As habits and routines have radically scaled down, many have turned a critical eye toward their immediate environs. Perhaps this has meant pausing to examine a building usually passed in haste, scrutinizing the allocation of pedestrian space, or deeply engaging a public art installation. Amidst the struggle to reimagine academic terms without travel, and stretching to engage students returned to their own towns, let us share strategies for projects close to home.

This roundtable invites proposals from artists, researchers, instructors and arts programmers who are rooted in community-based research, or are interested in adding local case studies to outward-facing projects. We will source best practices for identifying close at-hand topics, utilizing small archives, and collecting oral narratives, as well as modelling new media strategies for broader engagement. Case studies that fill a gap in the existing record, or contextualize local variations on broader movements, are strongly encouraged.

Chair: Jenni Pace, Vancouver Heritage Commission/University of British Columbia