The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, formerly the Burnaby Arts Centre, is a part of a history of support and commitment to the celebration and showcasing of art in all disciplines — performing arts, the visual arts, and the literary arts in Burnaby.
The naming of the facility, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, is a reflection of the Centre's dedication to the Arts and the community of Burnaby. The Shadbolt Centre has been named after two Burnaby residents who dedicated a lifetime of support and cultivation of the arts locally, nationally and internationally.
Doris and Jack Shadbolt resided in Burnaby for over 50 years until Jack's death in November 1998 and Doris' death in 2003. Doris Shadbolt spent her life's work bringing the artist and the audience closer together through her writing and curatorial work. Jack Shadbolt, an internationally recognized Canadian painter, is represented in Canadian and American public, private, and corporate collections. He was also an author and both received many awards including the Order of Canada. In keeping with the Shadbolts' generosity the arts, Jack Shadbolt donated two of his paintings to the Centre for permanent display.
The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts has found a permanent place in the hearts of Burnaby residents since it opened in 1995. Every week hundreds of children, teens, and adults take part in music, dance, theatre, visual, and literary arts programs led by highly qualified instructors. It also mounts an accomplished roster of performances each season.
The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts is an award-winning, multi-purpose community arts facility located in Burnaby's picturesque Deer Lake Park. The Centre programs a year-round schedule of arts classes, performances, festivals, exhibitions, and special events.
The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts hosts a wide variety of events, including conferences, meetings, award ceremonies, press conferences, meetings, gala dinners, weddings, recitals, festivals, craft fairs, and concerts. It has also been the location for filming a number of videos, movies, and television programs.
“Participating in the firing process at the Shadbolt’s wood fire kiln, standing mesmerized watching the flames and holding the final result was worth all the early struggles with centering, throwing and pulling those initial ‘freeform’ pieces.”
- Gayle, "Birth of A Vase"
