When did all start?

Project Space opened in September 2010, after finding out only a few months prior that OCW Arts & Publishing Foundation was selected as the non-profit to occupy the storefront we're now in. The building we are in is a project by 221A Artist Run Centre, that also houses Access Gallery, artist studios and offices, and our space was intended to support a project by a non-profit that might otherwise not be possible in such an expensive and often difficult city as Vancouver.

What was the reason behind the opening of the store? 

Previous to Project Space, OCW's main project was OCW Magazine, which is a project that examines and challenges our conceptions and experiences of publishing. One of our interests is finding ways to make publications more relevant, which we have done in Project Space by providing community space and programming that allows the communities in and around publishing—including artists, designers, writers, editors, publishers, and curators—to connect, share ideas, and inspire one another; we feel that this is particularly important now, when the roles of physical spaces and publication are being redefined as the possibilities inherent to digital technology become increasingly infinite. We are also attempting to develop a business model outside of the norm in the Canadian industry, that relies less on typical means of funding (grants, the race for subscription sales) and find new ways to generate revenue to support our projects.

What kind of neighborhood is your store located in?

Project Space is located in Vancouver's Chinatown, on East Georgia St at Main. The street is a quieter one, with less foot traffic, that is increasingly welcoming new and unexpected businesses and housing developments. These changes in our area are controversial, as gentrification in Vancouver is famously associated with extremely high rent and property costs; in addition, the neighbourhood is increasingly attracting a more diverse array of shops, artist-run centres, cafes, restaurants and even condos, which brings up the challenge of respecting the history, character and long-time residents of the neighbourhood, while also being open to the city's ongoing evolution.

What kind of books and other merchandise do you carry. 

Our shop is a space to discover print objects of art by contemporary artists, designers and writers, as well as publications that support artistic practice and discourse. Our selection includes art, design and literary publications, with a focus on those that are rare, independent, small-run, limited-edition and locally-produced. This means local magazines like OCW Magazine, Poetry is Dead, White Rabbit Quarterly, Pyramid Power and Fillip; books by local publishers like Arsenal Pulp Press and zines/chapbooks by a variety of individuals and small presses. In addition to this selection, we present publications by international publishers that are producing complementary work—such as Gestalten titles, Fine Line Magazine, Pie Paper, It's Nice That, OWT Creative's zines, Making Do, A Public Space, and many more.

Project SpaceWhat are your favorite Gestalten books?

Behind the Zines: Self-Publishing Culture, Turning Pages: Editorial Design for Print Media and Cutting Edges are my favourite Gestalten titles—the first two, because of my passion for publishing, and the third, because it is visually arresting and a wonderful compilation of contemporary and meaningful collage work. 

What are your customers' favorite Gestalten books?

So far Cutting Edges and Behind the Zines: Self-Publishing Culture are tied for most copies sold in our shop.

Who might be seen visiting the store? What kinds of people shop there?

As our shop is located in a building that also houses Access Gallery, artist studios and offices (without doors to separate these from one another), we have a fairly constant stream of creatives moving through our shop—from artists, designers and architects to writers, curators and film producers. Many different events are also held in our space, bringing in creators and fans of various types of creative work.

Do you do anything at your store besides sell books? Do you, for example, have any events or exhibitions there?

We regularly host events, such as literary readings, artist talks and workshops—both hosted by us and hosted by individuals and groups in the city. In addition to publishing, we are interested in how physical spaces can be used to build community and learning opportunities and to bolster artistic practices, distribution of artistic work and discourse around artistic practice. Starting in January we'll be producing exhibitions roughly every six weeks; these projects explore ideas related to our mission statement and can be curated by or feature work by artists, designers, writers or publishers.

Is there anything else about the store that you'd like us to mention?

We are also interested in expanding our publishing practice by working with artists, writers and designers interested in producing publications under our umbrella, in addition to OCW Magazine. Anyone interested in working with us, consigning their publications at our shop, or presenting projects in our space should contact info@projectspace.ca for more information.