tuesday to Saturday), noon to 5 pm (Sunday)
Where: Museum of Surrey — 17710 56a Avenue, Surrey
Admission: Free though donations are appreciated
Raised In Chinatown
What: Chinatown Storytelling Centre presents Raised In Chinatown, an exhibition that explores Chinese Canadian youth culture in Saltwater City, from the 1910s to 1960s. Presented in partnership with Langara College Design Formation.
When: Fridays to Mondays until June 12, 2023
Time: 11 am to 4 pm
Where: 168 East Pender Street, Vancouver
Cost: $10-$12.50. Free for members and children five years old and younger. Reserve tickets online
Fleurs De Villes VOYAGE
Fleurs de Villes/Submitted
What: The Fleurs de Villes show will return to Vancouver from June 9 to 18 and blossom at VanDusen Botanical Garden for the first time.
With summer travel back in full swing, the flower show, titled “Voyage,” is dedicated to celebrating iconic global destinations and different festivals, fashion, and famous people.
When: June 9 to 18, 2023
Time: 9 am to 7 pm
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden
Cost: $29.12 for visitors aged 13 and above, $11.20 for children, purchase online
Queer Arts Festival
What: Queer Arts Festival is an annual artist-run transdisciplinary celebration in Vancouver. This year’s event is themed Queers In Space and features a grand opening art party, readings from Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction, concerts, drag performances, and more.
When: June 17 to June 28, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre, SUM gallery, James Black Gallery, and VAG North Plaza
Admission: Free and ticketed events. Purchase online
Drift: from the forest to the sea
What: Drift: from the forest to the sea by BC artist Bettina Harvey is an exhibit that explores the ecology and physical journey of driftwood. Harvey’s unique drawings draw parallels between the passages of our personal lives and the cycles of ecological life. The themes explored include resilience and transformation, love, and the natural world.
When: Now until August 20, 2023 (closed Mondays and stat holidays)
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Beaty Biodiversity Museum – 2212 Main Mall, Vancouver
Admission: $10-$14 for non-members, free for UBC Students, faculty + staff (with UBCcard) and children 4 years and under. Purchase online
West Vancouver First Thursdays Art Walk
What: West Vancouver Community Arts Council hosts a free self-guided art walk of the Ambleside and Dundarave neighbourhoods. Explore the local galleries and public art while celebrating local artists.
When: June 1, July 6 and September 7, 2023
Time: 6 to 8 pm
Where: Various locations. See the map online.
Cost: Free
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