Enjoying the Sights and Songs of Inspired at the Chan — UBC Inspired
On Sunday, March 9th, 2025, families flocked to the Chan Centre to attend Get Classical with Ian Parker, the March edition of the Chan Centre’s family-friendly series of shows ‘Inspired at the Chan’.
Inspired at the Chan, a programming partnership between UBC Inspired and the Chan Centre, invites patrons of all ages to enjoy arts and culture in the format of 1-hour long shows—perfect for holding the attention of UBC’s youngest community members.
This month’s show featured internationally-recognized pianist Ian Parker and up and coming young musicians to perform a medley of iconic pieces. To reinforce the family-friendly nature of the show, guests young and old also had had the option to visit the Instrument Petting Zoo, which was set up in collaboration with the Tom Lee School of Music.
Inspired at the Chan began because of a recognized need for more family-friendly programming at the Chan Centre, due to the growing number of families at the UBC Vancouver campus. Grace Wood, the Chan Centre’s Business Development Manager, says “My goal was to make our venue a welcoming space for people of all ages, and to show that attending performing arts events can be accessible to everyone.”
When curating the shows, Grace takes an involved and intentional approach to ensure audiences of all ages, in particular children and those new to the performing arts, can comfortably enjoy and engage witht he performances. Many of the shows are created and produced in-house by the Chan Centre team – from the initial concept of the final production. Every season has around 4-5 shows that celebrate diversity in culture and musical genres through immersive art forms such as dance, storytelling, and visual art.
The show itself was an experience to be had! With numerous families forming the audience, happy chatter and laughter filled the theatre as the crowd waited for the show. Due to the unique format of Inspired at the Chan, as the lights dimmed, and Ian Parker took the stage – the chatter and laughter that would normally be shushed simply became part of the show! Ian Parker and his ensemble of talented young musicians took the audience through a musical journey of several iconic pieces, interacting with guests in between performances.
As each composition was performed, the audience was further engaged with visual artwork and/or performances by talented dancers. This made the concert an audiovisual experience that held every member’s attention in an engaging and fun manner and in a way that is comfortable and accessible for anyone at any age. All of this to say – this show is a testament to the hard work Grace and the Chan Centre team put into Inspired at the Chan, and the thoughtful consideration of its primary audience: families.
Shows like these are what Grace says ‘provide a space for children to explore their ideas, imaginations and emotions – exposing them to the arts help them appreciate the diversity of ideas and cultures”. UBC Inspired Manager, Community Programs and Outreach Gabriella Scali agrees “it’s so important for children to have opportunities to take part in arts and culture programming and to feel welcomed in those spaces. We are so happy to partner on Inspired at the Chan, and hope that attending these shows helps spark a lifetime love of arts and culture!”
By funding initiatives like Inspired at the Chan, UBC Inspired delivers on its mission to curate a fun and connected campus experience for everyone at UBC – including our youngest residents who might one day become UBC students! Through this growing collaboration between the Chan Centre and UBC Inspired, the ultimate goal is to expose more and more children to the arts which Grace perfectly captures its rationale for doing so: “by encouraging them to take risks in their creations, children learn that there is no right or wrong way to express themselves.”
Keen to watch future Inspired at the Chan concerts? Keep your eyes on their webpage