Akin 2022 Year at a Glance

As the year comes to a close, we’re looking back to what turned out to be an exciting year for Akin. We opened three studio locations, expanded our Team with the addition of 7 new staff members and 4 new studio assistants, hosted dozens of events and exhibitions at Remote Gallery, supported artists in need with over $5000 from the Akin Studio Rent Relief Fund, and were thrilled to offer a variety of programming including more in-person events (while still maintaining lots of virtual programming options as well). We’ve got lots in store for 2023, but first, we thought we’d take a moment to recap all that’s happened in 2022.

Three New Studios Opened in 2022!

Images above: Five photographs of various artist studios at Akin Stockyards, Akin Bloor-Yonge, and Akin Waterfront. The photographs show artist workspaces and works in progress.

Akin Stockyards

Akin Stockyards is currently our largest studio space, host to over sixty artists. Since its opening, Akin Stockyards has shaped into such a wonderful and vibrant community. Highlights include the huge opening party with live music, games and food. Looking for a studio in the new year? Akin Stockyards still has some Dedicated and Shared Memberships available space left, email info@akincollective.com for more details.

Akin Bloor Yonge

Right in the heart of downtown Toronto, Akin Bloor Yonge opened to much excitement, and filled up quickly! (email us to be added to the waiting list). With Akin Bloor Younge we were happy to be able to start offering private studios again, which we have not been able to do since we closed our Akin King location.

Akin Waterfront

Nestled in Waterfront Toronto right near the lake, Akin Waterfront has become an exciting new studio location for us and our members! Akin Waterfront boasts many interesting features, like the Spray Booth, ventilated to accommodate indoor spray painting, and the large flex room for our members to book when they need some extra space to meet a client or photograph their work. We are looking forward to adding more amenities at Akin in the coming years!

Interested in an Akin studio in 2023? Click here to see what is currently available!

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Art programming for everyone! Open Studios, Exhibitions, Workshops and more!

Financial Literacy Workshops for Artists

We kicked off the year with a jam packed, sold out webinar explaining how to do taxes as an artist. The talk, given by accountant Kelly Ross, gave attendees helpful tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your returns, keep records, and write off expenses for your business. We followed that with a series of workshops with WealthSimple on subjects such as Financial Planning, and Budgeting Tips & Tricks If you missed these, don’t fear! Stay tuned in 2023 for more financial literacy workshops from Akin!

Public Open Studio Events

After two challenging yeards during the pandemic where we had to keep our spaces close to the public, we were so thrilled to be able to host visitors at our studios again in 2022! We had multiple Open Studio Events throughout the year where our artists had an opportunity to show their works, and visitors got a chance to check out the studios.

Image description: A group of people are exploring the Akin Studio Program at Auto BLDG. The image centres on the aisle of the studio where many people are wandering around and looking at the studios.

Artist Wellness Workshops and Talks

In March 2022, artist Yasmeen Nematt Alla hosted ‘A Love Letter to your Practice’ a virtual writing workshop and meditation to celebrate the love we have for our own art practices. Together, we took a moment to slow down and reflect on how important practice is, how it is a home for our passions, our livelihood, and our mental health. We followed that with a series of online conversations on Mental Health for Artists with artist and psychologist (and Akin member) Kim Foster Yardley. We hope to bring you more wellness workshops in the new year!

Akin Art Crawl, Toronto Biennial Edition

Akin has been hosting Gallery Crawls since the very beginning, almost fifteen years ago. In the spring of 2022 Akin went back to its roots! Friends and studio members met at the Akin Studio Program at Auto BLDG and headed out to view all the work on display for the Toronto Biennial. Did you miss this one? There will be more art crawls in the future!

Scarborough Winter Arts Market and Exhibition

We finished off the year with a bang, hosting a (nearly) month-long Winter Arts Market and Exhibition at the brand new Clark Centre, Scarborough. With over 60 artists participating, there was art on the walls, tables filled with handmade art, and music in the air! A huge thank you to everyone who made that event such a success.

Image: Artwork hanging in a brightly lit gallery space.

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Thank you!

We are incredibly grateful to our community; our studio members, friends, neighbors, programming and studio partners, staff, advisors, supporters and board of directors. Thank you for making this year such a fantastic one. We loved every minute of it, and can’t wait to spend 2023 with you.

Stay tuned for what we have in store in 2023. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter, follow @akinprojects on instagram, Akin Projects on Facebook, or visit our website for up-to-date information on events, updates, and studio news as it rolls out in the new year!

New Year, New Opportunities - upcoming Calls for Artists

Goodbye 2022, hello 2023! 

Hit the ground running in 2023 with these opportunities coming your way! There are opportunities for artists of all experience levels. To give yourself the best chance, prepare your application ahead of time and ask a friend to review your proposal before sending it out. 

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Art Nest, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF)

Deadline: January 16, 2023

Description: TOAF is seeking proposals for installation, sculpture, new media and performance art that are appropriate for an outdoor setting and related weather conditions.

