Want to lap up some culture?
Western offers so much artistic activity that you can feed your creative needs almost 24-7 on campus. From the latest Hollywood films to student-produced cinema; guest musicians from around the world or our own talented students; Western’s visual art students or artists invited to exhibit on campus; and the best Canadian authors reading from their latest books – it’s all available. CHRW, the Gazette, Western News and various websites will keep you up to date on the latest arts activities. Below are some of the hot spots at Western where you can start your sampling.
Music Western
Make your way to the bottom of the hill to the Don Wright Faculty of Music to hear some of the best music in the city: jazz, pop, opera, electroacoustic, music that is centuries old or scores still smelling like ink from a student’s computer and printer.
With more than 300 performances by students, faculty and acclaimed guest artists, whatever your taste in music, you will find it at the faculty. It comes in every size too – soloists, quartets, big bands and orchestras to 16-voice choirs and a cast of hundreds.
Most of the concerts are free and take place in von Kuster Hall in the Music Building and the stunning newly renovated Paul Davenport Theatre in Talbot College. Some chamber music recitals are given Tuesdays at the McIntosh Gallery and a new series at the D.B. Weldon Library.
Hear the students who won competitions perform concertos with the UWO Symphony Orchestra. Listen to the Jazz Ensemble at the Grad Club. Discover the divas of the future at the opera performances. Make Friday your day for a music break with our popular 12:30 p.m. series.
For details about concerts, dates and times and tickets, visit www.music.uwo.ca.
McIntosh Gallery
At the heart of the campus, you’ll find the vivid red doors of the McIntosh Gallery. This public art gallery, which serves the university and surrounding community, is one of the oldest university galleries in Canada. The permanent collection includes more than 3,000 works in various media dating primarily from the early 19th century to the present. Some 600 works are located throughout the University, part of everyday life on campus. Selections from the collection are regularly used for study by classes from various faculties including Arts and Humanities, Business Administration, Engineering and Social Science.
If you are looking for an informal way to meet others who share an interest in art and artists, check out Talk Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m., which includes artist talks, walking tours, discussion circles and campus art tours.
Gallery Hours: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday Closed.
Free Admission. Visit www.mcintoshgallery.ca.
Visual Arts artLAB
Check out the square peg in a round hole – the artLAB has a cylindrical exterior wrapped around an interior box to showcase contemporary and historical works of art. Located at the Northwest end of the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, the 1,600 square-foot space shows exhibitions and projects that represent the talent of the Visual Arts department.
Each year about eight projects are presented, showcasing a range from introductory student work to cutting-edge by established artists. For the latest information about exhibits, visit www.uwo.ca/visarts/about/artlab.html.
The Book Store at Western
You’ve probably already found the BookStore in the UCC to load up with texts, but it’s also a great place to find the latest best seller, Western wear and gifts. The store was started in 1925 and keeps up on what students want.
Each year, it also presents Autumn Writes, an author reading series that brings some of Canada’s finest and exciting new writers to London. You can find out quickly about this series and other author events, sales and promotions, textbook buyback and London Reads, a community reading project, by subscribing to an e-mail service at www.bookstore.uwo.ca.
Hours beginning Sept. 21:
Monday to Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday and university holidays
Film Studies
If you’re interested in becoming involved in film or video production at Western, the production co-op will be your new BF. The co-op is a non-profit organization that devotes itself to aiding student-based film and video production within the university community and is supported through the Western Undergraduate Film Society (WUFS).
Participation requires a full WUFS membership, which is $5 for the year. Just bring your fee to any co-op event, or you can stop by the WUFS office (UC74). Events include workshops, labs, one-minute film festivals, production database and a film challenge. www.uwo.ca/film/.
Western Film
Western Film, owned and operated by the University Students’ Council, has a Class A theatre license and is an independent, second-run (or move-over) movie theatre. That means they show all the latest releases, just a few weeks after they debut in first-run houses right on campus, second level of the UCC.
Tickets are only $4.24 per person and $3 on Tuesdays, making it the best deal in town. Kids are just $3. The box office (in front of the McKellar Theatre) opens 30 minutes before show time.
If you’re not in front of your computer and you want to find out what’s playing, check out the student Gazette, the London Free Press, or call the MovieLine at 519-661-3616. You can receive weekly features via e-mail. On your birthday, you get in free and they even throw in free medium pop and popcorn with ID.
Check the blog about movies, theatres and the film business at www.uwowesternfilm.blogspot.com or www.usc.uwo.ca/wfilm/
Western Media
CHRW (94.9 FM) started as an idea in 1959, began to take shape in 1971 as a closed-circuit station, increased power to 300 megawatts in 1990 and today is one of Canada’s highest rated community-based campus radio stations. The award-winning station founded the London Music Archives and co-founded the Jack Richard.son Music Awards
If you watch TV news, you may recognize past alumni: Kevin Newman (Anchor – Global National), Avis Favro (Medical Reporter – CTV), Adrienne Arsenault (CBC Middle East Bureau Chief), Dan Shulman (ESPN), Elliotte Friedman (CFL on CBC & Hockey Night In Canada), John McKenna (Executive Producer – CH News Hamilton) and Jennifer Palisoc (Weekend Anchor – A-Channel London).
More than 250 volunteers participate in CHRW – through on-air and/or involvement in the local music scene. www.chrwradio.com.
The student Gazette is also owned by USC and goes way back to 1906. It will give you advance information, reviews and listings for campus and community arts events. www.gazette.uwo.ca.
Western News is the award-winning weekly newspaper and electronic news service of The University of Western Ontario. Created in 1972, it provides news, information and a forum for discussion of postsecondary issues in the campus and broader community. Events are listed on the calendar at https://communications.uwo.ca/westernnews/.