Details

April 27, 2021 to June 30, 2021

Watch this space for residency showcases, to be presented online this spring!

2021 Performing Arts Residencies

at Anvil Centre

Anvil Centre is pleased to announce the professional and community based artists that will be participating in the 2021 Performing Arts Residency Program at Anvil Centre and the Anvil Centre Theatre.

This pilot program emerged as a collaboration between the City’s Art Services Department and the Anvil Centre Theatre. The creation of this pilot residency program provides an opportunity to adapt municipal space to assist the performance sector on their journey to post pandemic recovery. Further they serve as a jumping off point for future programming and residency opportunities at Anvil Centre.

A schedule of activities has been created to support six unique artist residencies over the coming months. Working within COVID-19 protocols, all residencies will begin with artists working individually in the Anvil Centre to develop their work. A series of shoot dates in the theatre will capture an array of digital content from all six to share with the community through social media networks and online streaming channels. As gathering restrictions allow, the artists will come together to rehearse and capture imagery and video in larger groupings. The four-month process will culminate in a weekend open house in late June (streamed or in person) which will serve as the final showcase of the creative outcomes of the residencies.

COMMUNITY PERFORMING ARTS RESIDENCY

Roots Peruvian Folk Dance is an artist collective that practices, teaches and shares Peruvian dance, music and traditional customs through performance. Although local to New Westminster, Peruvian Roots has a regional reach to Peruvian communities throughout Metro Vancouver. As part of their residency, Peruvian Roots will be creating photographic and video documentation of their work with individual members.

Quayside Voices is a well-established local acapella group looking to reconnect with local audiences through online engagement opportunities offered as part of their residency. The residency will also support their efforts to advance new audience connections as they explore new artistic directions, including developing new original works in Mandarin.

PROFESSIONAL PERFORMING ARTS RESIDENCY

Howard Dai and Logan Rhys Hallwas are theatre artists that through their work as devisors, explore the act and art of collaboration. Through their residency, Howard and Logan will work with community members and local artists through an immersive and collaborative process focused on gathering and interpreting dreams and devising performances in response.

Jess Amy Shead and Simran Gill (Catfish) are collaborating artists working to develop an original play for the digital realm that explores Simran’s perspectives, humour and insight as a deaf person. The residency will provide an opportunity for Jess and Simran to share their creative process through digital engagement opportunities as they prepare their play for an upcoming digital theatre festival.

Alley Theatre’s Inheritance : a Pick-the-Path Experience is an interactive play, co-written by Daniel Arnold, Darrell Dennis and Medina Hahn and directed by Herbie Barnes. The play was originally mounted in March 2020 and it explores Indigenous land sovereignty. Using a “pick-the-path” journey as its format, the audience is actively involved in determining the direction of the plot. The residency will engage the local community, support Alley Theatre’s development of a digital version (filming the various “paths”), and facilitate their preparation for a remount and tour of the play.

Cassius Khan is a New Westminster-based master of Indian Classical music in Ghazal and Tabla. His residency will focus on developing new compositions and adaptations of classical works and presenting a range of virtual engagement opportunities including vocal and tabla/drumming demonstrations, lectures and group lessons. If gathering restrictions allow, Cassuis envisions taking his residency outdoors to share artistic outcomes alongside his community collaborators.

In this video Cassius Khan outlines and sings the outlines of the 10 Thaat system of Indian Classical music and how the Ragas are grouped into these categories

In this video Cassius Khan sings and explains the sonorous pathos and charm of Raga Bageshree

In this video Cassius Khan sings and explains the romantic and charming nature of Raga Bhimpalasi

In this video Cassius Khan sings and explains the playful and charming nature of Raga Kaafi

In this video Cassius Khan sings and explains the melancholy and emotional nature of Raga Shahana

In this video Cassius Khan introduces the nuances of the Tabla, the notes and some rhythmic cycles of different metres

In this video Cassius Khan demonstrates the nuances of the Peshkara in a Tabla solo in Vilambit Leyh (slow tempo) Teentaal of 16 beats

In this video Cassius Khan demonstrates the nuances of an old Dilli Qaida composition in Madhya Leyh (medium tempo) Teentaal of 16 beats

In this video Cassius Khan demonstrates some choice Relas in Vilambit Leyh ( slow tempo) Teentaal of 16 beats

In this video Cassius Khan demonstrates the usage of mathematics to construct Tihai and Chakradhaar phrases in Teentaal of 16 beats

Anvil Centre Events Theatre Events

Plan Your Trip

Located at the geographical centre of Metro Vancouver in the heart of downtown New Westminster, Anvil Centre is within easy reach of downtown Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and nearby suburbs, YVR and Abbotsford airports and BC Ferries.

By Transit

Anvil Centre is located at 777 Columbia St., and is across the street from the New Westminster SkyTrain station (Eighth St. exit). The New Westminster station is serviced by the SkyTrain Expo and Millennium Lines, and is less than a 30-minute ride from downtown Vancouver.

Translink’s trip planner tool provides connections and schedules from your point of departure.
By Car

New Westminster is connected to Metro Vancouver’s major highways and arteries via three bridges: the Alex Fraser and Queensborough Bridges (connecting Highway 91 and the East-West Connector), the Pattullo Bridge (connecting Surrey’s King George Boulevard) and the Port Mann Bridge (connecting Highway 1). The South Fraser Perimeter Road (Highway 17) also provides a quick, direct route to New Westminster.
By Bike

The scenic 26-km BC Parkway is a multi-use path that roughly parallels the SkyTrain Expo Line, connecting Surrey City Centre, New Westminster, South Burnaby and Vancouver. The BC Parkway passes within a block of Anvil Centre. Bike racks can be found along Columbia St.
Parking

Underground parking
Anvil Centre features three levels of underground parking with 270 stalls. The parkade is accessed off of Eighth Street.

1 hour: $3.25
5 hours: $9.00
10 hours: $15.00

Rates for less than one hour are also available.

Parkade
Parking is also available at two large nearby parkades. Adjacent to Anvil Centre is the Shops at New West multi-level parkade, located at the corner of Eighth Street and Columbia St. The Front Street Parkade, accessed from Fourth and Sixth Streets and just south of Columbia, offers reasonably priced hourly and daily parking rates.

On-street parking
Hourly pay meter parking can be found on the streets in and around Anvil Centre. Please note most meters have time limits.

There is complimentary drop-off/pick-up parking (15min MAX) for all Anvil Centre program on Parking Level 1 (in non-reserved stalls). Please note that complimentarily spaces are not reserved and depend on availability.