'Tis the season for gifting!

Still on the lookout for that perfect gift for your sibling, friend, or studio mate? Look no further! Akin has you covered this year with gift certificates that can be applied to both shared or dedicated studios spaces at any of Akin's locations (excluding studio residency programs) and at Akin's REMOTE Gallery. You choose the value and the certificate never expires, great for now or planning for the new year!

This year you can also opt to donate a gift certificate of any value to Akin's Rent Relief Fund to help a local artist in the future.

In collaboration with Rania El Mugammar the Akin Studio Rent Relief Fund has been established by Akin Projects to provide current Akin artists and creatives with anonymous, one time emergency grants of $150 - $300, in hopes of offering short term financial aid towards one month of studio rent in unexpected situations or times of financial instability.

This unique fund has been launched as part of our ongoing Equity and Inclusion work at Akin, including our recent demographics survey report - which highlighted the needs and experiences of our community. We intend for the Akin Studio Rent Relief Fund to reduce barriers for Akin studio members and create opportunities for marginalized communities. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing, as needed, basis when funds are available. The fund will officially launch once we have raised $3,000. We have currently raised almost 50% of our launch goal!

In House - A Benefit Art Show for Paperhouse Studio - attend to win a $180 Akin Collective studio gift certificate!

For the second annual In House benefit art show, curated by Sonya Filman, Paperhouse Studio has collaborated with eight emerging and established artists to create new work exploring contemporary approaches to working with handmade paper. These artists, whose practices feature an emphasis on materiality and process, took to working with handmade paper in a myriad of different ways. The resulting works highlight strong interconnections between notions of labour and temporality, contextualized in relation to personal histories, geologic time, and commonplace objects.

The artists: Yael Brotman, Melanie Chikofsky, Doug Guildford, Tessar Lo, Tim Manalo,
Roula Partheniou, Meghan Price, Natalie Wood

Attend the benefit to participate in the raffle where you can win a $180 gift certificate towards Akin Collective studio membership among other amazing prizes.

Artists’ Panel Discussion: February 24th, 6:00pm at Paperhouse Studio

Opening Reception: February 24th 7:00pm – 10:00pm at Critical Distance Centre for Curators

Silent Auction: Preview and buyout starts February 17. Closes at 8:30pm on February 24. (Event night is bidding only) at the Third Floor Hallway Galleries, Artscape Youngplace

The In House Benefit Art Show will be on view at Critical Distance Centre for Curators from February 24th to 28th, 2017. Gallery hours: 12:00PM - 5:00PM, or and appointment.