The Bentway’s second talk will focus on the ways in which stewardship and governance impact experiences of safety. Participants will showcase a diverse set of public spaces and governance models in “case studies” that explain their approaches to participatory planning, community investment, resource allocation and representation. They will address the difficulty in balancing principles and practices with real-world and real-time challenges. The talk will shed light on the management process and how equitable commitments shape both long-term strategic direction and daily decision-making.

As a responsive creator investigating the power of Touch, choreographer Karen Kaeja is curious about what we can touch and cannot touch, and what is seen and unseen in public territory. In a raw live-stream performance that is intimate and up close, the presence and harmony of three womxn of different identities address public safety.

Join us for a discussion highlighting the work and contributions of community leaders and creative project partners featured in the Safe in Public Space initiative. Contributors will reflect on their works’ exploration of the concept of visibility and hypervisibility in public space, the importance of documenting and displaying the lived experiences of BIPOC individuals, and how the notion of ‘proof’ is relevant to validating and legitimizing experiences in public spaces.