ARTS & HUMANITIES DAY AT WESTERN!

• Visual Arts: In this workshop with Eeva Siivonen, students will learn how to make a digital photo collage in GIMP, a free and open-source image editing tool. Participants will learn how to select and arrange images, work with layers, and use various tools to blend and transform photos into a unique digital collage. (registration capacity: 20)

• Participants in this one hour demonstration with Andrew Silk will be provided with Sculpey polymer clay and use of tools to follow along in a guided tutorial with the opportunity for self determined modifications to create their own sculpted figurine. (registration capacity: 16)

• Visual Arts: "Experiments Figure Drawing" with Prof. Jessica Karuhanga The human figure is a crucial subject throughout the history of art. This workshop is inspired by 1960s drawing experiments, in which artists such as Trisha Brown or David Hammons used their bodies as both a drawing tool and a surface to explore unconventional ways of making an image. Participants will use skin-safe oil-based substances, such as lotion, on their hands or faces and press them against paper. They will then use powdered pigments, charcoal and graphite dust to highlight the detailed impressions of their skin. (registration capacity: 20)

• Lecture A: "Your Brain on Story-Telling" with Prof. Aara Suksi Cognitive science tells us that story-telling is an essential element in the process of becoming human. How do stories help us learn, perhaps even before we know language? How do they affect our brain chemistry, and as a result, our behaviour? Are humans addicted to storytelling? We’ll consider these questions and discover the amazing power of story-telling to shape our thoughts, our behaviour, and ultimately our world. (registration capacity: 178) LOCATION: Conron Hall, University College 3110

• Workshop with Classical Studies: “The Ancient Greek Symposium: A 3D Experience” with Cheyenne Eversole Have you ever been fascinated by Ancient Greece? Have you ever wished you could travel in time and experience the ancient world? Now's your chance! Celebrate with us at an ancient Greek Symposium! During this workshop, you will learn about the Ancient Greek Symposium and have a chance to recline, philosophize, and ask questions about the Greek world. Additionally, you can participate in a classical game called Kottabos, just like the Greeks did, with 3D-printed cups moulded from authentic ancient Greek pottery! Join us and experience this ancient Greek tradition. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies: “Liberation Manifestos” with Prof. Green-Barteet and Prof. Cayen Manifestos are “literary tantrums” that provoke radical social change. Although theatrical, they are rooted in your actual feelings and experiences in the world. Join us as we bulldoze over established traditions and imagine something new by writing your own manifesto for liberation! (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Languages & Cultures: “Goal! A World Tour of Soccer in Languages and Cultures” with Prof. Victoria Wolff and Sylvia Kontra: Explore the global game of soccer through language and culture! In this interactive workshop, dive into the world’s soccer traditions, unique expressions, and cultural stories with a university professor. From chants to team rivalries, discover how soccer connects communities worldwide. No prior knowledge required—just bring your passion for the game! (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Writing Studies: “Writing Collective Consciousness" with Prof. Andrew Wenaus Join Western Writing Studies professors for a fun and thought-provoking writing session. We’ll explore the Surrealist practice of collective consciousness writing. We’ll craft a single, strange piece of literature, with each writer contributing without knowing what the others have written. This collaboration highlights group creativity to combat loneliness and isolation. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Philosophy: “Ethical Problems for Tomorrow's Leaders” with Prof. Anthony Skelton. In this workshop, we will explore some of the ethical issues that future leaders will have to contend with, including what we owe to future generations, the treatment of non-human animals, and AI safety.(registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Linguistics: "Linguistics, or things you know about language you don’t know you know” with Prof. Jacques Lamarche. In this workshop, students will explore aspects of the vast unconscious knowledge they possess about their native language, from understanding the processes behind producing and perceiving audible realities (sounds) to the knowledge that these sounds form words organized into inaudible abstract structures that govern their interpretation of language productions. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Theatre Studies: “Can Theatre Changes the World?” Join Prof. Kim Solga as we explore how theatre and performance practitioners respond to events both global and local. We will learn how applied theatre artists make work with communities about the things those communities care about, and we'll talk about how researchers in the field of Performance Studies understand our everyday lives and actions as forms of performance that we can use to stand up to injustice. Be prepared for both discussion and play, but rest assured nobody will be forced to step too far outside their comfort zone. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with English Studies: "A Day in the Life of an English Student" What’s it like to be a university student in English? Live a day in forty minutes in this interactive workshop. We’ll take you through the three main components of English student life—reading, attending lectures, and participating in tutorials—to give you a first-hand experience, at top speed, of English studies at Western. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with French Studies: “Unlocking French Slang: The Cool Side of the Language” with Prof. Nadine De Moras: In this interactive workshop, after listening to a French hip-hop song, we will compare some oral phenomena in English and French slang. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Medieval Studies: "Hand-Written: Medieval Manuscripts from Western's Special Collections Library” with Prof. Kyle Gervais. We’ll explore several of the handwritten medieval books held by Western’s Special Collections Library (from a giant Latin choir book to a tiny French prayerbook to a tantalizing fragment of a work by Julius Caesar). Students will see the books up close and in person, and learn about their construction, decoration, text, history, and conservation. (registration capacity: 25)

