Dear Open Studio Supporters,

July marks a new chapter in our journey: we have closed our studio facilities for restructuring and renovations until the end of this year. While our studio facilities are temporarily closed, our front galleries and shop remain open, featuring a rotating selection of artwork. Come visit us!

You can also purchase artwork online. Proceeds from artwork sales are shared between the artists and the studio and help to support our community. If you would like to make a financial gift, it will go toward our planned renovations.

We understand this hiatus may be challenging, but we are excited about our future. We are immensely grateful for the unwavering support, and for the incredible artists who have made our space a vibrant, artist-run center. Your creativity and dedication have been the heartbeat of Open Studio, and we look forward to welcoming you back to a refreshed space in January 2025.

A heartfelt Thank You to all our Artists, Supporters, and Visitors.

With appreciation,
Open Studio

July hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11 am – 5 pm, Saturday, 12 pm – 5 pm.
Closed in August.
Re-opening September 3rd with the same hours.

Dear Open Studio Supporters,

June has arrived, bringing with it the Great Canadian Giving Challenge—a highly anticipated opportunity to support causes close to our hearts. Throughout the month, every donation of $10 or more automatically enters donors for a chance to win one of over 40 prizes and also gives the charity a chance to win $10,000.

This year, Open Studio faced significant financial challenges and launched the Save Open Studio campaign on March 11th (see update below). Thanks to overwhelming support from the public, we’ve managed to sustain operations until the end of June and are now looking ahead to our next steps. During this year’s Giving Challenge, we hope to engage more backers and raise additional funds for planned renovations and improvements. We’re looking to upgrade equipment and tools and make the space more modular, among other improvements. Your contribution helps us make positive changes and enhance access for our artists. All donors will receive a charitable tax receipt for their donation. To view a list of our supporters, click here.

Reminder: While the studio undergoes renovations from July to December 2024, our front-of-house galleries and shop will remain open! We’ll be selling artwork, including fundraising prints, exclusive archive prints, and merchandise like tea towels, notebooks, and greeting cards. Our hours from May to July will be Tuesday to Friday, 11 am – 5 pm, and Saturday, 12 pm – 5 pm. We will close for August and reopen on September 3rd with the same hours.

By purchasing artwork, you directly support the artists and our goal of funding these upcoming studio changes. You can also purchase work online, and make sure to check back often as inventory changes regularly.

Dear Open Studio Supporters,

THANK YOU!

We extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering support and belief in the power of print!

On March 11, 2024, we released an urgent letter (see below) about how we have been profoundly affected by funding cuts, the pandemic, and the escalating cost of maintaining our space. We shared that Open Studio is at risk of closing and needs your help.

Since then, we have been deeply moved by the responses, heartfelt messages, shared stories, reposts, donations, artwork contributions, and words of encouragement. Thanks to you, we have surpassed our Save Open Studio Campaign goal of $75,000, the minimum amount needed to sustain our operations until the end of June. It is because of your collective efforts that we have raised over $106,000 and any additional funds will be used to support our future. We continue to update our list of supporters here.

We will close the studio at the end of June, initiating steps towards a more financially and resourcefully sustainable future. This will involve downsizing and optimizing our studio space, upgrading equipment, and streamlining operations wherever possible. These measures will lay the groundwork for sustained operations, and we’re excited for our refreshed reopening in 2025! Please note that although the studio will be closed, our front-of-house galleries will continue to operate, focusing on sales and fundraising initiatives.

Additionally, we invite you to join us in celebrating the future of print through our upcoming fundraising virtual auction FUTURE PROOF scheduled to run online from May 2nd to May 9th. We’re thrilled by the exceptional artwork we have secured and look forward to sharing the catalogue with you ahead of the launch date.

We are running one last round of printmaking courses before we close the studio for the rest of the year. Here’s your last chance to learn with us in 2024! You can register here.

Once again, we thank you for your steadfast support and belief in the mission of Open Studio and the future of print. We look forward to updating you with even more positive news in the future!

Please reach out to us at office@openstudio.ca with questions or for further information.

With gratitude,
Patrick Macaulay
Executive Director

Dear Open Studio Supporters,

We are writing this letter to share difficult news about the future of Open Studio.

For over 50 years, Open Studio has opened the door to printmaking. Since 1970, Open Studio has offered subsidized studio rent, educational access, and free dynamic print-based exhibitions. We have established ourselves as one of the oldest and largest print studios in Canada and we are extremely proud of how far we’ve come.

However, due to mounting economic pressures, Open Studio is months away from closing permanently if we continue in our current form. We have been severely impacted by funding cuts, the pandemic, and the rising cost of maintaining our 7,200 sq/ft space in downtown Toronto. We are thankful for our ability to exist in 401 Richmond St. West, a heritage-designated industrial building turned arts and culture hub, however, external factors have driven up our operating costs, and the sheer size of our space has become unsustainable. We recognize the loss of our space and programming would be deeply felt and would immensely affect our current and former members, countless artists, and the broader arts community we have worked with for 54 years. For this reason, we are determined not to give up on Open Studio.

After careful consideration of our finances, we believe we can adapt, but we must do so quickly and make serious changes now. We plan to downsize, restructure, and optimize our existing space for Open Studio’s survival as an inclusive cultural hub.

To achieve this, we will temporarily pause access to the studio, classes, and workshops as of June 28th, 2024. We hope to relaunch in January 2025 for Open Studio’s 55th anniversary. This can only happen with your help.

If you care about accessible and innovative arts organizations or have acquired art from Open Studio, visited our galleries, participated in workshops and events, or received residencies, scholarships, exhibitions, or employment opportunities through Open Studio – we need your help. We are appealing for your support to get us through this difficult transition. Our goal is to raise $75,000 by June 28th, 2024. Funds raised will allow us to sustain operations until the end of June, and any extra funds raised will help us plan for the future as we work towards reopening our studio space in 2025.