We’re building a joyful & social community, connected by music.
Public Disco Society is a registered non profit organization dedicated to connecting communities through music in public space. Since 2017 we’ve re-imagined streets, laneways, parking lots and industrial buildings as pop-up music venues and social gathering places in neighbourhoods across Metro Vancouver.
Our Mission.
Promote Social Connection.
To combat social isolation by creating shared cultural experiences that transcend diverse audiences and foster a collective sense of belonging.
Showcase Local Artists.
To provide a platform for local artists, makers, musicians, DJs, and performers to showcase their work to new audiences and contribute to the cultural vibrancy of their communities.
Reflect Diversity.
To actively curate and showcase programming that reflects the diversity of society, ensuring that our events and activities celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures, identities, and talents within our communities.
Enhance Access to Culture.
To produce programming that offers low-barrier opportunities for the public to discover, experience, and enjoy music culture.
Exemplify Urban Innovation.
To leverage public events as a tool for positive urban transformation, contributing to a creative, dynamic, and safe public realm.
Honour the Roots of Disco.
To embrace the authentic spirit of disco by spotlighting Black, Latinx, Queer and other marginalized artists while creating safer public spaces for self-expression, joyful togetherness and feel-good music celebrations.
Our Inspiration.
While electronic music has had decades of evolution, it's important to remember where it comes from. House, disco and other forms of electronic music stem from a struggle for space and acceptance. Spearheaded by Black, Latinx, Queer, and Trans individuals in the late 60s and early 70s, discotheques emerged as sanctuaries for marginalized groups to connect and express themselves free from persecution. These spaces began as private members-only clubs but over time the counterculture made it’s way out of the underground, influencing mainstream culture and paving the way for the development of modern forms of electronic music that many people know and love today.
We are driven by a commitment to honour this rich history, cultivating inclusive spaces that celebrate queer identity, and foster engagement with individuals from diverse backgrounds. It is our aim to provide the public with safe and welcoming environments where they can freely express themselves, connect with others, and revel in moments of joy and connection through music.
“Such an exciting and fun use of spaces that I would often overlook. And for free!! Pumping some much needed culture back into the city”
—LUKE STEWART
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
At Public Disco Society, we recognize that our events and gatherings primarily take place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Additionally, we acknowledge that we are sometimes contracted to host events on Indigenous lands outside of these territories. We honor and respect the Indigenous peoples who have stewarded these lands for generations and continue to do so today.
We acknowledge that the land on which we operate, celebrate, and build community is stolen land. Our events and parties are held in public spaces that have been home to Indigenous Nations long before the arrival of settlers. As team members, it is our responsibility to tread softly on the land and respect it, always leaving the spaces we occupy better than how we found them. We encourage all members of our community to take this acknowledgment to heart, reflect on its significance, and actively engage in respectful and meaningful actions that support Indigenous sovereignty and rights.
Public Disco Society is dedicated to making this acknowledgment a living practice, ensuring that it informs and enriches all our activities and interactions.