A Magical Time: The Early Days of the Arts at Simon Fraser University

Simon Fraser University went from an idea in 1963 to opening its doors in 1965, a feat that led it to be dubbed “the instant university.” This multi-authored history chronicles the excitement of that first radical decade of the arts at SFU.

The late 1960s was a time when, for many, a new world seemed possible, a world in which the old ways would be overthrown forever. Everywhere was affected by this spirit, but as a new university, Simon Fraser was particularly influenced by the social milieu. Early SFU was shaped by a vision of a new kind of university where thought was free-flowing and collaborative, with blurred lines between disciplines and an abandonment of hierarchies for a democratic approach to governance and learning, education that occurred on campus and in the community, free from the traditions of more established academic institutions.

Many caught the fire that had consumed visionary artists in earlier generations, forging many enduring artistic accomplishments. For others it was a time of personal exploration and discovery, when the dictum “Don't let your classes interfere with your education” was built into the very bedrock of the university.

Richly illustrated with ephemera and photographs from the era, with chapters on each of the major artistic disciplines and attention to key personalities, A Magical Time traces how the spirit of innovation and the core belief in interdisciplinarity shaped events over the next six decades at SFU.

This project stems from the collaboration of a committee formed by the Simon Fraser University Retirees Association.