A Look Into GISPA
- gissmedialab
- Oct 20
- 2 min read
by Nadia Cooper
Gulf Islands School of Performing Arts (GISPA) is an impressive combination of dance, theatre, and music. A year long program that students work hard to be a part of to put on one epic show. Students prepare for an involved audition that takes place in the spring, before the summer and the coming school year. Members have the opportunity to go to live shows as a group, get to know each other, and be a part of years-long tradition for Gulf Islands Secondary. So how did this all start?
In 2001, teachers with a passion for the arts decided the school needed something new. GISPA was an idea born through passion and a place for the artistic and dedicated students of the local high school, Gulf Islands Secondary (GISS). Since then, it has grown and become a rich part of our school.
Locals look forward to attending the show at the end of the year, which is usually at Artspring, a theatre in Ganges on Salt Spring Island. Past hits in the recent years have been “Billy Nothin” (2025), “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime” (2024) and “A Wrinkle in Time” (2023) Each showing unique artistic expression and highlighting talented young artists.
This program is an amazing opportunity for students who want to learn more about the arts and really dive into an area they are dedicated to. For example,, the dance students spend hours practicing routines that will be showcased during the show. In the same way, the theatre students rehearse constantly to move the audience, and the musicians bring the whole stage to life through sound. As a past graduate and GISPA Music student says “it was so amazing to be part of a group of people who were also passionate about music, I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who’s on the fence.”
As a new group of students begin their year of GISPA, the school waits in anticipation for the next big hit. So if your looking to work with likeminded individuals, learn new skills, and put on an epic show, The Gulf Islands School of Performing Arts is the place for you.
