PTAC Conversations
Where theatre meets community.
PTAC Conversations is a new initiative from the Palace Theatre Arts Commons that brings our stage beyond the spotlight—into dialogue, discovery, and deeper connection. Through panels, screenings, workshops, and speaker events, we explore the ideas behind the art and the issues shaping our world today.
Rooted in PTAC’s mission to be a space of learning, belonging, and community engagement, PTAC Conversations invites artists, activists, scholars, and the public to come together for thoughtful, timely, and sometimes challenging conversations. Whether it’s discussing representation in casting or unpacking historical context behind a production, we’re creating space for voices to be heard, stories to be shared, and change to begin.
Join us as we examine the intersections of art, identity, equity, and expression.
Past Conversations
Allyship in the Arts (Panel Discussion) – June 2025
In June, Allyship in the Arts brought together a diverse panel of artists and cultural leaders to discuss what true allyship looks like on and off the stage. From inclusive hiring and casting practices to making physical and emotional space for marginalized voices, the conversation offered practical insights and personal experiences from those working toward a more equitable arts sector. The event emphasized that allyship is a verb—and that meaningful change requires sustained, intentional action.
Atrocity (Film Screening + Panel Discussion) – April 2025
In April, we presented a special screening of Atrocity, a documentary by former police officer Nigel Stuckey that offers an unflinching look at homelessness in London, Ontario. Through candid interviews and raw street-level storytelling, the film explores the complex realities faced by unhoused individuals and the systemic challenges surrounding housing, policing, and mental health. Following the screening, a panel discussion featuring service providers, lived experience advocates, and local leaders invited the audience into a deeper conversation about compassion, accountability, and what meaningful change can look like in our city.