On Saturday, 18 November, Duncan Low died unexpectedly at his home in Oak Bay, BC. Born in Nottingham, England in 1956, he is survived by his partner Janet Scarfe, and his elder brother Steve.
Best known as the Executive Director of the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Duncan inspired love and respect across an expansive community of artists and friends. His curatorial vision brought a world of brilliant theatre, dance, visual art, music, and hybrid art forms to Vancouver and nurtured and supported local talent to the international stage.
Having left school at 17, Duncan worked as an apprentice chef and started his theatre career as a scene shifter at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. Discovering his place in the theatre world, he became a stage manager for various companies, ultimately becoming company stage manager at Perth Theatre, where he met Janet in 1979. He went on to establish the Scottish International Children’s Festival in Edinburgh after being inspired by the Vancouver International Children’s Festival. Because of his work at the festival, he had his first contact with Canadian theatre companies, eventually leading to a move to Montreal in 1985. Duncan and Janet moved from Quebec to Vancouver, where he took up the challenge of running the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. For the next ten years, the Cultch, as it has affectionately become known, was his home away from home. Under his early guidance, the historic venue began a process that would eventually lead to its renovation and revitalization. His rhetorical flourishes detailing the building’s many shortfalls were hilarious, memorable, and, as it turned out, most effective.
While at the Cultch, he undertook a Master of Urban Studies degree, which he completed in 2010. He then pursued a Doctor of Philosophy from the School of Communications at Simon Fraser University, which he completed in 2016. In 2017, Duncan was awarded a Canadian Science Policy Fellowship at the BC Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training, Research and Analysis Unit, happily bringing Duncan and Janet to Victoria. Following this fellowship, Duncan entered semi-retirement while teaching online courses at Thompson Rivers University, which he continued until his passing. Duncan was active in the community during this time, volunteering at Our Place and serving as a member of the Canadian College of Performing Arts Board of Directors.
Above all, Duncan will be remembered for his passionate engagement with whatever was capturing his attention at the time: his new-found love of playing the guitar, live performance, online chess, electoral reform, research, sailing, a really good sandwich: He immersed himself fully in his passions and shared his passions generously. He truly loved exposing friends (and strangers) to things that brought him joy, and no one who spoke with him left the conversation without learning something new. He mentored a generation of arts administrators, artists, and curators. His style, directness, ability to get to the bottom of an issue, and his passion will be sorely missed. The people whose lives he touched are better off for having known him, and the broader community is stronger for the leadership he demonstrated as an arts administrator and advocate.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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Patrick Walters
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Sheryl Orr I have many fond memories working with Duncan. He shared some hilarious stories on his experiences with theatre. Some of which I continue to share. I am grateful for the exceptional moments and performances experienced while working at the Cultch under his leadership.
My deepest condolences.
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Stephan Nieweler Duncan was a gentleman, a mentor and a friend. I was fortunate to interact with him as an academic at SFU and again, very recently, to seek his wisdom in relation to the preservation of the arts in Victoria. Duncan’s influence extended far beyond his official roles, as he knew how to bring the right people together for the common good. I am grateful for our final taco lunch together this past summer, and will never forget his genuine interest in what you had to say, along with his laugh and smile.
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Grant Rice I met Duncan at SFU in Urban Transportation class in 2010. Every Thursday night after school a group of us would go to Steamworks Pub across from campus. Duncan steered us to the round tables downstairs as they were conducive to lively conversation.
My fondest memories are when Duncan and I would meet for dinner at Havana’s on Commercial for tacos and beers. We would discuss politics, current events and catch up on his research. No one loved research like Duncan. I remember when he eagerly shared how to work Tableau, software to manipulate data. He was like a kid in a candy store. We also shared a lot of laughs.
While Duncan had so many interests and great stories to tell, he was always interested in what I was doing. He was a great listener. He genuinely cared about what I was doing and how I was feeling. That is a friend.
We reconnected after moving to the Island last year and Gail and I spent some lovely times with Duncan and Janet.
