SCA | Quick News | May 11, 2026
Priest update: Dead-wall Reveries reviewed, murmur of signs, The Null Cipher Suite, and MAKE
Read a review by Nick Ostrum for The Squid's Ear of , the recent record by the SCA's , released by . Read it . Also, Priest just released murmur of signs, a new record of improvisations with cellist Anton Lukoszevieze of . Listen . And if you're in London, UK, Priest's pleasure drenching鈥� is being performed by Apartment House, with Priest himself on lap steel guitar, on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 7:00 PM, at London's St Mary-at-Hill (Lovat Ln, London, UK). More . In other news, Priest's new book, a long poem titled The Null Cipher Suite, has been published by Noxious Sector Press, featuring a forward by 51社区黑料English's Jeff Derksen. More . Last but not least, Priest is one of the "core committee" of organizers for the Society for the Study of Affect's Methods, Atmospheres, Knowledges, Energies (MAKE) conference, set to run October 23 鈥� 25, 2026, at 51社区黑料Harbour Centre and here at the School for the Contemporary Arts. Priest joins David Ceccetto (York University) and Ted Hiebert (Toronto Metroplitan University) as orgainzers for the panel / stream "Hexegesis, Ofs and Ons," which is calling for "papers that explore and experiment with writing as a matter not of explanation but of incantation," and "that emphasize their method(s) as a way to conjure effects and atmospheres that can鈥檛 help but affect us in their casting." The submission deadline for the panel / stream, as well as all the others in the conference, is May 29, 2026. More .
Pauly's Theory for Moving Houses soundtrack & at Amon Solar
Listen to an audio work by the SCA's , commissioned to accompany the lecture by , which was published by as a book on May 5, 2026, by Wave Books. Listen . Also, Pauly, returning to Costa Rica, is performing May 22 鈥� 24, 2026, at Amon Solar (Calle 3, San Jos茅, Am贸n, 10101, Costa Rica). More .
Shihab celebrates Jaddo
The SCA's helped celebrate a special retrospective screening of a newly restored trilogy of hybrid 16mm and 35mm films produced by her aunt, the Iraqi-Lebanese filmmaker , on May 3, 2026, at NYC's Anthology Film Archives (32 2nd Ave, New York, NY), presented as part of the annual . Nadia participated in a post-screening conversation with her aunt, as well.
Marks' Agora lecture
Watch the SCA's Laura U. Marks' lecture "From Your Body to the Cosmos: Practical Methods," presented as part of "," which is a "fully-funded online program ... designed to confront the challenges of our time by combining two disciplines uniquely capable of reimagining the future: art and philosophy," conceived by Andrea Bellini and Federico Campagna and presented by the Centre d鈥橝rt Contemporain Gen猫ve. As the project's site explains, "Agora will offer semester-long free programs of English-language lectures made available for free on the Centre d鈥橝rt Contemporain Gen猫ve鈥檚 digital platform, the 5th floor. Watch it .
CBC on In The Shadow of the Pavilions
Read the CBC on , on at Surrey Art Gallery (13750 88 Ave, Surrey, BC) until June 7, 2026, that Jordan Strom, SCA PhD student and Surrey Art Gallery curator, curated as part of his PhD work. Read it (with an embedded link to an episode of CBC Radio's North by Northwest about the exhibition, too).
Pulling To Gather with Art Action Earwig
, the "interdisciplinary multimedia and performance collective" of SCA alumnus , Wryly Andherson, and Tadafumi Tamura, participated in Pulling To Gather, "a community project bridging art and ecological restoration," on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the amphitheatre and duck pond at Bowen Park in Nanaimo, BC. More .
Briser la glace/Splitting ice catalogue
Read an e-flux announcement that marks the closing of , the 2026 edition of the Manif d鈥檃rt鈥擰uebec City Biennial, curated by SCA alumnus , and announces the upcoming publication of catalogue about the biennial, set to be published June 2, 2026, by C脡AC. Read it .
The Death of the Art School
Read an opinion piece by Hakan Topal in Hyperallergic about the how "The rampant corporatization and 'administrification' of American higher-education institutions has turned students into mere consumers." While the situation is not exactly the same in Canada, financial pressures continue to negatively effect post-secondary education up here as well, with bottom-line thinking becoming more and more a kind of brick wall. Read it .
