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"Real culture lives by sympathies and admiration,
not by dislikes and disdains." 
                                                              -- Williams James

 

nofuncity.com is a project inspired, organised and sponsored by a small group of Vancouverites who found themselves habitually complaining about the lack of intelligent, less-corporate culture. The local media, even the so-called alternative media, seem to devote most of their attention to those events that send out glossy press releases, have corporate funding, or just happen to suit the tastes of the editors. Even when they do talk about edgier events, they often do so after the fact, when it's too late for their woefully uninformed readers to enjoy them. 

To the casual observer, not intimately connected to a particular sub-culture, trying to find out where the cool stuff is happening can be challenging. Google "events in Vancouver", and you're more likely to find a list of events officially sanctioned by civic boosters at the Chamber of Commerce, the kind of events that are presented on glossy brochures to tourists disembarking a cruise ship. Surely there must be more going on?

This is where nofuncity.com comes in. Our primary purpose is twofold:

  • Provide listings of events that feed the heads and the imaginations of the interested population:
We don't need to list the hockey schedule. The Canucks get more free advertising than Jesus at Easter. Same goes for pretty much anything listed in the glossy tourist mags. We aim to provide the details about the off-the-beaten-track stuff. Literary. Visual art. Performance art. Undefinable art. Unconventional expression. Unabashed activism. 
  • Seek to grow the interested population:
Vancouver has grown to become quite a large city, but it often seems that its cultural growth has not kept pace with its population growth. There are vast numbers of Vancouverites who don't take any risks with their entertainment time or dollars, who stay home and watch TV Sunday through Thursday, and then mob the mainstream events on weekends. We want to help Vancouver grow up, loosen up, and show up.