Vancouver concerts: Chan Centre's new season includes Grammy winners Esperanza Spalding, Arooj Aftab, Natalia Lafourcade
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The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts has just announced its 2025/2026 season, the biggest in the Chan Centre 's 28-year history. The upcoming season will offer new diversified programming streams and a new membership model, as it showcases a mix of internationally acclaimed artists and emerging talent.
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'I'm thrilled to be returning to the Chan Centre as part of its upcoming new season!' said in a statement Grammy-winning Pakistani-American singer, composer, and producer Arooj Aftab who will be at the Chan on Oct. 25. 'Performing here is always unforgettable — Vancouver's vibrant energy, welcoming audience, and the venue's world-class acoustics make it a truly special experience.'
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Featuring an expanded roster, the season includes a diverse range of music, conversation, and interdisciplinary performances, showcasing both internationally acclaimed headliners and emerging voices, fostering inclusivity and enhancing cultural relevance.
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'We're thrilled to welcome an incredible lineup of performers who inspire, challenge, and bring people together, celebrating artistic excellence and global perspectives. This year's focus is on bringing unique, first-time performances to the city,' said Jarrett Martineau, head curator at the Chan Centre in a statement.
'I'm overjoyed to be making my debut at the Chan Centre in Vancouver as part of their 28th season,' said Fils-Aimé. 'This venue has long been on my dream list, and sharing this moment with my West Coast family in such a stunning space fills me with gratitude. I can't wait to connect through the music.'
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With an entertainment landscape that is always growing and shifting the ongoing challenge for live venues like the internationally acclaimed Chan Centre is getting people in the seats and keeping membership coming back year after year. The Chan hopes the new three-tired model will help to increase engagement and further foster a sense of community among members.
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Winnipeg Free Press
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Toronto Sun
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SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. 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Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
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Rick Mercer's long finished ‘Talking to Americans,' but he's got new ways to address neighbourly tension
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People are very suspicious of Canada. I think Americans are more suspicious of everyone, both inside their country, their neighbours, and then outside their country as well.' That Americans are looking more closely at Canada is one of many reasons the bit wouldn't work today, Mercer says. The list also includes the general mistrust in mainstream media and the likelihood that once-unsuspecting Americans might recognize him from online clips. For his purposes, that's OK. It seems like it's time to look inward rather than measuring ourselves against others, he says: 'In order for Canada to be good, Denmark doesn't have to be bad.' The temptation to focus on the giant underneath us is ever-present, but Mercer is practised at resisting it. He left 'Talking to Americans' behind when he launched his flagship TV show, 'Rick Mercer Report,' in 2004. Over the course of 15 seasons, he travelled across the country, poking fun at politicians along the way. 'When I was doing 'Mercer Report,' one of the big learning curves that writers who worked on the show had to deal with was that in our universe that we created, America didn't exist. Like, it really didn't. We were just like, 'we don't talk about that.'' Americans got enough attention elsewhere, he says, so if the show talked about entertainment, it wouldn't be American entertainment. If it talked politics, it wouldn't be American politics. Whether his September tour will take the same tack remains to be seen. It's early yet, he says, but he doesn't foresee dunking on the United States overmuch. Tickets go on sale later this week, but he isn't due to hit the road until Sept. 11, performing 22 shows in 38 days alongside comedians Sophie Buddle, Mayce Galoni and Julie Kim. This is Mercer's third standup tour. He's leaned into live performance since leaving TV behind in 2018. Last year, he toured in conversation with musician Jann Arden. He also wrote two memoirs, 'Talking to Canadians,' about everything leading up to 'Rick Mercer Report,' and 'The Road Years' about the time he spent on the show. 'If you're in my business, if you're creating TV shows, if you're doing one-man shows — which I used to do in my early 20s — if you're writing books, if you're writing scripts, it really helps if you love your subject matter. And my subject matter has always been my country,' he says. 'And I'm not saying it's perfect, not by a long shot. It's just, that's someone else's lane. Right now it's all about celebrating.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025.