Wu is Telling It Bent
SCA alumnus is participating in GERMINATE, the opening night event for the 2026 IGNITE! Youth-Driven Festival on May 13, 2026, at 8:00 PM, in The Cultch's Historic Theatre (1895 Venables St, Vancouver). Specifically, Wu is involved in the Telling It Bent Showcase, presented in collaboration with the frank theatre company. More .
Venice envy?
Running May 9 鈥� November 22, 2026, the is taking place in an especially fraught global context. Here's a round up of just some of the coverage so far: Artforum's (which links to a set of texts by "experienced veterans" of the event), e-flux's , Frieze's , Hyperallergic's , Artnews' , Artnet's , Artreview's , The Guardian's , NY Times' , and Verso Books' . There's much more out there already about the Biennale, and sure more to come, but this should help get you started, at least enough for small talk over coffee.
Vancouver Art Book Fair 2026
Running May 15 (5:00 PM 鈥� 9:00 PM), May 16 (11:00 AM 鈥� 6:00 PM), and May 17 (11:00 AM 鈥� 5:00 PM) at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver), not only does SCA MFA student co-manage the Vancouver Art Book Fair (with Sharon Bradley), with the SCA's Kay Higgins on the Board of Directors, but this year's run also includes (the SCA's Kay Higgins and ) and SCA alumni & , as exhibitors, as well as close friends of the SCA like the and . Even more, "Making Public[s]: Vancouver Art Book Fair Public Symposium," which runs parallel to the fair, includes Kathy Slade in conversation with Lisa Robertson about Robertson's and SCA MFA student as part of the "Publishing as Trans Artistic Strategy" panel. Good times!
Truax on Making Waves
Barry Truax, Professor Emeritus in SFU's , recipient of an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from SFU, and most-recently , spoke with the program on WGXC (90.7-FM). Find a link to listen to the episode, as well as a transcription, .
Alfeld鈥檚 Hearse Chasing
Stir Vancouver tells us that SCA alumnus 鈥檚 new documentary, Hearse Chasing, which "follows singer-songwriter Cassidy Waring as she returns to her hometown of Calgary with her brother Cooper to confront an unresolved family tragedy," is , along with a live performance by Waring. Read it 鈥� and take note of the upcoming broadcast schedule for Hearse Chasing, too!
Sound in Heart Work
SCA alumnus is part of the exhibition, Heart Work, running May 7 鈥� May 30, 2026, at Ceremonial / Art (3712 鈥� W 10th Ave., Vancouver), with Cheyenne Rain LeGrande, Violet Johnson, and Kali Spitzer, curated by Mel Granley. More .
The Biting School鈥檚 Offending the Audience
Directed by SCA alumnus Aryo Khakpour and featuring SCA alumnus in the cast, are presenting Peter Handke鈥檚 for six shows from May 20 鈥� 24, 2026, at Tyrant Studios (1019 Seymour St., Vancouver), co-produced by battery opera. More info and tickets .
Gamelan Bike Bike Indonesia Tour Send-Off Concert
With SCA alumni George Rahi, Matthew Ariaratnam, and Wendy Chen, and SCA student Samira Banihashemi, Gamelan Bike Bike are playing an Indonesia Tour Send-Off Concert on May 22, 2026, from 7:30 PM 鈥� 9:30 PM, at the Revue Stage on Granville Island (1601 Johnston St, Vancouver). More info and tickets .
Kong leads 2026 Art Writing Mentorship
SCA alumnus is leading the Centre A's 2026 Art Writing Mentorship, "Writing with Art: Edges, Interiors, Pleasures, Displeasures," running for 16 weeks this summer, includes SCA as one of the participants and SCA alumni (who was a previous leader) and as two of the guest speakers. More .
Wylie and Ariaratnam and friends at 8East
SCA alumni and are joining Samira Banihashemi and Adrian Avenda帽o for a show on June 3, 2026, at 8:00 PM, at 8EAST (8 E. Pender St., Vancouver). More .
Cap Review's love bends / the mover: The Roy Miki Issue
The Capilano Review's "Spring 2026: love bends / the mover: The Roy Miki Issue" is out now, featuring a visual response to Miki鈥檚 poem Flow Nation by SCA alumnus and a new series of drawings by SCA alumnus . More .
