Designing Downtown, one of the largest and richest citizen-driven conversations about urban cores in Canada, returns to Edmonton October 5, 2013. For a full list of upcoming events, visit www.designingdowntown.ca.

 “For Progress Unlimited, MADE and Edmonton’s NextGen to brainstorm, curate, and welcome this outstanding group of speakers to Edmonton is an incredible opportunity to foster national dialogue and exchange about the role we all play in urban development,” says Lisa Baroldi, Vision Holder – Progress Unlimited.  “We’re thrilled to showcase Edmonton created content throughout the day at makescape 2 and in surprising ways at Pecha Kucha Night.” 

Pecha Kucha Night 17 Speakers   

• Johanna Hurme (Winnipeg) – Architect, 5468796 Architecture Inc.
• Sophie Mankowski (Montreal) – Author, Sur les Traces du Montréal
• Dalton Higgins (Toronto) – Author, Hip Hop World
• Janice Abbott  (Vancouver) – CEO, Atira Property Management
• Simon Taylor (Yellowknife) – Architect, Pin/Taylor Architects
• Kamala Todd (Vancouver)-  Consultant/Facilitator/Filmmaker, Dialogues Project
• Micheline Clouard (Montreal) – Landscape Architect, VLAN Paysages
• Curtis Olson (Saskatoon) – Owner, Shift Development Inc.

Special Presentation by:

• Roman Mars (San Francisco) – Host/Producer, 99% Invisible

Designing Downtown is a movement to transform downtowns founded by Progress Unlimited, MADE , and Edmonton’s NextGen. Designing Downtown is a vehicle for inter-city exchange for partnerships that seek to enrich and advance the conversations and actions we take to shape downtowns as spaces for everyone. Designing Downtown is an experiment and exchange; an opportunity to create dialogue that celebrates & critiques; and a space to be a fixture in and designer of the urban experience.

Pecha Kucha Night 17, doors at 6:30 pm at the Winspear Centre, challenges presenters to follow the 20 images x 20 seconds format that has gained popularity in more than 600 cities around the globe. Tickets are on sale now via TIX On The Square; charge by phone 780-420-1757 or online at www.tixonthesquare.ca. Tickets are $35 for general admission, $30 for students (with I.D.), and $30 for groups of 10 or more; all tickets plus services fees and GST.

Edmontonians are encouraged to immerse themselves in the Designing Downtown movement with makescape2 at Centennial Plaza (behind the Stanley Milner Library) from 3 pm – 11pm; prior, during and following PKN 17. This project is an urban intervention that transforms an underutilized space using design and art elements, food, and entertainment into a space that entices passerby to interact with the environment and each other differently.

Join the conversation online with hashtags #DD2013 and #yegpkn. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.designingdowntown.ca.

Founding Partners

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 

Edmonton’s NextGen presents Pecha Kucha Night 15 on March 7, 2013 at Northlands’ Edmonton EXPO Centre in the Alberta Ballroom. PKN 15 features presentations on local ideas, projects and musings in the 20 slides x 20 second per slide format made popular world-wide by Klein Dytham Architecture. Tickets are on-sale now via TIX on the Square, charge by phone at 780-420-1757 or online at www.tixonthesquare.ca. Tickets are $10 for students (with I.D.) and $12 for adults. Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m., with presentations beginning at 7:30 p.m.

More than 150 presentations have been given at Edmonton Pecha Kucha Nights to-date on wide ranging topics, from Showing nature’s naughty bits to Light it up, #yeg! and everything in between. New for PKN 15, Edmonton’s NextGen welcomes Firefly Theatre & Circus for a special aerial performance and music provided by Girls Club. Famoso Neapolitan Pizza returns with gift cards for all ticket holders.

Pecha Kucha Night 15 presentations include:

• Jason Lee Norman | Writer, Dreamer | The 40 Below Project
• Jonathan Christenson and Bretta Gerecke | Artistic Director & Resident Designer, Catalyst Theatre | Creative Catalysts
• Stuart Cullum | Vice President, Agriculture, Northlands | Debunking Myths
• Caylie Gnyra | Language Ally | Little Cree Books
• Greg Whistance-Smith  | Architecture Student | Changing the Game
• Steven Hodges | Full Frontal Nerd | Full Frontal NERDity 101
• Owen Brierley | Executive Director, Guru Digital Arts College | Cross-disciplinary Arts
• Michael Carlos | Physiotherapist | Braving Alberta’s Winter Roads
• Neil Burkard | Public Education Specialist, City of Edmonton | Waste to Energy in Edmonton
• Gilman Cardinal and Tashina Makokis | Elder & Youth, Wicihitowin: Circle of Shared Responsibility and Stewardship | Merging of Generations
• Brian Webb | Artistic Director, Brian Webb Dance Company | Dance: A Life of Discipline for Hedonists
• Michelle Lam | Student | Project Three Six Five

*Presenters appear in the order they will present

Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture first devised Pecha Kucha, the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chitchat” in 2003, as a night for young designers to meet, network, and discuss their projects. The catch: each designer gives a presentation containing only 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes 40 seconds. Conceived as a venue through which young designers could meet, show their work, exchange ideas, and network, the format keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #yegpkn.

PKN 15 is sponsored by: Capital Power Corporation, City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, and Klein Dytham.

Edmonton’s NextGen presents DIYalogue Talks Quality Play, a cultural mix-and-mingle in the style of NextGen’s popular Candi{date} series, 7-9 PM on Thursday, January 24, 2013 at The Billiard Club, 10502-82 Avenue. Tickets are $10.00 plus service fees and available online at www.yeglive.ca

DIYalogue Talks Quality Play is inspired by the worlds of gaming, game-playing and healthy competition. Participants connect to mentors in 15 minute speed-dating sessions to converse with local businesses, organizations and teams in hopes of spending some quality time playing in new ways.

