The Simon Fraser University Film Workshop began in May 1967 when the university first obtained 16mm production facilities. The Film Workshop was a non-credit, production-orientated program coordinated through the Centre for Communication and the Arts that became the foundation for the SFU Film Minor program.

Under supervision of the University Resident in Film, students learned directing, filming, lighting, and sound technique, and served as cast and crew for each other's films. Students worked in 8mm, 16mm and videotape formats and produced films for educational rather than commercial purposes. At the end of each year, the films were screened on campus. Many of the films went on to win prizes in local and international student film festivals and have been screened all over North America and at European film festivals.

The film mentors leading the workshop in the early years included Shiela Reljic (1967 - 1969); Stan Fox, from CBC Vancouver (1969-1971); Luke Bennett, a New York film editor (1971-1972); Vincent Vaitiekunus (1972-1974); and Guy Bergeron, a filmmaker from Quebec (1974-1976). In 1979 Robert Nicholl, Jo Kirpatrick and Rick Patton, all filmmakers from the National Film Board (NFB) came to the workshop. That same year two more additional NFB filmmakers Tony Westman and Mark Smith joined the program along with Al Razutis (an independent experimental film maker from Vancouver). Staffing increases were met with an expansion in the Centre for the Arts and the creation of the film minor program that included courses in production and theory. This was supported by the growing curriculum of the Centre for the Arts that included a wide range of courses in theatre, sound, dance and studio art.

In 1987 SFU professors Patricia Gruben and Colin Browne conceived of Praxis, a national film writing and production workshop housed at the university. This program, along with SFU's four-year film program has enabled budding filmmakers to direct and produce their first feature films with renowned directors, writers, and editors.

The collection consists of textual records and 16mm films created by students who participated in the SFU Film Workshop program. For most of the film titles there are multiple reels which represent the individual production elements (i.e., A Roll, B Roll, Magnetic Track, Optical Track, Work Print) that were used to produce the final film version. Some films have related textual records that document the director's production notes used when editing the film.

This series consists of the Director's correspondence relating to the administration of the Theatre program. Activities and topics documented include program establishment, curriculum and policy development, theatre design, planning and use policy, student and faculty relations. Records include correspondence, reports, meeting agendas and minutes, policies, program proposals, course proposals and descriptions, architectural drawings, and CVs.

This sub-series consists of the annual event reports. Note that there is no report for 1972-1973.

Sub-series consists of graphic materials and booklets relating to the productions and programs of the School and its predecessors. Records include brochures, season catalogues (a series of booklets describing public programming events, 1965-1974), posters and prints. Among the records are an autographed poster signed by five members of the visiting Royal Shakespeare Companey (item 1) and 19 prints collected from the 1960s San Francisco - Berkeley, California area, including posters for performances by the Grateful Dead, Country Joe and the Fish, Captain Beefheart, and various theatre productions at the University of California Berkeley campus (file 3).

Sub-series consists of records relating to curriculum and instruction generally, not falling under a more specific category. Activities, topics and events documented included enrollment statistics and grading policies. Records include correspondence, statistics, and policies.

Sub-series consists of programs and flyers produced for public events sponsored by the School and its predecessors.

Sub-series consists of audio and audio-visual recordings of individual plays performed at the Theatre. Includes five performances between 1965 and 1972 (sound recordings only) and 2 pieces from 2002 (moving images); see item list and descriptions for details of individual performances.

Series consists of records relating to general public programming matters not falling under a more specific category. Activities, events and topics documented include performing groups associated with the university (SFU Madrigal Singers, the Simon Fraser University Theatre Company, the Magnetic Band), a 1974 copyright dispute (file 8), public and media relations, correspondence with visiting artists, the 1977 residency by five members of the Royal Shakespeare Company (Patrick Stewart, Sheila Allen, Richard Pasco, Ben Kingsley, and Juliet Aykroyd). Records include event programs, membership lists, correspondence, petitions, workshop evaluations, proposals, reports, attendance statistics, press clippings and media releases, architectural drawings (set design, file 17), reprints and other printed reference material.

Sub-series consists of photographic material relating to School in general.

Sub-series consists of media releases publicizing events and activities undertaken by the School and its predecessors.

This series consists of the Director's correspondence with the Art Gallery during the period when the Gallery reported to the Director. Activities and events documented include exhibits, acquisitions, budget planning and funding, position work responsibilities, and space planning. Records include correspondence, reports and statistics (including Annual Reports for 1981 and 1982 in files 6 and 7 respectively), acquisition lists, media releases, exhibit schedules, policies, presentations, and job descriptions.

Series consists of the Director's correspondence with individuals and organizations outside of the university. Activities and events documented include the Centennial Theatre project (file 1); participation in conferences, faculty exchange programs and visiting artists; collaboration and participation in various arts organizations; liaison with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and the Universities Council of British Columbia (UCBC); special projects and events (Expo '86 World Festival, Calgary '88 Olympics Arts Festival); a 1984 proposal to establish a Canadian Centre for Contemporary Arts;liaison with local public and high schools; reviews and commentary on other university programs, and grant applications.

Records include correspondence, reports, meeting agendas and minutes, agreements and letters of understanding, media releases, proposals, grant applications, project descriptions, postcards, conference programs, CVs, questionnaires, architectural drawings (file 19), notes and working papers, brochures and other printed reference material.

Sub-series consists of schedules of public events organized by the School and its predecessors.

Series consists of the Director's correspondence with other university departments. Activities and topics documented include development of the Arts Administration program within Continuing Studies, Faculty of Education meetings (reflecting the earlier Centre's administrative placement within this Faculty), reviews of program proposals by the University of British Columbia (included in correspondence with the Vice-President, Academic), the support campaign for the School (then the Centre for the Arts) in the face of large budget cuts in 1984-85, the School's participation in the university's Prison Education Program, and a study of the university Library's support of contemporary arts. Records include correspondence, reports, proposals, budgets and budget working papers, notes, bibliographies, CVs, mailing lists, questionnaires, reprints and other reference material.

Sub-series consists of newsletters created by the School and its predecessors; includes the student newsletter Horse Sheet (1969), the Centre for the Arts newsletter (1982), the School for Contemporary Arts Newsletter (SCAN, 1996-1998), and the Praxis Centre newsletter (1997-1999).

Series consists of the Director's correspondence relating to general departmental matters not falling under a more specific category. Activities and topics documented include use of facilities, visiting faculty and artists, special events and receptions, faculty and student relations, course preparation, enrollment, and the Mini University program. Records include correspondence, department-wide memoranda, and reports.