Get Cultured! Vancouver Edition (Updated Fall 2025)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Vancouver is my home. This beautiful city is located on the west coast of Canada in the province of British Columbia. It is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. From the incredible mountains of Whistler to the beaches of English Bay. It really is the land of Sea to Sky.
It may not be New York or London when it comes to arts & culture but we have a few things going on here and I would like to share some of my favourites with you.
My top 5 arts & cultural things to do in Vancouver, BC (in no particular order):
#1 For Dance: Ballet BC or Dancehouse.
If you know me, then you know that I absolutely love dance & movement in all its forms. Dancehouse has a performance of Birdy by Hung Dance coming up November 28 & 29th. Before that Ballet BC is back with its first performance of the season, Trilogy, featuring choreographers Medhi Walerski (also the Artistic Director of Ballet BC), Shahar Binyamini & Sofia Nappi. These performances take place on November 6, 7 & 8th. If you enjoy dance as much as I do,
I highly recommend you check it out either of these two offerings
#2 For Classical Music: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
From Beethoven to Broadway, there is quite literally something for everyone. I subscribe every year to the VSO Pops series because it’s fun, different and it gets me out of the house doing something I probably wouldn’t do if I didn’t subscribe. Earlier this month, they were supposed to have a performance tribute to Phil Collins but it was cancelled due to the musicians strike. Sad to miss that drum beat solo for “In The Air Tonight”. But, up next is a fun Latin Nights with Sal Ferreras evening on October 31st and November 1st.
#3 For Opera: Vancouver Opera
I have been going to the opera since I was 12 years old. Growing up with a dad who is a bass opera singer definitely helped me become immersed in arts & culture from a young age. This season The Vancouver Opera is coming in strong with a full slate of classic favourites from La Boheme to Cosi Fan Tutte; but it all got started this past weekend with Verdi’s Rigoletto on October 25th. You can still catch a performance until November 2nd. And, definitely don’t miss La Boheme. Have I mentioned my love for Puccini?!
#4 For Theatre: The Cultch
For homegrown local Vancouver theatre to acclaimed productions from around the world, this is the place to see a variety of theatre in Vancouver. Without a doubt, I see something at the Cultch every theatre season and I am picky about my theatre (I hate to admit it but its true. I have been doing theatre for too long not to be a little bit judgy about it. Let’s be real.) The one thing I absolutely love about the Cultch (often in collaboration with Dancehouse [see above]) is that they bring in Contemporary Circus from around the world every year. You will not get the opportunity to see anything this incredible anywhere else in the city (well besides Cirque du Soliel but that’s a whole other thing in its own right). This year is no exception.
On January 21 - 24, 2026, The Cultch in collaboration with Dancehouse is bringing Paradisum, a critically acclaimed work of cirque danse exploring the myth of rebirth following the silence of a destroyed world. I have yet to see a production from Recirquel out of Hungary so I am excited for this one for sure!
#5 Visual Arts: Vancouver Art Gallery or Museum of Anthropology
We may not have the MOMA or the Tate Modern but we certainly have some pretty cool visual arts by local Canadian artists that you should definitely check out. The Vancouver Art Gallery usually has some cool exhibit happening plus you can almost always see the work of Emily Carr, the Canadian Artist from Vancouver Island, on display. Until January 4, 2026 you can check out Emily Carr: Navigating an Impenetrable Landscape
Then last but absolutely not the least, you can take yourself on a date out to the Museum of Anthropology and check out the incredible collection of art & artifacts from the First Nations peoples of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest including the famous Bill Reid. If you truly want to know and understand the rich cultural heritage of the lands we now call Vancouver, please take a trip out to UBC to take it all in and be inspired.
Looking for more fun arts activities to do in Vancouver? Join one of my classes, groups or workshops! Click here for more info: https://www.firepotexat.com/workshops
