"Time for Toronto to decide whether it wants to keep its artists" - Andrew Kennedy via the Toronto Star

Last week we were pleasantly surprised to read a very relevant and honest opinion piece in the Toronto Star by Akin Dupont member Andrew Kennedy. Continue reading for a brief excerpt or click the link at the bottom of this post for Kennedy’s full article.

In speaking about the modern ways of urban development and gentrification, the esteemed writer Fran Lebowitz once said “we do not like cities because they are noisy, crowded and dirty. We like them because they are interesting.”

I would wager a small sum that anyone of a certain age who’s lived in the city of Toronto for a good amount of time would agree with Lebowitz’s sentiment. And if we take her statement to be true, then this year’s Art Stats report from the Toronto Arts Foundation should provide a warning that the City of Toronto could be sliding towards a less interesting existence.

According to the report, 80 per cent of Toronto’s artists believe they cannot make a living wage and 73 per cent have thought about leaving the city. In other words, if artists in Toronto were creatures from the animal kingdom, they might be in danger of trending towards the endangered species list.

Featured Story from the Toronto Arts Council: "Akin Collective responds to local artists’ need for affordable studio space"

Many thanks to our friends at the Toronto Arts Council for profiling Akin in their October 2019 “Featured Story”. Here is an excerpt from the article :

“Entirely artist-run, Akin is overseen by a small team of 11 artists and now offers studio space at nine locations across the city, gradually adding locations over the years as demand for affordable workspace continued to rise.

This past March, Akin partnered with TAC to open REMOTE Gallery, a dedicated programming and exhibition space at 568 Richmond St. W. that provides low-cost space for artists and the public for exhibits and artistic programming. In partnership with Toronto Arts Foundation’s Neighbourhood Arts Network, Akin also offers opportunities for newcomer artists to grow their art practice and professional network through the RBC Space Award….

Given the current economic realities in the city that has seen live-work spaces and other vital venues close, Akin’s team is dedicated to finding ways for artists to continue their practice in a sustainable way.”

You can read more articles about Akin on our Press Page.