VIU Arts and Humanities

Moose Hide Flag Raising Ceremony

Join us on May 14 from 10 to 10:30 am in the RBC Plaza for a Moose Hide Campaign Flag Raising Ceremony. Students, staff, and faculty are invited to come together in support of ending violence against women and children. The Moose Hide Campaign is an Indigenous-led movement that began in BC, calling on all of us to raise awareness, spark meaningful conversations, and take action. A livestream featuring sessions and ceremonies will also be available in Shq’apthut from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Drop in and be part of this important day!

Portal, VIU’s full-colour literary magazine, celebrates its 35th anniversary on Friday April 24th at Beban Auditorium A, 2300 Bowen Road, marking the accomplishments of its 34 student authors and photographers.

Portal 2026 will be on newsstands across the country in May, but will launch when doors open at 6:30 on the 24thfollowed by an evening of readings from contributors, music by the Wellington Jazz Academy, and the awarding of Creative Writing department scholarships and recognition of graduates. The issue’s Managing Editors Taylor Fleming and Alexandra Groenwoldt will emcee, and Dean Katharine Rollwagen and department Chair Craig Taylor and other faculty will be there to cheer them on.

https://events.viu.ca/portal-celebrates-35-years-launch-2026-issue-april-24th

April 24 2026, 6:20 - 7:20 pm
The Visual Art department is hosting its annual Progressions student exhibition and awards ceremony. Join faculty and students in celebrating the creative talent and remarkable achievements this year.

https://events.viu.ca/visual-art-student-exhibition-and-awards-ceremony

Join Media Studies students and faculty Thursday April 23rd from 4-7 pm at Verra Creative, 21 Nicol St, Nanaimo for a year-end sample of student projects, mingling with industry guests, and recognition of graduates. From 5-5:45 pm, the event will unveil a highlight reel of videos, the online magazine Bright’s latest good news, and excerpts from graduate projects for guests and curious attendees who want a taste of what the department has been up to in its 21st year.

The department invites people to stop by, check out student stations to participate in interactive demos, ask questions, or screen trailers in this innovative and informational open-house event.

All interested students can register to attend our VIU Graphic Design info sessions coming up on April 22 and May 20. The open house on April 22 is at VIU’s Nanaimo campus at 6:00 PM in building 325, room 207

Register here:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=9f6NEtX9_Ey-GTZ57QJxzk-GVq1d5JdJjIDMcOHr-WNUMU1HRThTQ0MxN1BIRVpIWkxQOFFSNElDRi4u&route=shorturl

All are welcome to attend the final year-end show for our Bachelor of Interior Design students. April 25 from 12-5pm at the conference centre downtown. Free entry, and lots of talented students to chat with about their learning, projects and goals moving forward after graduation.

This year FPSE’s Human Rights Speaker’s Tour webinar on April 23 at 3pm PST takes “Humanizing Post-Secondary Systems” as its theme. Central to the discussion is the question as to why so many institutional dispute resolution processes end up causing more harm than good, often inflicting lasting damage to individuals, even when processes are resolved in their favour. Four speakers with backgrounds in restorative justice, institutional psychology, and indigenous governance will offer their insights and explore alternatives to current practices. The presentations will be followed by a question and answer period for the audience.

Portal magazine celebrates 35 years
Portal, VIU’s national, full-colour literary magazine, celebrates its 35th anniversary on Friday, April 24 with a launch party for its 2026 edition. Portal 2026 marks the accomplishments of 34 student authors and photographers. The launch includes an evening of readings from contributors, music by the Wellington Jazz Academy, and the awarding of Creative Writing department scholarships and recognition of graduates.

Portal magazine celebrates 35 years at its 2026 edition launch | Vancouver Island University | Canada Public invited to an evening of readings, music and celebrationPortal, VIU’s full-colour national literary magazine, celebrates its 35th anniversary on Friday, April 24 with a launch party for its 2026 issue.

The 21st annual Vancouver Island Short Film Festival will be held on April 17th and 18th 2026. The Vancouver Island Short Film Festival is thrilled to showcase 4 exciting programs of short films from local and international fillmakers! Out of a record-breaking pool of submissions, these films stood out for their creativity, heart, and cinematic excellence. Join us to see these incredible stories come to life on the big screen at Malaspina Theatre (building 310).

https://visff.com/visff-program-1/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExeTM0T1UzN1RYUXRaeGdsNXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5Ez70NpQA_I-wkLpuznw0Qmm6smiLnWaDVWofrPn7_AUD5n12aAeFA6bZvRQ_aem_9vAJ1K40aMP5RekLxquqeg

» VISFF Program 1 The garbage collector, in his solitude, discovers a pot in a trash can that emits a lovely sound. He falls in love with the pot and takes it home.

Join Media Studies students and faculty Thursday April 23rd from 4-7 pm for an open house at Verra Creative, 21 Nicol St. The event will offer a year-end sample of student projects, mingling with industry guests, and recognition of graduates. From 5-5:45 pm, the event will unveil a highlight reel of videos, the online magazine

Bright’s latest good news, and excerpts from graduate projects for guests and curious attendees who want a taste of what the department has been up to in its 21st year.

The department invites people to stop by, check out student stations to participate in interactive demos, ask questions, or screen trailers in this innovative and informational open-house event.

“One of the thrills of being a professor is seeing the pride students take in their unique work as creative media makers knowing they’re starting a conversation with the public that continues a dialogue about the role media could, and should, play--present and future,” says Joy Gugeler, department Chair.

Presentations by students in the program speak to their passion for digital storytelling and imaginative expression, research, and making media that combines text, audio, video, and analysis on a diverse array of increasingly pressing subjects. The department is founded on the principle that theory and practice are synergistic, so students learn both the technical requirements of the media they are making and its power in the evolving media landscape from AI to news, social media to music, TV and radio to Web 3.0.

At 6:30 the department will recognize this year’s graduates with short video clips of interviews with departing students assembled by professor Debra Pentecost. “I always look forward to our end-of-year celebration and honouring our students. Throughout the year they are challenged to produce work that varies in skill and knowledge required. That range of critical analysis and media production is central to our department, and it’s thrilling to see how this year’s students have grappled with that synthesis,” says Pentecost, teaching the senior project course this term.

The Showcase is also an opportunity for industry experts to meet new talent, introducing them to game developers, content marketers, podcasters, and documentarians among others. “Documentary was the objective this spring and students in MEDI 380 delivered in a big way, with variety in subject and some spectacular results!” said Richard Boyce, instructor for the department’s third-year video production course.

“I look forward to the showcase every year. The projects that students exhibit are not only indicative of what they’ve learned in one course, but also the cumulative knowledge and skills they’ve developed throughout Media Studies. The showcase is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of our graduates while also inspiring returning students to be ambitious in their own work,” says Karen Skardzius, teaching media literacy, research skills, and game studies among other classes.

Join us for refreshments, presentations, and networking at Verra Creative; faculty and students look forward to connecting! Parking is available on adjoining streets and in the nearby Port Place mall parking lot.

For more information contact Media Studies Chair Joy Gugeler at: [email protected]