thisisnotasafespace

Imagine a performance series where the location remains a secret until the very last minute—a text message directs you to a mountainside, an abandoned warehouse, or perhaps even the SPVM parking lot. This was "thisisnotasafespace," an experiment in public performance curated by Laura Bardsley and Andrew Jamieson, that deliberately blurred the lines between stage and audience, art and life. With no online presence and relying solely on word-of-mouth, the series defied expectations. The name itself was a bold statement, acknowledging the inherent unpredictability of these raw, unscripted gatherings. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, audiences organically created their own "safer spaces," finding connection and shared experience. The series also sparked post-show discussions with performers, compiled into two zines, "WUSS" and "HAQ," that delved deeper into the questions raised by this unique experiment.