The Artscape Story

Artscape was founded in response to a space crisis within Toronto’s arts community brought on by the 1980’s real estate market boom. In the early 90’s when the market bottomed out, Artscape entered the property development business. Its first generation of multi-tenant arts complexes provided affordable artist work and live/work studios, as well as rehearsal, performance, office and storage facilities for non-profit arts organizations. They served an important need in the arts community but they also began to demonstrate the power of the arts in revitalizing communities. At the beginning of the new millennium, new understanding was emerging about the importance of creativity to the new economy and the role of the arts in city-building. Toronto was experiencing a renaissance led by its major cultural institutions. Artscape played a catalytic role in the rebirth of the Distillery Historic District as an arts and entertainment destination. During this period, there was an explosion of interest in Artscape’s work among urban planners, developers, community activists, culture and economic development officials, and politicians within Toronto and beyond. Artscape became a leader in the global dialogue about the relationship between creativity and place through conferences, workshops, speaking engagements and a new consulting practice. Today, Artscape works as an intermediary to generate projects that match the needs and aspirations of the creative community with those of city-builders of many different stripes. It has evolved from a studio provider focused on relief of poverty to a creative urban development group that promotes wealth generation. Artscape projects are now designed to generate positive cultural, economic, social and environmental impacts. In 2007, Artscape published Vision 2011: Thinking Big about Culture-Led Regeneration, an ambitious 5-year plan developed to help guide the organization through an ever-expanding number of opportunities ahead.

Milestones

1986 ― Artscape is Born Artscape grew out of the Toronto Arts Council at a time when the real estate market was booming. City inspectors were closing down illegal artist live/work spaces in warehouse buildings and there was growing concern about the viability of artists and arts organizations continuing to live and work in downtown Toronto. 1989 ― No Vacancy Report In association with the Toronto Arts Council, Artscape published No Vacancy, the first comprehensive review of space issues and concerns of Toronto's arts community. This work was instrumental in achieving recognition and funding from the City of Toronto as its partner in addressing the space-related challenges of the arts. 1991 ― Artscape Enters Real Estate Market Just after the bottom fell out of the real estate market in the early 90s, Artscape jumped into the real estate development business. Artscape's first project at 96 Spadina Ave. provided affordable work studios in Toronto's then burgeoning gallery district. 1993 ― A New Home for The Music Gallery A new home for new music was created with the 1993 opening of The Music Gallery. Sadly, this Artscape development has since been demolished to make way for a condominium development. 1994 ― Artscape Non-Profit Homes is set up to build affordable artist housing 1995 ― Pioneering Artist Live/Work Artscape opened the first legal artist live/work building, Artscape West Queen West, at 900 Queen St. W. in Toronto. This prime Queen West location provides subsidized and market rate housing for 22 artists and their families and six artist work studios. 1998 ― Parkdale Arts and Cultural Centre The opening of the Parkdale Arts and Cultural Centre, at 1313 Queen St. W., marked Artscape's first foray into mixed-use development in a project that combined low-cost artist live/work studios with business associations, social service organizations, and a gallery. 1999 ― Artscape Gibraltar Point Artscape rescued the former Toronto Island Public and Natural Science School from the wrecker's ball in 1999. Later that year, Artscape Gibraltar Point was born offering a range of space programs and services for the arts, non-profit, government and education sectors. 2000 ― Artscape introduces the Gibraltar Point International Artist Residency Program into its program portfolio furthering the professional development of artists in Canada and internationally, who are engaged in the development and creation of their work. The program ran on an annual basis for seven one-month terms, ending in 2007. 2002 ― Square Feet Published Artscape publishes Square Feet: The Artist's Guide to Renting and Buying Work Space, a 158 page resource manual for artists, arts organizations and collectives looking to rent or buy work space. Since its publication, Square Feet has become a model for other cities across North America looking to develop space-related resources for thier artists. 2003 ― Distillery District Reborn Artscape plays a catalytic role in the revitalization of The Distillery Historic District with the opening of Artscape Distillery Studios, comprised of 60 work and retail studios, offices, rehearsal and performance spaces 2003 ― Creative Places + Spaces Conference 2003 ― Building on the success of previous conferences hosted by Artscape, Creative Places and Spaces brings together policy-makers and practitioners whose work will shape cities and creative communities of the future. 2005 ― Creative Place and Spaces 2 takes place in Toronto featuring over 70 renowned experts and hosting more than 600 international delegates. 2003 ― The City of Toronto grants approval in principle to the Artscape Wychwood Barns at the site of the former Wychwood Car Barns site. 2004 ― Artscape Launches Consulting Division Artscape begins a consulting practice to share its knowledge with cities such as New York City, Manchester, Kingston, Ottawa, London and Sudbury 2004 ― Artscape Goes International Artscape speaks at more than 20 events in Canada and abroad including: World Summit on Arts and Culture (Gateshead UK), Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit (Philadelphia), International Economic Development Council Conference (New York), and Creative Workspaces (London, UK). 2005 ― Culture-Led Regeneration Workshop Series Artscape launches a program to build a Canadian community of practice around culture-led regeneration. 2006 ― Artscape Foundation Launched Artscape Foundation is launched to support Artscape's charitable work. 2007 ― Artscape Wychwood Barns Breaks Ground 2007 ― Artscape breaks ground on the Artscape Wychwood Barns, and arts and environmental centre run by and for the community at the site of the former Wychwood TTC streetcar repair facility. 2007 ― Queen West Triangle Partnership An innovative partnership is forged in the Queen West Triangle between Artscape, the City of Toronto, Westside Gallery Lofts (Urbancorp) and Active 18 that will see the creation of a 56,000 square feet artist live/work project within the Westside Gallery Lofts development at 150 Sudbury Street. 2008 - Artscape Wychwood Barns Opens Artscape has transformed the historic Wychwood TTC streetcar repair barns located in Toronto’s St. Clair and Christie neighbourhood into the Artscape Wychwood Barns – a 60,000 sq. ft. multifaceted community centre where arts and culture, environmental leadership, heritage preservation, urban agriculture and affordable housing are brought together to foster a strong sense of community. 2009 – Creative Places and Spaces 3 featured 7 keynotes, 26 speakers, 11 Emcees + Moderators, 8 ‘On Location’ Videos, over 500 delegates and upwards of 300 artists in 5 venues across the city of Toronto. In addition to the two day conference, we featured a Collaboration Workshop, The Collaborative Dinner and 6 Study Tours throughout the city. 2009 – Regent Park Partnership - Toronto Community Housing Corporation, The Daniels Corporation and Artscape are working collaboratively with the local community on the development and operation of a vibrant new arts and cultural centre in Regent Park. The Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre will anchor culture as a primary driver in the community’s revitalization, both physically and symbolically. 2010 - Artscape announces it has come to an understanding with the Toronto Lands Corporation as agent for the Toronto District School Board, to purchase the century-old inner city Shaw Street School and repurpose it as Artscape Shaw Street Centre.