Art Nest project provides emerging and equity-seeking artists with the opportunity to create their first public artworks in consultation with a curator and mentor during the Fair. The program provides artists with the experience, infrastructure, training and audience exposure needed to build confidence for future public art competitions and commissions.  Proposals should also account for visitor safety. All proposals are subject to approval by the City of Toronto. Show organizers will assign space at Nathan Phillips Square. 

An artist fee of $2,000 plus $2,000 for material costs will be paid to each selected artist.

More details and to apply here 

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The Get Real Film Fest 

Deadline: March 1, 2023

Description: The Get Reel Mental Health Film Festival at Stella's Place is an opportunity to spark conversation, educate our community, create a space for healing, and feature stories about our mental health. Looking for short film proposals to be a part of the 2023 Get Reel Film Festival.

Learn more and submit here

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Oeno Gallery’s Call for Sculpture 2023 

Deadline: February 6, 2023

Description: This outdoor sculpture garden invites artists to submit proposals for the garden’s 11th exhibition year. The property offers a wide variety of sites for placement. Areas to consider include the sculpture garden proper, the outdoor area by the wintery, the zone immediately surrounding the gallery, and the pond (limestone quarry). Proposals will be reviewed and selected by the gallery. Sculptures must be original, durable and safe for viewing by the public in an unsupervised natural area. They must be able to withstand extreme year-round weather conditions and tolerate strong winds. This includes rain, snow, wind and salty air. The work must also be available for sale. The artist is responsible for the transportation, installation and removal of their work in the event it does not sell. Interested artists are to submit proposals to: Dana Charles dcharles@oenogallery.com

Learn more and submit here

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The World Illustration Awards 

Deadline: February 14, 2023 

Description: The World Illustration Awards are a year-round celebration of the power and diversity of illustration being made today. Selected entries are shared on the popular @worldillustrationawards Instagram. This is followed by the announcement in May of 500 longlisted projects, and then the release of the 200 shortlisted projects which will feature in an Online Showcase on the AOI’s website launching in July. A highlight of the Awards year is the excitement of the winners announcement in September. One New Talent and one Professional Overall winner will be awarded cash prizes and profiled on the AOI website. 

Learn more and submit here

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Lumière: The Art of Light 2023

Deadline: January 16, 2023 

Description: Lumière: The Art of Light (formerly Winter Light Exhibition) is an acclaimed annual art event that will temporarily transform Trillium Park, the new home for the event in 2023. This free light exhibition invites visitors to explore the park and experience art developed by Ontario artists. Utilizing innovation, light and discovery, Lumière encourages Ontario-based artists and creators to “illuminate” the park under a curatorial theme of “renewal”, celebrating the change of seasons from winter to spring.

Learn more and submit here

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Leslie Grove Gallery Rental Proposals

Deadline:  January 9, 2023

Description: The Artists’ Network is welcoming exhibition proposals from the visual arts community, curators, artists, collectives, working across a wide range of mediums to exhibit in its Leslie Grove Gallery during 2023.

The Artists’ Network is particularly interested in engaging proposals from diverse creative communities to share their respective voices. We also encourage proposals that challenge the visual arts’ definition and boundaries, whether socially or aesthetically. Besides a gallery exhibition, submissions can include an artist’s talk, art demonstration, community participation event.

Learn more and submit here

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Pride Toronto Call for Artists

Deadline: January 13, 2023

Description: Pride Toronto is excited to announce that applications have now opened for their 2023 Festival for artists of all forms and mediums. This year it will be a fully in-person Festival featuring over 400 artists across Festival Weekend with 3 days and 6 stages, as well as many events throughout May and June. They are looking to hire all mediums of artists, including but not limited to, singers, dancers, drag artists, DJs, performance artists, circus artists, graphic designers, digital installation artists and visual artists. There will be an online info session on January 11 for any prospective artists which you can register for here

Learn more and submit here (scroll down to Artist Registration)

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Step Above Stigma Silent Auction

Deadline: February 13, 2022

Description: Step Above Stigma (SAS) is a registered mental health charity focused on empowering youth and young adults, facilitating systemic change, and eliminating stigma. SAS is hosting its upcoming Candid Conversations Coffee House at Beatrice Society Cafe (subject to change) on March 8th, 2023. They are looking for submissions of interest from artists to participate in the silent auction portion of this event. They are planning on running a silent auction throughout the night that features artwork by local artists. Artists may choose the starting bid and receive 70% of the purchase price, with the remainder retained as a donation to SAS. We are looking for art pieces that speak to individual experiences with mental health.

To learn more Click here to download the PDF Call 

Over 70 artists featured at Akin winter art event!

Written by Charlotte Van Ryn

Image above: A view of the Clark Centre from the outside. The night sky is dark blue and black, and the Clark Centre is brightly lit inside. A person on the street walks towards the building.

This December, Akin is host to a Winter Arts Market and Exhibition at the Clark Centre in Scarborough, nestled in the beautiful, historic Guildwood Park. It’s the perfect place to pick up one-of-a-kind gifts for your loved ones this holiday season, and view three floors of artwork on display by participating artists!

