BeatRoute Magazine BC Print Edition October 2017

CITY
GOOD NIGHT OUT
KEEPING VANCOUVER’S NOTORIOUS CLUB STRIP SAFE
KATHRYN HELMORE
Photo by Robert Anderson
Stacey Forrester and Ashtyn Bevan (L-R) are working to make Granville Street a safe space.
Good Night Out, an anti-harassment campaign,
has launched a pilot program to provide safety and
security for those roaming Vancouver’s Granville
Street during its busiest hours.
Created by locals Ashtyn Bevan and Stacey
Forrester, GNO utilizes four volunteers, trained
in non-violent crisis intervention and First Aid, to
ensure the streets of Granville are safer during dark
hours, especially for vulnerable persons such as
women and those in the LGBTQ community.
Sporting dashing pink T-shirts brandishing
the words ‘GNO Squad,’ the ladies will be posted
between Robson and Davie Street from 3 a.m. on
Fridays and Saturdays, starting September 8.
As a former “promo chick” for Fortune Sound Club,
Bevan knows a thing or two about harassment on
the streets of Granville.
“When I was a promo chick promoting in the city
late at night, I never felt safe,” she says. “I don’t think
I was the only one who felt this way. Therefore, we
wanted to take a more proactive approach to make
the Granville entertainment district a more vibrant,
accessible, and safe space within Vancouver’s
cultural hub.”
GNO’s Nightlife Street Team will act as engaged
bystanders, actively stepping in at the sight of
harassment, such as inappropriate language and
catcalling. The team will be an oasis for those
inebriated or disconnected, offering snacks, water,
and even portable chargers.
The campaign has been carefully timed to line up
with the influx of young university students, many
of whom hope to experience Vancouver’s nightlife.
“There are many stakeholders working to make
the Granville entertainment district a vibrant,
accessible and safe area in Vancouver,” says Bevan.
“This vision is one that overlaps with what GNO
is trying to do. We certainly feel that this is a
proactive, collaborative step towards that vision.”
GNO has faced its fair share of hurdles, including
difficulties in public perception, such as being
labelled angry feminists. Nevertheless, Bevan is
confident that GNO will succeed in helping many
get home harassment-free.
“Despite the challenges thrown at us, we will
keep adapting and finding new ways to have our
initiative make a difference in Vancouver,” she says.
Learn more www.goodnightoutvancouver.com or
look out for them on Granville Street.
VANCOUVER ART BOOK FAIR
CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN PAPER, DIGITAL, AND OTHER FORMS OF PUBLISHING MEDIUMS
SARAH JAMIESON
Print is an intimate medium, which is why it continues to survive in a digital
age that threatens to snuff it out. But, the most vital aspect to its existence is
knowledge and engagement from the public. The Vancouver Art Book Fair, the
longest-running event of its kind in Canada, aims to close this gap.
Established in 2012 as a satellite of Project Space — a collaboration space,
gallery, and bookstore — the VABF invites the public into the world of artist
publishing through shared experiences, practises, and intentions. The multi-day
festival offers a diverse line-up of programs, performances, and projects from
of local, national, and international publishers and artists. Vendors will display
books, magazines, and prints, as well other forms of publication in digital format
and installation.
From Massachusetts, Trevor Powers and Annie Sollinger will be on site to
talk about Papersafe, a publication dedicated to analogue photography. Other
features include Trade & Make, a trade show where people can create their
own zines on the spot; a creative writing workshop led by Vancouver’s Rebecca
La Marre that utilizes ceramic tablets instead of paper; and a presentation
by contributors to the arts periodical Pythagoras Records using sound,
performance, text, and video.
Independent publishers also provide a stage for marginalized voices
and artists, because it creates an intersection between the public and an
underrepresented voice.
“The art book is not just a coffee table book or a photo book,” says VABF Fair
and Development Coordinator Emma Walter. “There really is a huge amount of
ways that a book can be an art project. And that’s the underlying theme of the
fair.”
Photo by Ester Tóthová
The Vancouver Art Book Fair runs from October 13–15 at Vancouver Art Gallery.
The Vancouver Art Book Fair invites the public into the world of artist publishing Oct. 13 to 15.
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October 2017