Nuts & Bolts: Queer-Located Spacemaking in Contemporary Design

This panel brings together two dynamic queer entre­pre­neurs — Lin Tyrpien (she/​her), direc­tor of Lyle Gallery in China­town NY, and Kate Duncan (they/​them), founder of the Vancou­ver-based trade show Address and Toronto’s Six Points Commu­nity Wood­shop. Moder­ated by Allison E Samuels (she/​they), this conver­sa­tion will explore how Tyrpien and Duncan’s lived expe­ri­ences of queer­ness shape – and are shaped by – the explic­itly queer, female, and POC-centered spaces they have built, both tangi­bly and virtu­ally. Together, we will inves­ti­gate how these two creatives have sought oppor­tu­ni­ties to estab­lish and rede­fine spaces for collab­o­ra­tion, learn­ing and community-building.

Through their personal entre­pre­neur­ial jour­neys, Tyrpien and Duncan will offer valu­able insights into the inter­sec­tion of queer­ness and entre­pre­neur­ship, partic­u­larly within fields that are tradi­tion­ally domi­nated by white, cisgen­der, hetero­sex­ual men. They will delve into the complex­i­ties of creat­ing acces­si­ble and inclu­sive spaces for collab­o­ra­tion, learn­ing, and commu­nity-build­ing that foster empow­er­ment for histor­i­cally underrepresented artists.

Key themes will include:

• The navi­ga­tion of visi­bil­ity, acces­si­bil­ity, and belong­ing for queer, trans, and gender noncon­form­ing entre­pre­neurs within spaces that have histor­i­cally excluded them.

• The chal­lenges and strate­gies for build­ing plat­forms that support margin­al­ized creatives, partic­u­larly in the absence of gener­a­tional wealth or tradi­tional funding models.

• Under­stand­ing queer­ness as a polit­i­cally informed iden­tity and how this shapes entrepreneurship.

• The evolv­ing role of queer spaces in the craft and design indus­tries, espe­cially as we navi­gate a shift­ing socio-political climate.

By drawing on their own expe­ri­ences, Tyrpien and Duncan will help illu­mi­nate how queer space-making can act as both a tool and a lens to build more resilient, inclu­sive cultural land­scapes. This session is ideal for those seeking to deepen their under­stand­ing of inter­sec­tional entre­pre­neur­ship and explore prac­ti­cal strate­gies for foster­ing inclu­sive, sustain­able commu­ni­ties in the creative industries.