BOISE, ID – Idaho business owners are launching a tool to help other business owners foster safe and inclusive event spaces.

In partnership with the Western States Center, a nonpartisan organization, Idaho business owners created a guide called “Safeguarding Arts & Culture Spaces: A Pro-Democracy Guide for Idaho Venues.” The guide is available on the Western States Center’s website, and it provides guidance to business owners interested in hosting events that may attract controversy about how to prevent harassment and respond to threats.

As public spaces in Idaho face increasing intimidation and harassment, the guide is a timely way to discuss the power of arts and culture spaces, Western States Center Executive Director Amy Herzfeld-Copple told the Idaho Capital Sun. In recent months, Idaho has received national attention over incidents related to free speech and inclusivity, such as when a North Idaho woman in February was forcibly removed from a local town hall and when earlier this month a West Ada teacher was asked to remove an “everybody is welcome” sign.

Lawmakers have also tried to limit access to pride events, such as through House Bill 230, which would restrict youth from attending events with “indecent sexual exhibitions,” such as public drag shows at pride events. Despite these challenges, Andrea Marcoccio, the owner of Matchwood Brewing in Sandpoint and coauthor of the guide, said venue spaces can still serve as safe and inclusive spaces.

“We have an expansive patio that is always full and bustling when the weather is nice, and it tends to attract community requests and needs for gathering, including the Sandpoint Pride Festival, Oktoberfest and SantaCon,” she said. “We do a lot of really great gatherings, some of them intentional about inclusivity, and some of them about just getting people out of their homes and off their phones to get together and have fun.”

Marcoccio said the guide will help business owners who perhaps have tried to hold an event but received pushback, and it will offer a network of other business owners who have held similar events.

Idaho business owners to discuss strategies to ensure safety, inclusivity in events

Along with Marcoccio, the guide was developed by Idaho venue owners from Bonners Ferry, Coeur d’Alene and Boise.

This includes leadership from Treefort Music Festival, which is hosting a panel discussion about the guide for venue owners.

“Our music venues and cultural spaces are the heart of our communities,” Eric Gilbert, the CEO of Duck Club Entertainment and director of Treefort Music Fest said. “This initiative is about ensuring that Idaho remains safe and welcoming for all.”

Those involved in the project will discuss strategies during a panel at Treefort Music Festival at 11 a.m. Saturday at Boise Centre East, room 420A.

Earlier this week, Marcoccio said a young person thanked her for hosting inclusive events. That individual was born and raised in Sandpoint, and they recently moved back to town after seeing welcoming events.

“There’s always good that comes out from hosting those events,” Marcoccio said.

This story first appeared on Idaho Capital Sun.