February in UBC Arts is full of moments to step away from the everyday—from live music and bold performances to career design and campus conversations. Here’s what’s coming up this month.
UBC Music Ensemble Performances
Feb 2 | UBC Jazz Ensemble| Free
Director Jim Hopson leads the UBC Jazz Ensemble through a dynamic program that spans big band classics, contemporary jazz, and a range of styles, from Duke Ellington to jazz-rock fusion and elements of free jazz.
Feb 6 | UBC Choirs: The Prow | Tickets: $10–27
An evening of choral music spanning cultures and styles, from timeless sacred works to contemporary and folk-inspired pieces. Featuring the UBC Choral Union and University Singers, conducted by Hyejung Jun and Graeme Langager, this program explores themes of hope and human connection.
Feb 8 | UBC Bands: A Gallery of Classics | Tickets: $10–27
An evening of music featuring the UBC Concert Winds and the UBC Symphonic Wind Ensemble. This program brings together classic and contemporary works in the beautiful setting of the Chan Centre.
Feb 9 | UBC Early Music Ensemble | Free
Explore music from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras with the UBC Early Music Ensemble, a mixed instrumental and vocal group led by coordinator Christina Hutten.
Feb 11 | UBC Chamber Choirs | Free
An intimate evening of choral music with the 24-voice UBC Chamber Choir, featuring a rich repertoire that spans timeless motets and madrigals to bold contemporary works. Conducted by graduate students from the UBC Choral Conducting program.
Feb 23 | UBC Composers Concert | Free
A lunchtime showcase of contemporary music as UBC School of Music students perform new works by composers in the UBC Composition program.
Black History and the History of Black Studies Speaker Series
Every Tuesday in February | 12:00–1:00 PM | xʷθəθiqətəm (Place of Many Trees), Liu Institute for Global Issues
Free
Explore the history and global impact of Black Studies through a lineup of lunchtime talks hosted by the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice and the UBC Black Caucus. Topics range from Pan-African movements to diasporic music and the legacies shaping Black intellectual traditions.
Slow Fashion Season: Designing from Waste
Tuesday, February 3 | 12:00–2:00 PM
Free
Led by Ana d’Carvalho of LaSalle College Vancouver, this workshop includes a 45-minute lecture on methods of fashion upcycling, followed by work time. This event is for those looking to reuse textile waste at both macro and micro scales.
Stretch it Out! 👣
Wednesday, February 4 | 4:00–5:00 PM | Brock Commons South, Compass Hub (Room 3001)
Free
Books down, mats out! This short, restorative Pilates-inspired stretch session is led by a certified Classical Pilates instructor and focuses on simple movements to release tension, reset your focus, and feel good after a long day of classes and studying.
Dish with the Dean
Thursday, February 5 | 4:00–5:00 PM | Brock Commons South, Compass Hub (Room 3001)
Free
Have your voice heard at an informal conversation with Dean Clare Haru Crowston about your experience in Arts as an undergraduate. Share feedback, ask questions, and help shape the future of the UBC Arts community in a relaxed setting, with free pizza and drinks.
Black Futures, Ananse Tales: Diasporic Storytelling in Motion
Thursday, February 5 | 7:00–8:30 PM | Museum of Anthropology
Free with museum admission
Step into a world of humour, rhythm, and living myth as Akofena Afro-Theatre Society brings Ananse’s legendary Spider Tales to life at MOA through immersive theatre, music, and dance. Rooted in Akan storytelling traditions and diasporic voices, this vibrant performance celebrates Black artistry while imagining bold, liberated futures.
UBC Opera: Candide 👣
February 5–8 | Various times | Old Auditorium
Tickets: $15–50
Step into Leonard Bernstein’s witty, satirical operetta based on Voltaire’s Candide, featuring unforgettable music, sharp humour, and a journey through the “best of all possible worlds.” Performed in English with surtitles, this production brings together UBC Opera, members of the UBC Symphony Orchestra, and a lively cast, led by renowned local theatre artist Christopher Gaze as the narrator.
Chan Centre Made in Canada: Split Tooth: Saputjiji
Thursday, February 5 | 8:00 PM | Chan Shun Concert Hall, Chan Centre
Tickets: $30–99
From Polaris Prize and Juno Award–winning artist Tanya Tagaq comes a powerful, immersive performance that brings the poetic world of Split Tooth to the stage. Blending Inuit throat singing, music, and theatrical elements, this production blurs the lines between sound, story, and ritual in a striking exploration of memory, landscape, and transformation.
Chan Centre Presents: Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper
Saturday, February 7 | 7:30 PM | Chan Shun Concert Hall, Chan Centre
Tickets: $30–99
Two master musicians—one from Mali, the other from South Africa—come together in a spellbinding conversation between kora and guitar. Drawing on deep musical traditions and contemporary collaboration, this duo creates a transportive evening of lyrical, boundary-crossing sound.
Annual BIPOC Community Market
Tuesday, February 10 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM | Lower Atrium, AMS Nest
Free
Support local BIPOC-owned small businesses at the annual BIPOC Community Market, hosted by the SUS, KUS, CUS, and the AUS. Browse unique vendors, soak up the community energy, and celebrate an inclusive, student-led marketplace.
Find Your Fit: Exploring Campus Involvement 👣
Wednesday, February 11 | 4:00–5:00 PM | Brock Commons South, Compass Hub (Room 3001)
Free
Explore ways to get involved on campus, from building connections to developing leadership skills. This session highlights upcoming opportunities, key dates, and application deadlines for student leadership roles—plus a free Arts tote bag for participants.
Kids Take Over UBC 2026
Sunday, February 15 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Free
Kids Take Over UBC! is an open-door festival celebrating arts, culture, music, and more! Families can wander across campus discovering arts and culture activities for all ages—from storytelling and cultural crafts to STEM workshops, guided tours, live performances, and much more!
Arts Career Design Studio
February 17-18 | 9:00 AM–5:00 PM | UBC Robson Square
Free
A two-day, cohort-based intensive for undergraduate Arts students to design a meaningful path through their degree and beyond. Build job search skills, practice telling your story, and connect with professionals through workshops at UBC Robson Square and guided workplace visits across downtown Vancouver.
Crowd Pleaser: An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi
Wednesday, February 25 | 7:30 PM | Chan Shun Concert Hall, Chan Centre
Tickets: $30–155
Yotam Ottolenghi blends live cooking, storytelling, and audience interaction in a warm, insightful stage event about the joys and pressures of feeding others. Through humour, personal anecdotes, and simple, celebratory dishes, he explores how cooking can be both stress-free and deeply meaningful.
