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 <strong>Print</strong> 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 <strong>October</strong> 13–15 at Vancouver Art Gallery. The Vancouver Art Book Fair invites the public into the world of artist publishing Oct. 13 to 15. 6 <strong>October</strong> <strong>2017</strong>