One Year At The Museum | Vancouver

July 1 holds double meaning for the Chinese Canadian Museum. Celebratorily, it is the one year anniversary of opening in the museum’s permanent location in the Wing Sang Building. It also commemorates the anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the subject of the current feature exhibition at CCM, The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act, curated by Catherine Clement.

Join us for an exciting day of talks, performances, workshops, crafts, and more to celebrate and commemorate this day!

Poetry Workshop with Fiona Tinwei Lam

How can we write poems that distill the experience and impact of momentous and fraught historical events — such as the passage of the infamous Chinese Exclusion Act which essentially barred Chinese immigration from 1923-1947, causing irreparable harm to already marginalized communities throughout the province and country?

Vancouver’s poet laureate, Fiona Tinwei Lam will guide you through some simple steps on how to start the process of generating an accessible and meaningful poem. We’ll meet together in a supportive and non-judgemental space to go over the three main building blocks of poetry, look at a few short sample poems from the past and present, then go into The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act exhibition where you can choose an image or two that may inspire you. After a period of 20 minutes of free writing, we will gather together to share our very rough drafts and give each other encouraging feedback.  Participants will have the opportunity to share their work publicly if they so wish afterward.

Event Details:

• Time: 10:00 - 11:30 A.M.

• Cost: Free with admission

• Register: RSVP here

Chinese Canadian Voices in Poetry: Poetry Performances and Discussion with Fiona Tinwei Lam, Christopher Tse, and James X. Wang

How have Chinese Canadian stories and history been expressed through poetry? Moderated by Vancouver’s current Poet Laureate, Fiona Tinwei Lam, and joined by award-winning spoken word artist Christopher Tse and emerging poet James X. Wang, this combined poetry performance and panel discussion will explore how Chinese Canadian identity, including the history around the Chinese Exclusion Act era, has been upheld through contemporary works of poetry.

Event Details:

• Time: 12:00 - 1:00 P.M.

• Location: 2F Feature Exhibition Gallery (The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act)

• Cost: Free with admission

Special Curator’s Talk with Catherine Clement

Join our in-person talk by The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act creator and curator, Catherine Clement, as she explores the tumultuous days leading up to July 1, 1924 – a day the Chinese community would christen "Humiliation Day."

Discover the ways the community tried to halt the Exclusion Act's mandated registration, and hear how different cities in Canada reacted when it was clear that all hope was lost. This material is only lightly covered in The Paper Trail exhibition. So here is your chance, 100 years later, to learn and remember what our community went through on July 1, 1924. 

Event Details:

• Time: 1:30 - 2:15 P.M.

• Location: 2F Feature Exhibition Gallery (The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act)

• Cost: Free with admission

Art Therapy Workshop with Jade Chung

How do we process emotions evoked by learning about legacies of discrimination?

This art therapy workshop aims to create space and awareness around the emotional impact of learning about shared history and collective legacies on us today, to connect with those who came before us, and to explore alternative ways of expression.

Led by professional art therapist Jade Chung, this workshop uses somatic processing to notice what emotions, thoughts, and feelings are coming forward from their experience of the exhibitions found in the Chinese Canadian Museum - without judgment. Participants will also be invited to use simple art materials to express what they’re feeling in connection to the exhibition.

Event Details:

• Time: 12:30 - 1:30 P.M.

• Location: 3F Board Room

• Cost: Free with admission

• Register: RSVP here

Live Music: Son of James

Son of James blends a fusion of rock, blues, and jazz with the mystical sounds of Chinese instrumentation. Like a big rig rolling down a dusty highway carrying a cargo full of silk, Son of James calls their sound “Chynatruckerfunk.”

Join us for an electrifying live performance by Son of James, including a specially commissioned song that commemorates July 1 and the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Event Details:

• Time: 3:30 - 4:30 P.M.

• Location: 4F Rooftop
  *In the case of rain, this performance will take place on the 3F

• Cost: Free with admission

Family Fun: Crafts, Games, and Booths

Join us for drop-in games and crafts throughout the day! From Chinese board games to paper crafts, there’s something for everyone!

Paper Crafts: Make a Plum Blossom Kusudama

• Time: 11 A.M. - 3 P.M.

• Location: 2F landing

Family Portraits with BigKidult Caricatures

• Time: 12:30 - 3:30 P.M.

• Location: 1F Introductory Gallery (Odysseys & Migration)

• Cost: $8/portrait

Sugar Painting with Joanna Arts

• Time: 1 - 3 P.M.

• Location: 4F landing

Drop-in Chinese Board Games

• Time: 10 A.M. - 5 P.M.

• Location: 1F Community Room