• Lecture B: “Has the internet always been this messy?” with Dr. Ruth Skinner Students often tell me they love AND are also freaked out by technology. We spend much of our days online. It's hard to navigate digital spaces in a good way—whether researching or just expressing ourselves. This talk is a quick introduction to how we got here and how we can start to feel a bit more confident in online spaces. (registration capacity: 178) LOCATION: Conron Hall, University College 3110

• Workshop with Classical Studies: “The Ancient Greek Symposium: A 3D Experience” Have you ever been fascinated by Ancient Greece? Have you ever wished you could travel in time and experience the ancient world? Now's your chance! Celebrate with us at an ancient Greek Symposium! During this workshop, you will learn about the Ancient Greek Symposium and have a chance to recline, philosophize, and ask questions about the Greek world. Additionally, you can participate in a classical game called Kottabos, just like the Greeks did, with 3D-printed cups moulded from authentic ancient Greek pottery! Join us and experience this ancient Greek tradition. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Writing Studies: “Writing Collective Consciousness" with Prof. Andrew Wenaus Join Western Writing Studies professors for a fun and thought-provoking writing session. We’ll explore the Surrealist practice of collective consciousness writing. We’ll craft a single, strange piece of literature, with each writer contributing without knowing what the others have written. This collaboration highlights group creativity to combat loneliness and isolation. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Theatre Studies: “Can Theatre Changes the World?” Join Prof. Kim Solga as we explore how theatre and performance practitioners respond to events both global and local. We will learn how applied theatre artists make work with communities about the things those communities care about, and we'll talk about how researchers in the field of Performance Studies understand our everyday lives and actions as forms of performance that we can use to stand up to injustice. Be prepared for both discussion and play, but rest assured nobody will be forced to step too far outside their comfort zone. (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Languages & Cultures: “¡Hola y Adiós! Spanish Through Popular Songs” with Alba Devo and Felipe Quetzalcoatl Quintanilla: Learn Spanish through the rhythm of popular songs! In this interactive workshop, two dynamic university professors will guide you through greetings, farewells, catchy lyrics, and cultural stories in Spanish. Sing along, uncover hidden meanings, and see how music makes learning a language fun and memorable. No experience necessary! (registration capacity: 25)

• Workshop with Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies: “Queer Behaviors in the Animal Kingdom” with Cynthia Lam and Elk Paauw Dive into the natural world to see how animals defy our concepts of gender and sexuality! Join us to learn about how temperature determines the sex of crocodiles, how clownfish can change sexes in response to social dynamics, and more fascinating examples of non-heteronormative behaviors that show the fluidity of nature’s spectrum. (registration capacity: 25)

• 9:30-10:00 - Buses arrive on campus
• 10:15-11:00 – Lectures 
• 11:15-noon – Workshops
• 12:15 - Pizza Lunch in Mustang Lounge 
• 12:45 – Raffle extravaganza!
• 1:15-1:30 – Closing remarks and bus departures

Social Media, Privacy and Control

In this lecture, we’ll explore the relationship between privacy and control in the digital age. Through real-world case studies and interactive discussion, we will think about questions like:  What exactly is privacy? How do social media companies profit from our personal information? Do we truly own our data—and if so, in what way?  We'll unpack how platforms collect, analyze, and monetize user behavior, and consider the ethical and personal implications of living in a data-driven world.

This Dragon Must Die: Secrets of Story-telling

From the beginning of language to modern fantasy, patterns, formulas, and secret codes have been the foundation of story-telling. The monster-slayer and the monster are part of all of us, and their stories are hidden in our subconscious. The dragon has to die, and the story has to be told in a particular way. Join Michael Fox from English and Writing Studies to find out why.

