FAQ

General

We are only open during scheduled events. You can find all events listed on the homepage of our website. 

Our venue is divided into two main sections. We have a main stage area and a cafe/lounge area by the windows. These sections are divided by a long bar with seating. The majority of our events take place on the main stage with seating shared throughout the two sections.

Indie, rock, punk, world, jazz, speakeasy, burlesque, drag, metal, electronic, country, dance, fashion shows, performance art, celebrations of life… you name it, we probably do it! We pride ourselves on being an eclectic venue with something for everyone. It is our mandate to support the arts in Victoria and cater to both emerging and established artists.

While the majority of our shows are 19+, we have some shows that are All Ages. Please check individual events for more information. For 19+ shows, a valid ID must be provided.

We do not serve any food.

If you are an audience member: you are welcome to bring your own food in from local vendors.

If you are a producer interested in having food at your event, you are welcome to self-cater. We also have relationships with several local vendors and would be happy to suggest some catering options.

here is 1 bike rack in front of the venue, and several others along Broad, Johnson and Pandora within 100m. These often fill up during busy events. From March to October the City of Victoria operates a free bike valet service at the corner of Broad and Pandora.

The closest bus stop is 1 block away, on Douglas outside City Hall (#4, 11, 14, 21, 22, 30, 31, 32, 47, 48, 50, 61, 70, 71, 72). There is also a bus stop 1½ blocks away on Pandora west of Blanshard (#2, 27, and 28).

There are metered public parking on Broad and Pandora St, free after 6pm and on Sundays, but the spots on Broad St near the VEC are often occupied. The nearest public parkade is at 645 Fisgard St (free for the first hour and after 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays; free all day Sunday; has an accessible elevator), approx 300m or 100m away if you cut through Centennial Square. Parking map of downtown available here.

Audience Questions

Please see accessibility details here: https://victoriaeventcentre.ca/attendees/accessibility/

There are two single-user gender-inclusive bathrooms with individual sinks, and one multi-user gender-inclusive washroom with two stalls, three urinals and two shared sinks. One of the single-user washrooms is fully accessible, and is fit with a grab bar and low mirror and sink.

We do not offer refunds on tickets. If you need to sell your tickets, the best way is to reach out to your social circles or post in the Facebook event discussion.

If you would like to transfer the ownership of your ticket to another person, you can do so from your Universe account. See more on how to do this here.

Please bring your email ticket confirmation on a mobile device, or a printed copy of it. Please also bring valid government issued photo ID for 19+ events, or for liquor service at family friendly events.

Community

There are many ways to become involved at the VEC! Some specific options include:

  • Attend a show! We love to see new people in our space, and we have an event for every taste. Check out our upcoming events and come say hi!
  • Become a member of the VEC! Becoming a member allows you to vote at member meetings and the annual general meeting, have input on projects, join committees and even run for the board of directors. To become a member, you must submit a member application here.  
  • Join the board of directors! Being on the board of directors allows you to be deeply involved in the mandate and mission of the VEC. You can also become the treasurer, secretary, president or vice-president. To join the board you must present yourself for election prior to an Annual General Meeting.

Any current job opportunities will be posted here!

We rotate our art exhibits monthly! Please contact gm@victoriaeventcentre.ca with some examples of your work. 100% of commissions go directly to the artists.

Rentals

Both our main stage and our cafe section are available for rent. Please contact booking@victoriaeventcentre.ca to arrange a tour of the space or to get more information!

The sellable capacity of the venue is 240 with an open floor plan. As we add furniture to the layout, capacity lowers. The venue will help to determine the best layout for your event to maximize sales and patron experience.

Your guest list, performers, staff total will come out of the total 240 capacity. Ex. If you have 20 staff, the sellable capacity is 220.

To enquire about rates, please contact booking@victoriaeventcentre.ca.

Our world is your oyster! (mostly!) Our spaces are primarily used for music and performance events, but have also been used for dance parties, comedy, birthdays, film shoots, book launches, rehearsals, board meetings and more. Get in touch to see if it’s a fit!

Yes, we offer competitive rates to rent out our space (including our cafe/lounge area) during the day. We have worked with other nonprofits and community groups in the past, and can also host meetings, book clubs, art groups, mental health support groups and more. Contact booking@victoriaeventcentre.ca with your ideas.

Time Limitations

The VEC can accommodate rentals during any period of the day with enough notice. All events must be completed before 2am. Patrons & guests must be out of the building by 2:30am. No exceptions.

Sound Check:

  • Monday – Saturday: 6pm
  • Sunday: 5:30pm

Stage set-up and line checks can happen prior to the above times upon approval.

Production

Yes! All of our spaces have a shared inventory of 175 audience chairs that can be moved to accommodate different seating configurations. Two-thirds of the chairs are armless, folding, mostly upholstered and the rest are hard-framed.

Yes, we have a variety of table sizes including high tops that work with our bar stools and circular tables that work with our regular audience chairs. We also have a long bar with seating. We do not currently supply tablecloths.

Table inventory:

  • (20) 2.5 ft. round tables 
  • (6) 4 ft. round tables 
  • (10) 6 ft. x 2.5 ft. long tables 

The VEC has a number of seating plans that could suit your event. Please email booking@victoriaeventcentre.ca to request a drawing.

All basic venue information can be found here. For tech specs please email

There is one dedicated dressing room for performers that has a private bathroom, mirrors, electrical outlets, seating and tables. For more information, please reach out to booking@victoriaeventcentre.ca

Marketing

Generally the marketing and promotion of events is the responsibility of the producer. The VEC will list your show on our website as well as in our Facebook events. We also make at least one social media post per show. With enough notice, we can include your show in our monthly newsletter. You will be responsible for providing promotional materials to the VEC in a timely manner to ensure visibility on our website and socials.

We also offer personalized promotional packages at an additional cost. These packages can help your show get more visibility and reach through our promotional partners- please reach out to promotions@victoriaeventcentre.ca for more information!

Yes, we send out a newsletter one to two times a month that highlights upcoming events. You can subscribe to this newsletter on our home page!

We'd be happy to offer advice! Please contact promotions@victoriaeventcentre.ca for more information or read our Event Promotion 101 Guide.  

Box Office & FOH

The VEC prefers to handle ticket sales for all events. We use Universe as our ticketing platform.

We require either VEC door staff or security to be present at the door throughout the duration of your event. This can be discussed at time of booking.

For requests to handle your own ticket sales, please email booking@victoriaeventcentre.ca

No. For safety reasons and the job security of our staff we only allow VEC personnel to cover the door.

Security is booked exclusively through the VEC. Security is likely to be required at all late-night events or those that have adult content.

The VEC is sensitive to how the presence of authoritative figures impacts the space, and keeps this in mind while booking events and security guards. If you have any concerns about a security guard at our venue please email safety@victoriaeventcentre.ca