We will miss Duncan.
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John Lambert Dear Janet,
This comes as such a shock. My memories of Duncan are so vibrant… his good humour, his affability, his keen eye, his discretion, his avid curiosity, his friendship.
One could tell that he loved his involvement with the arts. He was so generous with and supportive of artists.
Duncan was such a warm hearted fellow, and my memories of him will be always be of his good humour and open heart.
Such a great loss but he left the world a little bit better place.
My sincere condolences.
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Dorothy Woodend I never knew anyone quite like Duncan, so fierce and yet so sweet, all at the same time. His voice still echoes inside my head, his wheezing hilarious laughter and his remarkable mind. I am so deeply sorry for all the folks who knew and loved him. A true force of nature and a character in the very best sense of the word. Singular, extraordinary and so damn funny. I will miss him very much.
Dorothy Woodend
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Kathleen Oliver Dear Janet,
It has been so many years since I’ve seen you! I have so many fond memories of working with Duncan at the Cultch in those early years. He did so much to improve the space and the community it served. I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending you love.
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Michael Boucher Dear Janet & close friends,
I knew Duncan in various roles in the art scene over many years. He was blessed with a rich enveloping voice that had such warmth of spirit. Imaginative, forthright and formidable in the world of arts, his passion transformed ideas into tangible realities. His legacy is a beautiful one.
Thank you Duncan and are all close to him.Michael Boucher
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Ursula Leslie Duncan was a member of the Victoria Sailing Co-op for three years. He did a lot of sailing on “Phoebe” and “Rhumb Runner”, and it was great to have him around. We miss him.
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Denise Otten Our neighbour two doors down, sadly we haven’t known Duncan for very long. One day I was sitting on the corner bench in Oak Bay trying to train my very fearful new dog to accept strangers. He stopped and chatted, sat down next to us and tried very hard to win our Maggie over. He then so very sweetly offered to help in any way he could. I will always remember him coming to our home and for going down on his hands and knees, offering treats and kindness to Maggie for almost an hour. He always made time for us when we bumped in to him on the street with a kind word for Maggie and an interesting chat for me. What a sweet and gentle man, He will be missed by all the people he touched on his journey on this planet.
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Karen Ferguson Faculty and Alumni of SFU’s Urban Studies program are remembering Duncan. I was interested to learn that he’d left school at 17, given his acute intellectual curiosity and academic aptitude. He was a role model for all of us and such a positive presence!
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Justine Murdy Dear Janet,
I’m really so sorry to hear this news. Duncan’s life path truly is remarkable and Gregory Kozak (my husband) and I will forever hold a special place in our hearts for his memory. I’m so sad to realize we were both in Victoria at the same time and that I am learning of this this way (we moved from Commercial Drive in 2014). Duncan always spoke of you, clearly full of love for his life partner. I’m simply in shock and don’t know what to say, except the world’s light shines a little dimmer with this news. May his memory always be a blessing.
Justine Murdy
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Holly Bright It is hard to imagine where the organization – Crimson Coast Dance – that I founded would be without early guidance from Duncan as it was lifting off. He ‘got it’. He knew the questions I didn’t yet know to ask and avenues for treading, warning signs and currents to hop onto. It is an honour to have known him and to be witness to his legacy in it’s unfolding.
On my first day teaching guitar at UVic last year, I arrived early to set up. I had just started when a cheerful man with a UK accent walked in with a guitar, smiled at me and began to help. Within a few minutes, we were contemplating the writings of Glenn Gould on music and technology. By the time class had started, Duncan had convinced me that the work that Gould had started could in fact be continued with the integration of smart phones controlling EEG headsets which in turn could adjust parameters of media playback. “There’s a Phd in there somewhere”, he said with a grin. That was the first of many thought-provoking and uplifting before and after class exchanges. Although I wish I had gotten to know Duncan better, I am left with immense gratitude that our paths crossed, however briefly. And I will miss him.