Contributed by Radio Laurier
Calling all arts and culture lovers! After O-Week and at the start of the fall term, we want to give you an introduction to all the arts-and-culture-based clubs, groups, councils and more available on campus. Whether you’re a first-year student looking for ways to get involved in campus life or an upper-year needing a refresher after the last year of remote learning, this is your guide to the modest but dedicated arts and culture scene here at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus.
First up is the Laurier Brantford Theatre Club.
“We believe that theatre is a brave space for everyone, regardless of experience or background, to get together and share in a passion [for] all things theatre,” said Anika Berringer, the club’s co-president.
Every year, the Theatre Club chooses a play to cast, direct, rehearse and put on in March, but they balance their hard work with fun throughout the year. Berringer said the club is a space for members to express their creativity and interest in the arts and a chance to take a break from academic pressures.
With a steady membership of about 10 people who meet every week, Berringer said there is always room for more and encourages anyone interested in theatre, set design, costumes, tech or stage management to consider joining.
“[We] keep our ears open for those keywords of, ‘Oh, I did drama in high school’ or ‘I’m someone who likes the arts,’” said Berringer. “We’re like, ‘Oh, really? That’s awesome. Have you heard of the Theatre Club? Because like, that’s a thing.’”
If you want to learn more, you can reach the Theatre Club through The Nest or their Instagram, @laurierbfordtheatre.
One great opportunity specifically for artistic first-years to get involved on campus is the First-Year Leadership Program. As a volunteer on the FYLP Art Hawks council, you’ll plan arts-based events for other first-years, work with a team of people who are passionate about the arts and develop your skills as a leader and a team member.
The other FYLP councils that each cater to a different crowd are the Brantford Residence Council, Residence Athletic Council and LOCUS (off-campus students) House Council.
Reach out to your off-campus advisor or residence don if you’re interested in applying.
Another way for Laurier Brantford students to be involved in arts and culture is through Radio Laurier. The station is based in Waterloo, but because of radio’s virtual nature, almost all the volunteer opportunities are available to Brantford students.
There are music assistant positions that involve helping choose which music is aired on the station, PR assistants who help run Radio Laurier’s social media and a street/events team to help with promoting events on both campuses. You can even be a programmer and host your own show.
“We’ve had quite a few Brantford students host remote shows where they’ll record themselves and then send them in to us to air as opposed to recording live in our studio,” said Jackson Wells, the station manager at Radio Laurier.
For those looking to stay up to date with arts and culture, but aren’t keen on getting involved, Radio Laurier is of course a great place to find all kinds of arts and culture content as a listener.
“I would say one of the big interests for show hosts is all arts-and-culture-based things,” said Wells. “Last year, we had a celebrity gossip show, we had a movie review show, we had a show that was all about anime, the list goes on.”
To find detailed information on the volunteer positions and to apply, go to the Get Involved tab on RadioLaurier.com. You can also listen live to the station or find previous episodes of shows at this website.
The Indigenous Student Centre at 111 Darling St. runs a variety of cultural programming throughout the year, including Indigenous craft workshops, speaker series, moon ceremonies and more.
To ask about any of these, you can email Indigenous student support coordinator Jesse at iscbrantford@wlu.ca or visit the centre between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays to Thursdays. The centre can be accessed with a OneCard.
Some other arts-and-culture-related groups on campus are Shinerama, Eco Hawks and Healthy Lifestyles. There are also a number of program associations that contribute to the arts and culture scene at Laurier Brantford, like the English Students’ Association, History Students’ Association, User Experience Design Students’ Association, Human and Social Sciences Association and Faculty of Liberal Arts Student Society to name a few.
You can find all these groups and much more on The Nest.