Digging Up the Past: Voices from Ancient Greece and Rome

How do we hear the voices of people who lived thousands of years ago? From epic poetry and inscriptions to temples, tombs, and the worship of gods, Classical Studies uncovers traces of ancient lives. This lecture explores how archaelology and the study of ancient texts brings us closer to those voices - and why they still matter today.

Ancient Greece & Rome

3D Scanning & 3D Printing in Classical Archaeology

Learn all about how classical archaeologists use 3D scanning methods and 3D printing tools to enhance our understanding of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. Students will be introduced to 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies and some of the fascinating ways these tools have been used in the archaeological analysis of artefacts. Students will also have an opportunity to interact with 3D printed artefacts and play the ancient Greek game called  Kottabos with 3D printed cups.

Art History

Art Detectives: Decoding the Past Through Art

In this interactive workshop, students will engage with art history through visual and formal analysis, as well as historical context and interpretation.

Creative Writing

Writing Memory in Prose

How do we hear the voices of people who lived thousands of years ago? From epic poetry and inscriptions to temples, tombs, and the worship of gods, Classical Studies uncovers traces of ancient lives. This lecture explores how archaelology and the study of ancient texts brings us closer to those voices - and why they still matter today.

English Studies

Fightin' Word(game)s

Why does it matter how someone says something? Does play help us hear a serious point? In this workshop, we'll explore how writers play with words to comment on the world around them, and try our hand at some word games of our own.

A Day in the Life of an English Student

What's it like to study English at University? We'll take you through the three weekly components of literary studies--reading, lectures, tutorials--to give you a first-hand experience of English studies at Western.

This week's topic: Romanticizing Romanticism. 

French Studies

French Expressions through Comics

In this hands-on workshop, students explore French idiomatic expressions in a fun and creative way. Working in small groups, they receive blank comic strips and invent their own dialogues using the target expressions. By combining humor, collaboration, and imagination, participants discover the richness of the French language while practicing vocabulary and expressing themselves playfully.

Gender Studies

Evolutionary Biology & Gender Queerness in the Natural World

This workshop explores how gender variance manifests in the natural world, sharing cutting edge discoveries regarding biological sex beyond the binary that would make Darwin’s head spin. Join us in celebrating the gender queerness of the natural world from protozoa to primates.

Ivey Business School

Combining your Arts & Humanities Degree with Business

Learn about Ivey's Dual Degree program and how you can combine your liberal arts skills in critical thinking, communication, and problem solving with a degree in business. Hear from a recent HBA and Arts & Humanities graduate and participate in a live case class with Ivey Business School instructors. 

Languages & Cultures

The Iceberg Hidden World: Unlocking Cultural Codes Through Languages

Why do people greet each other with  Namaste in India, use  usted in Spanish, or laugh at sayings that don’t translate?  Culture is like an iceberg—what we see on the surface is only a small part. In this interactive workshop, students will dive beneath the surface to discover the hidden world of languages and the cultural codes they carry.

Through games, role-play, and group challenges, they will explore idioms, gestures, and expressions from around the globe while reflecting on how languages shape identity and connection. By the end, students will understand languages not just as words to memorize or a set of grammatical rules, but as keys to unlocking new perspectives, friendships, and opportunities in today’s interconnected world.

*If you speak another language other than English,  bring it to the workshop and share with us how you see the world through it.

Linguistics

The Hidden Language Within: Exploring Unconscious Linguistic Knowledge

Did you know there's a huge amount of knowledge stored in your brain that you use to understand others, but you're not even aware of it? We'll put your "unconscious" language skills to the test, uncovering the incredible cognitiive processes that allow you to produce and perceive speed.

Medieval Studies

Exploring Medieval Manuscripts

In this workshop we'll learn a little bit about medieval manuscripts: how they were made, how they were used, and how parts of them were sometimes reused. You’ll be able to see, up close and in person, some books and individual pages from Western Libraries' Archives and Special Collections, ranging from 500 to 1000 years old.

Philosophy

Artificial Intelligence: AI LIke Us?

AI systems are beginning to write, speak, and look like us. They tell us their thoughts, and seem to understand ours. They share their feelings, and seem to empathize with ours. But are they really doing the things they seem to be? How can we know?