Village Studios

Village Studios is an event space and creative studio on Davie Street in Vancouver’s Davie Village, occupying the lower level of the building shared with Celebrities Nightclub. It opened in 2021 under the ownership and operation of event organiser This Is Blueprint, after the basement had operated as Celebrities Underground from 2016. The relaunch began with events for Seasons Festival.

The building was designed by Thomas Hooper and built in 1908, and has heritage designation from the City of Vancouver. Its earlier uses included Lester Dancing Academy, the Embassy Ballroom in the 1940s, and the 1960s clubs Dante’s Inferno and the Retinal Circus. Lester Dancing Academy was run by dance teachers Frederick and Maud Lester, and the Retinal Circus hosted psychedelic concerts; Tommy Chong also ran the basement after-hours club the Elegant Parlour. The space has since accommodated art galleries, fashion shows, poetry readings, photo shoots and pop-up shops.

Village Studios contains a recording studio and event space, with enhanced audio-visual facilities and a Funktion-One sound system. Its programme has included house and techno through the Among Friends night, as well as events run by Blueprint Events and Blueprint. Among Friends has featured Western Canadian artists Max Ulis and Mood Change. Artists to have played there include Skepsis, Conducta, K Motionz and Sota.