The Paper Bag Princess
Congratulations to SCA alumni (Sound Designer), (Lighting Designer), (Technical Director), and Hailey Gil (Assistant Technical Director) and all the rest of the cast and crew of Carousel Theatre's presentation of The Paper Bag Princess, which ran April 22 鈥� May 10, 2026, at the Waterfront Theatre. More .
Subtropical Tape Sessions
SCA alumnus has released a new album, Subtropical Tape Sessions. Listen now on Bandcamp .
Robertson, Brown, and Burnham at the People鈥檚 Co-op Bookstore
As well as speaking with the SCA's as part of the Vancouver Art Book Fair (see above), Lisa Robertson will be reading from her new novel, Riverwork, and will be in conversation with SCA alumnus and 51社区黑料English Professor Clint Burnham on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 7:00 PM, at the (1391 Commercial Drive, Vancouver), presented by the 51社区黑料Department of English. More .
Kennedy and Helten in Des Arts Dehors / Arts Outside
SCA alumni and performed as part of Des Arts Dehors / Arts Outside on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 6161 Cambie St., Vancouver, presented by Alliance Fran莽aise and The Dance West Network. More .
Nieto in the Butoh Fest
SCA alumnus announced that she's participating in Salish Sea Butoh's Butoh Festival, running July 25 鈥� August 2, 2026, at Port Townsend, Washington. More .
Sweat Cry 鈥� save the date!
(SCA alumni , , and ) and , friends of the SCA, are throwing Sweat Cry, "a sunset dance party," on June 12, 2026, at Progress Lab (1422 William St, Vancouver). They promise more info to come .
Kanagawa voices Mitig
SCA alumnus is performing as the voice of Mitig in A Boca del Lupo and ArtstageSAN's co-production of Me & The Forest, running May 29 鈥� 31, 2026, at Ron Basford Park on Granville Island, presented as part of the Vancouver International Children's Festival. More .
The Q-y visuals of Bubble Tea from the 80s till today
SCA alumnus is presenting The Q-y visuals of Bubble Tea from the 80s till today, a talk with bubble tea sampling, on May 21, 2026, at 7:00 PM, at Dazibao (Suite 109 (GF) 鈥� 5455, de Gasp茅 Ave., Montr茅al). More .
Oriental Cowboy Moshpit
SCA alumnus is presenting a reading of Oriental Cowboy Moshpit on May 31, 2026, at 2:15 PM, at the Jim Green House Studio (1885 Venables St., Vancouver), presented as part of Upintheair Theatre's rEvolver Festival. More .
Elsewhere, Otherwise
SCA alumnus joins Violet Johnson, Amanda Kachadoorian Jordi, Nevada Lynn, Scott Massey, and Golriz Rezvani in Elsewhere, Otherwise, the UBC Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition, running to May 31, 2026, at UBC's Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery (1825 Main Mall, Vancouver0. More .
5-Day Fitzmaurice Voice workshop
SCA MFA student is one of the "certified Fitzmaurice Voicework teachers" for the upcoming 5-Day Fitzmaurice Voice workshop, running June 11 鈥�15, 2026, daily from 9:30 AM 鈥� 5:30 PM, in the Grant D. Burnyeat Studio at the BMO Theatre Centre (162 West 1st Ave., Vancouver). More .
Shaffer on Bingham in Dance Central
SCA alumnus , who is Artistic Director of Dance Company, is in conversation with Shanny Rann in the latest issue of The Dence Centre's Dance Central magazine, which is dedicated to the memory of Peter Bingham. Read it .
Satellite: Blue Moon
Run by SCA alumni Charlie Cooper and c. o. valenza, the at the Elm Park Fieldhouse (5837 Larch St., Vancouver) is hosting Satellite: Blue Moon, a free "night of stargazing and gentle, ambient music," on Sunday, May 31, 2026, from 8:30 PM 鈥� 11:00 PM. More .
Exquisite Pressure x Theatre Replacement
SCA student Stefanie Infantino is the Production Designer for Elio Zarrillo's LIAM, running May 15 & 16, 2026, at 7:30 PM (doors at 7:00 PM), at What Lab (202 鈥� 1814 Pandora St., Vancouver), presented as part of the . Get tickets .
Chessman Hazard Codechange Household
SCA alumnus has released Chessman Hazard Codechange Household, a new EP from her project (which was celebrated at a on May 9, 2026, at Sunset Terrace), on Seattle's Inu Wan Wan Records. Listen to it (and grab it on limited edition vinyl while supplies last!).
Gawthrop in the Boombox
SCA alumnus is performing with Jessica Keeling as part of Boombox's upcoming programing (44 W 4th Ave., Vancouver) on May 21 鈥� 23, 2026. More .
DUETS: An evening of dance
Lesley Telford's is presenting DUETS: An evening of dance on Sunday, May 17, 2026, from 8:00 PM 鈥� 9:00 PM, at the Annex (823 Seymour St, Vancouver), which includes SCA Barbara Adler (text and text and voice) and Eowynn Enquist (dancer). More .
East Van Panto: Hercules
Writen by SCA alumnus with Marcus Youssef, Theatre Replacement's East Van Panto: Hercules, with SCA alumnus as Lighting Designer and Illustrations by SCA alumnus , is part of The Cultch's newly announced 2026/27 season programing, running November 18, 2026, to January 3, 2027, at the York Theatre (639 Commercial Dr, Vancouver,). More .
Blenkarn and Lim in Utrecht
SCA alumni and , the creators of , are hosting , a "master class," on May 14, 2026, at Creative Coding Utrecht's studio (Vlampijpstraat 84, Utrecht, Netherlands), presented as part of the SPRING Performing Arts Festival, which is running assess.masses on May 16 & 17 at BAK (Pauwstraat 13A, 3512 TG Utrecht). More .
Oke and Tsai Rising Together
SCA alumni and join Kaili Che and Ysadora Dias as The Dance Centre's emergent artist cohort in their Rising Together project, which "aims to boost the capacity of emergent BIPOC artists and to engage new immigrant and refugee youth in the arts." More .
Reimer in COLLIDER
SCA alumnus is Theatre Replacement's latest COLLIDER Artist in Residence! Congratulations, Jami! More .
Playwright Theatre Centre鈥檚 Public Workshops
Playwright Theatre Centre鈥檚 Public Workshops are back for Spring 2026. Here's what's happening: The Show Will Go On: The Basics of Running a Smooth Event with SCA alumnus on May 12 & 19, online from 6:00 PM 鈥� 8:00 PM; Stories that Move Us / Historias que nos Mueven with M贸nica Perea on May 20 & 27, online from 6:00 PM 鈥� 8:00 PM; Writing for New Musicals 101 with Deborah Vogt on May 23 & 24, from 4:00 鈥� 6:00 PM, at PL1422 (1422 William St., Vancouver); Site-specific Theatre Workshop with Joanna Garfinkel on June 9 & 16, from 6:30 PM 鈥� 9:30 PM, at Granville Island's Festival House (1398 Cartwright St, Vancouver); Writing Scenes of Intimacy鈥� beyond 鈥渢hey kiss鈥� with SCA alumnus on June 18 & 25, online from 6:00 PM 鈥� 8:00 PM; and Mapping a Creative Project: Out of your head and into the world with SCA alumnus on June 24, from 6:00 PM 鈥� 9:00 PM, at PL1422 (1422 William St., Vancouver). For more information, prices, and to register, go .
Xyshen in ARC
SCA alumnus is participating in Electric Company Theatre's Advancing Research Capacity (ARC) Residency, running May 17 鈥� 19, 2026, at Left of Main, coinciding with Asian Heritage Month. More .
Sparvier-Wells wins!
SCA alumnus joined Yilu Xing in receiving the 2026 Rozsa Foundation Emerging Arts Manager Award. Congratulations! More .
Mak's False Reading
SCA alumnus 's exhibition False Reading is running May 6 鈥� 21, 2026, at Medrar for Contemporary Art (10 Gamal Eldin Abo ElMahsen, 8th floor, Garden City, Cairo). More .
Hymn of the Weaver Birds
SCA alumnus and Jocelyn Yuchia Chang's Hymn of the Weaver Birds is running May 28, 2026, from 6:30 PM 鈥� 8:30 P, at The Polygon Gallery, presented in celebration of Asian Heritage Month (101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver). More .