Confirmed speed mentors include:

• Trent Oster, Beamdog | www.beamdog.com
• Mike Isaac, Edmonton Board Gaming League | www.ebgl.org
• Tracy Niven, E-ville Derby Girls | www.e-villederby.com
• Logan Foster, Fluik Entertainment | www.fluik.com
• Marshall Theissen, Knights of the Northern Realm | www.knightsofthenorth.ca
• Easy Break Oven, Oil City Derby Girls | www.oilcityderbygirls.ca
• Skye Boyes, XGen Studios | www.xgenstudios.com

Edmonton’s NextGen is proud to partner with Alliance Films on a special presentation of Bully, April 2, 2012. We’re giving away 5 double passes to tonight’s screening on our Facebook page.

Directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, The Bully Project is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary. At its heart are those with huge stakes in this issue whose stories each represent a different facet of America’s bullying crisis.

The Bully Project follows five kids and families over the course of a school year.

Stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With an intimate glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals’ offices, the film offers insight into the often cruel world of the lives of bullied children.

For more information, visit http://bullymovie.ca/.

As teachers, administrators, kids and parents struggle to find answers, The Bully Project examines the dire consequences of bullying through the testimony of strong and courageous youth. Through the power of their stories, the film aims to be a catalyst for change in the way we deal with bullying as parents, teachers, children and society as a whole.

Watch the trailer: http://youtu.be/ZYFWUKWl8S0 | Stay tuned for additional Edmonton screening dates!

Additional bullying resources:

http://org.kidshelpphone.ca/en/

http://www.bullyfreealberta.ca/

On Thursday March 1st, NextGen hosts our first monthly social event at the Artery on Jasper Avenue featuring Mitchmatic, Sugar Glider, and Jill Pollock.  Tickets are $20 at the door, 9535 Jasper Avenue.

At 7pm the night starts off with a silent art auction to benefit the Youth Emergency Shelter Society and 25% of all ticket proceeds will be donated as well.  Show starts at 8pm and the midnight dance party will be curated by DJ Owl and Jenny Grey.  Stay tuned to Jam Union for more information.

Advance tickets available: http://yeglive.ca/events/mitchmatic/mar-1-2012/artery

Edmonton’s NextGen presents Pecha Kucha Night 12, February 2, 2012, at Metro Cinema at The Garneau (8712 – 109 Street). PKN12 features presentations on local ideas, projects and musings in the 20 slides x 20 second per slide format made popular world-wide by Klein Dytham Architecture. Tickets go on sale on Monday, January 9, at 10:00 a.m. via TIX on the Square; charge by phone at 780.420.1757 or online at www.tixonthesquare.ca.

More than 125 presentations have been given at Edmonton Pecha Kucha Nights to-date on wide ranging topics, from professional online gaming to in vitro meat and everything in between. In 2011, Pecha Kucha Global recognized the poster design and accompanying production video from PKNX as one of the Top 20 Pecha Kucha Moments of 2011, thanks in large part to the talented creative efforts of Graphos, a PKN corporate sponsor and Capital Power Corporation, our ongoing sponsor for PKNs.

Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture first devised Pecha Kucha, the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chitchat” in 2003, as a night for young designers to meet, network, and discuss their projects. The catch: each designer gives a presentation containing only 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes 40 seconds. Conceived as a venue through which young designers could meet, show their work, exchange ideas, and network, the format keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

A first for Pecha Kucha Nights in Edmonton, PKN12 features live music from Kevin Marsh and Jill Roszell.

Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m.; with presentations beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $9 for students and $11 for adults, plus services charges, and go on sale January 9, 2012, at TIX on the Square.

Our spiffy Pecha Kucha Night 12 poster, designed by the team at Graphos, is available as a FREE download for your desktop, iPad, and iPhone: http://graphos.ca/pechakucha-wallpapers.asp. Thanks for helping us spread the word about PKN12!

Edmonton’s NextGen presents Pecha Kucha Night 11, September 14, at the Myer Horowitz Theatre (8900 114 Street) at the University of Alberta.

Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m.; with presentations beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now at TIX on the Square; charge by phone at 780.420.1757 or online at www.tixonthesquare.ca.

Join the conversation on Twitter, hashtag #PKN11.

PKN11 features presentations on local ideas, projects and musings in the 20 slides x 20 second per slide format made popular world-wide by Klein Dytham Architecture.

PKN11 also features music by DJ Blue Jay and a visual art showcase presented by the 3rd Annual Edmonton Timeraiser.

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Edmonton’s NextGen presents Pecha Kucha Night 11, September 14, at the Myer Horowitz Theatre (8900 114 Street) at the University of Alberta. PKN11 features presentations on local ideas, projects and musings in the 20 slides x 20 second per slide format made popular world-wide by Klein Dytham Architecture.

More than 110 presentations have been given at Edmonton Pecha Kucha Nights to date on wide reaching topics, from botanical walls to winter city living and everything in between. Pecha Kucha Night 11 is presented in partnership with the University of Alberta Alumni Association.

Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture first devised Pecha Kucha, the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chitchat” in 2003, as a night for young designers to meet, network, and discuss their projects. The catch: each designer gives a presentation containing only 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes 40 seconds. Conceived as a venue through which young designers could meet, show their work, exchange ideas, and network, the format keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

PKN11 features music by DJ Blue Jay and a visual art showcase presented by the 3^rd Annual Edmonton Timeraiser.

Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m., with presentations beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $11 for adults and $9 for students plus services charges and are on sale now at TIX on the Square (780.420.1757) and the University of Alberta Alumni Association.