Image Description: Amita Sen Gupta’s studio at Akin Niagara. The white walls of the studio are mounted with blue and pink paintings. On the far right hand side, there is a large window. Around the studio sits a table with brushes and boxes, a desk and chair, and a large, unfinished canvas leans against the wall. Cardboard laid flat covers the carpeted floor. The words “A Glimpse Inside Akin Niagara” appear above the image on a pink background.

Just around the corner from Trinity Bellwoods Park, Akin Niagara is a small but mighty studio in the heart of the Queen West neighbourhood. With an outdoor patio, big, bright windows, and intimate studio rooms, Akin Niagara has become a beloved home base to many different artists and creatives - and there’s still availability at this location! If you’re interested in a studio at Akin Niagara, please email info@akincollective.com to inquire about a membership.

Akin Niagara, 289 Niagara Street, Toronto

Akin Niagara is located on the lower level of an apartment building, with large windows and plenty of daylight in every room. The studio has five rooms which are split into semi-private studios, each with a door that closes, creating an intimate atmosphere for the artists in each room. The patio is shared with all of the members of the studio. The space includes gender neutral washrooms, an updated kitchen and a bright shared space with a shared community library.

The community provides a supportive and welcoming atmosphere for creation. Artists at Akin Niagara enjoy an evening social gathering once a month, giving folks the time and space to get to know each other, to share their work and to build lasting connections. Artists at Akin Niagara also have access to the member-run ceramics kiln services at Akin St Clair as Liliana, the kiln technician, offers a pick-up and drop-off service to Niagara artists.

With spring on the horizon, now is the perfect time to become a member at Akin Niagara. Please see below for the list of available studio sizes.

All memberships include 24/7 access, wifi, utilities, insurance, restroom and kitchen access, communal workspaces and common area cleaning. Prices include HST.

Current availability includes:

NIA 12: 45sf for $281 /month
This studio is located in the first room south of the entrance, with floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows providing natural light for the whole room. This studio is surrounded by a glass wall on one side (bordering the main studio hallway), a structural wall, and a plywood partition wall.

NIA 05: 50sf for $299 /month.
This studio is located in the south end room of the studio, with floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows providing natural light for the whole room. This studio is surrounded by a structural wall and two plywood partition walls.

NIA 17: 58sf for $335/month.
This studio is located in the entrance room, with floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows providing natural light for the whole room and hardwood floors. This studio is surrounded by two structural walls, and a plywood partition wall. It is also across from the shared workspace, featuring a large desk and an easel which can be used for working on larger projects when available.

NIA 10: 114sf for $552 /month.
This corner studio is located in the second most south room of the studio, with floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows providing natural light for the whole room. It features direct access to the floor to ceiling window, and is bordered by one plywood partition wall, and a structural wall.

NIA 20: 382sf for $1152/month. This is a completely private studio.
This enclosed private studio is located in the second most north room of the studio, opposite the shared kitchen and utility sink area. Wall to wall windows provide natural light for the whole room, with the area under the window providing excellent space to set up tables or desks. The glass doors and walls which separate the space from the main studio hallway can be made opaque through the use of curtains or drapes, offering a totally private studio space.

Shared Memberships available for $80/month.
The shared member workspace is located in the entrance room, with floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows providing natural light for the whole room and hardwood floors. It features a large desk and an easel for use as available, as well as shared member storage nearby in the main studio hallway.

Image Descriptions:

Slide 1: Amita Sen Gupta’s studio at Akin Niagara. The white walls of the studio are mounted with blue and white paintings of the sky. On the far right hand side, there is a large window with the shades drawn. Around the studio sits a table with brushes and boxes, a desk and chair, and a large, unfinished canvas leans against the wall. Cardboard laid flat covers the carpeted floor.

Slide 2: An image of Chloe Griffin’s studio at Akin Niagara. The left wall is filled with large windows. Below, a table is filled with art supplies, next to which is a char. On the right hand side, the white wall has abstract drawings in black and blue taped to the wall. A smock hangs from a divider wall on the far left. Cardboard laid flat covers the carpeted floor.

Slide 3: An image of Koksal Polat’s studio at Akin Niagara. The studio is a dense workshop filled with various wooden tools on tables and shelves. A cast of a man’s face sits on a high shelf, and rolls of paper lean against a table on the far left.

Slide 4: An image of two studios side by side at Akin Niagara. On the left, the studio has tables and easels filled with skateboard decks. Next to it, a separate studio is filled with abstract paintings lining the floor and leaning against the walls.

Slide 5: An image of two studios side by side at Akin Niagara. The left studio has a dropcloth fastened to the wall, over which is a large blue and orange painting. The right hand studio has a table, easel and rolling rack. Various tools sit on the tables, and a large purple and green figurative painting is mounted on the wall.

Slide 6: An image of Loui Penfold’s studio at Akin Niagara. The studio has one divider wall, one structural wall and one glass wall with a view of the hallway. On the structural wall is a figurative painting in purple and green. Paint tests and splotches surround the painting directly on the wall. In the studio is a chair, easel, long pieces of wood, and various power tools.