Toronto community banding together to keep 50-year-old business from closing
A Toronto business that's been around for more than 50 years is at risk of shutting down due to rising costs in the city, and the community is banding together to help save it.
Since 1970, non-profit artist-run centre Open Studio has been a go-to spot in the city for artists specializing in printmaking to create their work and collaborate, while also hosting workshops to invite the public into the world of the art form.
The studio is also home to two gallery spaces that display contemporary print-based exhibits and are open to the public, free of charge.
One of the country's oldest artist-run centres, Open Studio supports "artists at every stage of their career, from emerging to established," and provides "a communal space to work alongside others," Pat Macaulay, Executive Director at Open Studio, tells blogTO.
Nowadays, though, Open Studio has found itself in rocky waters, as they struggle financially to continue to operate the space.
"We've faced financial challenges in the past, but this year marks a turning point where we need to drastically change because we can't keep operating ‘business as usual' if we want to survive," says Macaulay.
Aside from the endlessly rising cost of living and operating in the city, the centre has also been impacted by reductions in funding and grants and lingering impacts of the pandemic.
So, the centre has had no choice but to adapt to the new struggles it's facing, with plans to "downsize, restructure, and optimize existing space," according to an Instagram post announcing the state of affairs at the studio.
The team has also launched a fundraising effort, with a goal of raising $75,000 before June 28 of this year to allow the studio to operate while they await grant application decisions in July — and the response from the community, says Macaulay, has been "incredibly heartening."
"We feel very fortunate to be supported by such an amazing community of artists who have not only shared our statement but also reached out to their networks," he tells blogTO, sharing that the fundraising effort has so far raised $24,000.
In addition to accepting donations, the studio is also attempting to raise funds through the sale of prints and classes, and with an upcoming fundraiser FUTURE PROOF, a virtual auction of works by artists from the city.
While Open Studio still has a ways to go ($51,000, to be exact), the future is bright and possibilities are endless for the space, which has been home to innumerable Toronto artists — both professional and amateur — over 54 years.
"We have a long way to go, and the situation remains critical," says Pat Macaulay, "but we are very thankful for the reception so far and the ongoing support of our community."
To learn more about Open Studio's classes, exhibitions and art sales or to explore ways to help, visit their website.
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