Vancouver Public Space Network Hosts Outdoor Movie Screening of Films About Public Space

6 Notes

A very cool event coming up next week! The Vancouver Public Space Network (VPSN) is hosting “Arts in the Heart of Mount Pleasant: a Night of Short Films about Public Space”. The event will take place on Thursday, Aug 30th at 8:00 pm behind Our Town Cafe at Main & Broadway in Vancouver. Films will include a mix of local and international films about public art, neighbourhood character, creative communities and advertising in public spaces. This year’s event follows on the success of “City Shorts”, a similar movie night hosted last year by the VPSN.

“We had a great response to our first public space film festival last year, and wanted to bring this year’s festival outside into the streets so anyone walking by is welcome to grab a seat and enjoy the show,” said Jaspal Marwah, organizer and member of the Vancouver Public Space Network.”What better place to consider the use of public space than deep in the heart of a thriving creative neighborhood - one that, like many before it and many to come, is struggling to balance its community in the face of rapid new development.”

Some films showcased will deal with neighborhood transitions, and in particular, the issues of development pressures on the character and future of the Mt. Pleasant community. Other films will explore the role of technology and its impacts on public space, and how it can be used in a manner that is invisible, or in a deliberate attempt to challenge urban conventions. Other topics include public art, parkour, parks, and the prevalence of advertising.

“Local food, free movies and lots of bars nearby to carry on the conversations long after the show wraps up,” said Jaspal.

The event will be hosted in an outdoor public space with tasty treats available from local food providers. Partners include: Our Town Cafe, Beaumont Studios, the Vancouver Foundation, and Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House.

The VPSN is a grassroots collective that engages in advocacy, outreach and education on public space issues in and around Vancouver, British Columbia. This includes challenging the increase of advertising ‘creep’ in public places, promoting creative, community-friendly urban design, monitoring private security activities in the downtown core, fostering public dialogue and democratic debate, and devising creative ways to re-green the neglected corners, alleys and forgotten spaces of the city. We also like to devise ways to have fun in public space.

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact:

Jillian Glover – jgloverneve@gmail.com

Jaspal Marwah- Jaspal@vancouverpublicspace.ca