Place des Arts in Coquitlam

Place des Arts is an education centre in Coquitlam. It has programs and events featuring dance, drama and other forms of visual and performing arts.

For details about Place des Arts and its programs, visit placedesarts.ca.

Coquitlam’s Place des Arts Centre

Place des Arts is a not-for-profit arts organization. Located in the City of Coquitlam, the centre aims to bring out the inner artist in everyone. The organization offers all sorts of visual and performing arts programs, events and exhibitions. Whether you’re an experienced dancer or a total beginner, or perhaps someone interested in learning the basics of theatre, the centre has something for you.

Programs at Place des Arts are divided into five main categories. There are classes about Visual Arts, Music, Theatre Arts, Literary Arts, and Dance and Movement. Examples of popular annual events hosted by the venue include the Summer Theatre Troupe and Classic Concert Series.

If you go inside the Place des Arts building you’ll find rooms where classes and workshops take place. There are also various displays of art to admire.

Continue reading for more information about the organization, including details about programs and events.

Art Classes at Places des Arts

Where is Place des Arts?

Place des Arts’ address is 1120 Brunette Avenue in Coquitlam. It’s in the Maillardville neighbourhood of the city, just up the street from Mackin Park, which is where the annual Festival du Bois event takes place in the spring. Coming from Vancouver along the Trans-Canada Highway, take Exit #40 and turn right onto Brunette. From there, it’s just a three-minute drive away.

The education centre is next door to the Mackin House Museum. It’s also a five-minute drive from the Poirier Street Farmers Market which runs on Sundays from May to October.

Trivia Note: Maillardville has a history of French-Canadian settlement which began with millworkers coming to the area from Quebec in the early 1900s. For this reason, a number of streets and organizations in the neighbourhood have French names (including Place des Arts).

Place des Arts Children's Program

Programs and Camps

Place des Arts offers a variety of programs for children, youth and adults. We list some of the things you can learn below. For more information, or to learn about all the many classes offered, visit the Place des Arts website.

Visual Arts programs at Place des Arts include classes about drawing, cartooning, painting, sculpting, fibre arts and more. Some of the classes require special supplies to be purchased in advance. There are also music programs for beginners as well as for advanced students wanting to take on new instruments or improve their skills. Classes for children introduce participants to ukuleles, xylophones, recorders and other instruments. Place des Arts also has studios and performance spaces for more experienced musicians.

The Theatre Arts programs include stage and screen acting lessons as well as confidence-building classes. There are also performance-based classes with the Coquitlam Youth Theatre. Literary Arts programs at Place des Arts cover topics like poetry, creative writing and different writing techniques. Dance and Movement classes are all about developing coordination and learning multiple styles of dance. There are classes with Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet and Tap as well as various other genres.

Place des Arts also hosts camps for children and youth at different times of the year. Kids in kindergarten to Grade 9 can enjoy creatively engaging camps over Spring Break every year. There are also very popular visual and performing arts Summer Camps for ages 5 to 14.

For details about the centre and its programs, visit the Place des Arts website.

Art Displays at Places des Arts

Place des Arts Events

There are many events hosted by Place des Arts. Some happen at the education centre, at 1120 Brunette Avenue, while others take place at nearby facilities. In a typical year, events include Fun with the Family, Reflections Festival, Opening Receptions and Student Showcases. Over the Christmas season there is also the Positively Petite Christmas Boutique which runs from mid-November until mid-December.

There are also Summer Theatre Troupe productions and Classic Concert Series shows. Details about both of these last series of events are below.

Place des Arts Art Program for Adults

Classic Concert Series and pARTY@PdA Events

Place des Arts hosts its Classic Concert Series on-site. Each year features a few different performances by talented and locally-based musicians. Most of the concerts are family-friendly, but recommended primarily for adults and older youth ages 14 and older. However, there are also some that are combined with pARTY@PdA events which are for ages 19 and older. The pARTY@PdA events are for adults only because they include a cash bar serving alcoholic beverages.

Dates and details about events in early 2024 are listed below.

Saturday, January 13th, 2024

A Celebration of Robbie Burns with Blackthorn – an event celebrating Robbie Burns runs from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. It features music with the Celtic band Blackthorn and a special guest piper. Tickets cost $21 for adults and $16 for students and seniors.

Friday, January 19th, 2024

January Exhibition Opening Reception – a celebration of four new exhibitions that are up to admire until mid-March. The event starts at 7:00 pm and runs for two hours. It’s free for everyone to attend.

Sunday, February 4th, 2024

Family Day at PdA – a winter-themed event with art-related activities for all ages. It’s a good time to meet teachers and check out current exhibitions too. The event runs from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and is free to attend. Pre-registration, however, is required.

Friday, February 23rd, 2024

pARTy@PdA: Fun with Paper – an adults-only event led by Mariana Frochtengarten takes place from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Everyone creates woven paper artwork inspired by different things. Tickets cost $26 per person or $42 for a couple.

For full details about the organization and its programs, visit the official Place des Arts website.

Summer Theatre Troupe

The Summer Theatre Troupe is a set of theatre performances put on by Place des Arts each summer. In the past the shows have happened in July or August at Coquitlam Town Centre Park’s Community Plaza located at 1299 Pinetree Way. In 2023, however, they happened outside Place des Arts.

The theatre shows are usually produced and directed by professionals. Auditions determine the on-stage cast and most of the actors are students. The performances are free for everyone to attend.

The 2022 Summer Theatre Troupe featured a family-friendly take on News to Nowhere by William Morris. Audiences followed a character who transported 100 years into the future.

In 2023 the production was a roving adaptation of Through the Looking Glass which was the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Eight performances took place at Place des Arts at the following times and dates. 2024 details are to be confirmed.

Tuesday, July 25th: 7:00 pm
Wednesday, July 26th: 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Thursday, July 27th: 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Friday, July 28th: 7:00 pm
Saturday, July 29th: 7:00 pm
Sunday, July 30th: 1:00 pm

Opening Reception Video

Place des Arts often hosts events to celebrate the opening of a new exhibition. This was the case in June of 2023. The video below showcases the Opening Reception event for the venue’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition.