COVID -19 UPDATE:
March 12, 2020

As arts and culture events are being cancelled around the world, we have decided to postpone the 2020 Future Forum indefinitely. 

This was not an easy decision. This event started many, many months ago and it grew into something so big and meaningful for us. It’s the creative and artistic contributions of our community and their shared passion for supporting diversity in the arts that has given us the motivation and the energy to organize this event on our nights and weekends. You inspire us deeply and the inaugural Future Forum was shaping up to be something really special. Something we really all should be proud of. 

However, today it’s become clear that this is a health crisis. Though the risk in BC has not changed significantly and remains low, it has increased around the province and the situation continues to evolve. As such, we feel it is important not to gather and put your loved ones — especially elders and littles ones — at risk. Although the event was meant to be small and intimate, the best plan for mitigation is social distancing.

While we both want to do the Future Forum at a later date, what’s ahead is uncertain. We are taking everything day by day and taking the time to communicate with everyone properly. Please email us with any of your questions, but be patient with us. Our capacity is very limited as we make adjustments in our lives outside of The Future is You and Me, too. 

Here are our next steps and commitments:

• All artists and creatives involved will be compensated for their work.

• We hope ticket holders and donors will consider thinking of ticket purchases as a donation to help us cover costs incurred in organizing the event. However, you can request refunds until March 20 by emailing info@thefutureisyouandme.com (Please include Refund Request in the subject line and include your order number in the body.)

  • Purchases of lunch add-ons will be automatically refunded.

• Online ticket sales have ended.

We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of the Future Forum — through encouragement online, donations, registration — as well as to the staff members at Emily Carr University and our team, who have generously shared their time and expertise with us. 

Our mission remains and we look forward to when we can continue this work with you beside us. 

Megan & Kristin
Co-founders, The Future is You and Me

The 2020 Future Forum is a one-day symposium for women of colour artists and creatives to network, share knowledge, and scheme.

This community-focused event will take place on Saturday, March 28, 2020, offers a mix of formats and topics over the course of the day, representing various disciplines and industries. This event will provide paid opportunities to at least 25 artists and creative professionals, and host 75 participants — all BIWOC (Black, Indigenous and women of colour) and racialized non-binary individuals.

We’re grateful that it will take place at Emily Carr University of Art + Design on Unceded Coast Salish Territories.

Passes are $25. Tickets are limited, so act quickly!
Requests for ticket scholarships, based on financial need, can be emailed to info@thefutureisyouandme.com with the subject line "scholarship," and a short message about why you'd like to attend.

Schedule + Program Details

More guests to be confirmed in the weeks to come.

Rennie Hall

9:30-10:00AM — Registration + Coffee/Tea

Rennie Hall

10:00-11:00AM — Welcome from Ocean Hyland (Tsleil-Waututh)
& opening remarks from the co-founders of The Future is You and Me, Megan Lau and Kristin Cheung.

Rennie Hall

11:00AM-12:30PM — Take Space/Make Space
Take Space/Make Space is an interactive dialogue on how womxn, non-binary and femmes of colour in positions of power create space for others, share power, and stay accountable to their communities. This session invites you to critically think about how to navigate power with respect to intersectionality and privilege to avoid replicating colonial power structures. Four speakers will share their experiences, leading into a conversation about taking space and making space in the arts community.

Emily Carr Campus

12:30-1:30PM — Lunch + Community Building
Share a meal with old and new friends. Lunch can be purchased for $10 (which includes a drink and a sandwiche + sides), or you can bring or buy your own food on campus or from nearby establishments.

1:30-2:45PM — Breakout Sessions
Choose from one of three events

Rennie Hall

1:30-2:45PM — Both/and: Artist-parents in conversation + a performance
An artist’s livelihood is rich and meaningful. At its very best, the gig can feel a little bit like a dream job, rife with wonderful friendships, nourishing community connection, and big inspiration. But the work itself is also often taxing, isolating, and undervalued. So many of us are only just getting by. The days are long, and the margins can feel razor thin. This is a precarious reality likewise shared often by parents, especially primary caregivers. When the lives of parents and artists—and artists-as-parents—intersect, how do these worlds co-exist, clash, and fuel one another? What structural systems might impact art created under the conditions of parenthood?

The session will open with, Beside(s) Myself, a performance art piece by Clare Yow.

A1014

1:30-2:45PM — Building Armour: A Panel of Poets
This session will feature a panel of three women of colour on self-care. Along with an exploration of identifying creative needs, defining boundaries, holding space, and knowing when to let go, the facilitator and panel members will share poetry, followed by a short guided meditation.

Rennie Hall (entrance)

2:45-3:00PM — Break
Light refreshments will be served outside Rennie Hall.

Rennie Hall

3:00-4:20PM — Building Sustainable Creative Careers
In the session ‘Sustaining Creative Leadership Roles’, our panelists will answer questions regarding how to sustain their creative careers in one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in and continuing the discussion with tangible action items for BIWOC attendees who are looking to advance into leadership roles.

Rennie Hall

4:20-4:30PM — Closing Remarks

Additional Details

Coffee, tea, and light refreshments are included in the price of registration. Catered lunch is available for $10 when purchasing a pass online, or attendees may bring or buy their own lunches.

Note: This event is designed to build community for female-identifying and non-binary individuals. We ask that allies respect this intentional space. We reserve the right to refund tickets.

Accessibility

Childcare, ASL interpretation and other accommodations and supports can be requested before March 14, when you purchase a pass. This event is family-friendly: children are welcome at all the sessions.

The Emily Carr campus is fully accessible with gender-inclusive washrooms. We want to ensure all participants can enjoy the Future Forum; please contact info@thefutureisyouandme.com with any accessibility inquiries.

Don’t miss the 2020 Future Forum on Saturday, March 28, 2020.

 This project is generously sponsored by Emily Carr University of Art + Design and Canada Council for the Arts.