About the Series

“Inspired at the Chan” is a family-friendly performance series presented by the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC. Launched in 2022 with the support of UBC Inspired (Campus + Community Planning), this Sunday afternoon series invites audiences of all ages to enjoy live performances in a fun, accessible, and welcoming environment.

Each hour-long performance has no intermission and begins at 3:00 PM. Featuring engaging, family-friendly programming, “Inspired” spans a wide range of musical genres including classical, folk, musical theatre, and popular music, often combined with other arts disciplines such as dance, visual art, and storytelling.

In addition to the main show, every event includes a fun, interactive pre-show activity designed for families to enjoy together. Past activities have included workshops, arts & crafts, and an “instrument petting zoo,” giving young audiences the chance to engage with music and performance in creative, hands-on ways.

Our goal is to present performances that are not only entertaining but also immersive, blending music, storytelling, dance, and visual arts whenever possible, while bringing local artists from various disciplines together to collaborate and create something truly unique.

What We’re Looking For

We invite proposals from professional artists and ensembles working in music, dance, theatre, comedy, circus art, and interdisciplinary performance. We are currently programming for Spring 2026 and the 2026-2027 season.

We are especially interested in proposal that feature:

• Programming that is engaging, accessible, and appropriate for a multi-generational audience (with a focus on families with children ages 5–12 and their families).
• Performances that are interactive, educational, or involve audience participation.
• Creative approaches to combining art forms (dance, music, visual arts, and/or storytelling).

Examples of Past Shows

Here are a few highlights from past Inspired at the Chan events that have brought between 800-1100 audience member to the Chan Centre.

• Carnival of the Animals Reimagined – A multidisciplinary production combining live music (10 musicians), 4 dancers, original stories, and animations to bring Saint-Saëns’ beloved suite to life.
• 5 Piano Fantasy: Star Wars, Harry Potter, Holst – Concert featuring five pianos on stage performing music from Star Wars, Harry Potter and Gustav Holst’s “The Planets”.
• Get Classical! With Ian Parker – Piano concert featuring classical masterpieces, folk-inspired melodies and beloved favorites performed by beloved Vancouver pianist Ian Parker, accompanied by dance and animations created by emerging artists.
• Shake the Earth: Tap and Taiko – A collaboration between Uzume Taiko and members of the Vancouver Tap Dance Society, this concert combined two intercultural disciplines to create a sonic and visual feast.
• Musical Magic: Disney Edition – Program of Disney tunes performed by 6 talented local vocalists, culminating in a finale sing-along.

Submission Details

We welcome submissions from individual artists, collectives, and arts organizations. Proposals should include:

• A short performance description (250–500 words)
• Sample video/audio clips or past performance links
• Artist bios
• Any ideas for accompanying pre-show activity

Submission Deadline: June 1^st, 2025
Submit to: chancentre.community@ubc.ca

We look forward to seeing your creative ideas and sharing them with our community of families and arts lovers at UBC!

Please note that only successful applicants will be contacted.