The event is highlighting Akin artists among artists from Scarborough and the surrounding area. Theresa Hopkins’ self reflective, whimsical portrait and Wandy Cheng’s floral, playful paintings were selected as featured Scarborough Artists. 

Image description: Jennie Town sits at her booth at the Winter and Arts Market. Her hair is in braids and she’s wearing a black hat and glasses. Jennie is sewing into a piece of birch bark. On her table is a large display of jewelry, dreamcatchers and handmade crafts. 

The event kicked off last weekend; upstairs, the market was in full swing. Prints, ceramics, even holiday decorations were on full display. Jennie Town, pictured above, had a beautiful selection of birch bark earrings, dream catchers, handmade deer hide drums and willowwork.  A multidisciplinary indigenous artist, and a Scarboroughlocal, Jennie is passionate about Guildwood park and the Clarke Centre, for which she attended the local planning meetings before it was built. 

Image Description: A long white wall inside the Clark Centre displays a series of hanged paintings. Two people stand in front of a large painting at the end of the hal

Paintings and sculpture cover the walls on all three floors of the Clark Centre. Notably, the exhibition Through A Hundred Windows features work from artists who were given the same base material, a wooden “window”,  but styled their own way.  Hung side by side, they create a unified, yet singularly unique look. Through a Hundred Windows will be up all month - all works are for sale directly through the artist and 100% of the proceeds from every sale go direct to the artist. Interested in purchasing work from the exhibition? Click here to see a list of participating artists. 

If you missed last weekend’s market, fear not! There’s another weekend market coming up, December 10 and 11 from 11-6 to pick up holiday gifts for friends and family. The exhibition will be up until December 18th, and can be visited any day of the week. Click here to find out more about the event and the participating artists. 

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
@CanadaCouncil  #BringingTheArtsToLife

Join us! Akin Winter Art Market

Have you been to our market yet? What’re you waiting for! Gifts for loved ones to celebrate the holiday season are at the tip of your fingers. Join us today from 11 to 6PM for a chance to see what our market has to offer. 

Here are some images of our featured artists in order: 
Jessica Sinopoli, Jordan Shaw, Katerina Bohac, Leila Refahi, Nathan Cole

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. @CanadaCouncil  #BringingTheArtsToLife

Open Today! Akin Winter Arts Market

Today is the beginning of our market and we’re pumped to see each of you! Join us for the opening reception on December 3rd, 2022 1-3 pm, and drop in for live music and a variety of beautiful gifts at the Arts Market on the weekends of December 3/4th and 10/11th, 11-6 pm! The exhibition will be open during regular Clark Centre hours during the week as well.

Accessibility & Site Address:
The Clarke Centre is fully accessible with elevators to all three floors, barrier-free washrooms on each floor and automatic doors on the bathrooms and the front door. Located at 191 Guildwood Pkwy, The Clark Centre for the arts has free but limited parking. By TTC: from Kennedy Station, take the 116 bus to Guildwood Pkwy at the Guild Inn stop. 

For more information, visit our link in bio. 

Check out some of our featured artists below:
Daria Beer, Dhiviya Prabaharan, Dorota Dziong, Ella Mazur, Ellis Ricketts, Emily Honderich

Akin Winter Arts Market and Exhibition

The time is here for our exciting collaboration with the Clark Centre for the Arts in Scarborough! From December 3-18th, 2022, Akin will be hosting a public arts event at the Clark Centre for the Arts in Scarborough, featuring art by local artists around the GTA. Artists of all levels of experience and expression will be exhibiting and selling work through the Winter Arts Market and Group Exhibition. We will be featuring the works of our artists throughout the duration of the market so stay tuned to this page for a chance to see what our community has to offer.

To help us celebrate, join us for the opening reception on December 3rd, 2022 1-3 pm, and drop in for live music and a variety of beautiful gifts at the Arts Market on the weekends of December 3/4th and 10/11th, 11-6 pm! The exhibition will be open during regular Clark Centre hours during the week as well.

Check out some of the amazing work in this post and pick your favorites today. We’re so excited to see you this weekend! For more information, visit our link in bio. 

In order of appearance, the work below are by: 
Adrian Ritchie, Aga Szmygin, Alessandra Pozzuoli, Alison Cooley, Carah Ali, Carole Milon

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
@CanadaCouncil  #BringingTheArtsToLife

Akin Winter Arts Market and Exhibition - Opening Reception on Saturday December 3!

Image above: a slideshow of images showing work by participants of the Akin Winter Arts Market

Akin invites you to join us on Saturday December 3 from 1-3pm for the opening reception of the Akin Winter Arts Market and Exhibition at the Clark Centre for the Arts, 191 Guildwood Pkwy, Scarborough.  

Drop in for live music and shop for a variety of beautiful gifts at the Arts Market for our opening day! You can also enjoy browsing the exhibition ‘Through 100 Windows’ featuring members of Akin’s studios as well as local creatives from Scarborough and surrounding neighborhoods.

In conjunction with this event, a selection of art work by studio members belonging to the Akin Studio Program at Auto BLDG will be featured on the 3rd floor of the Clark galleries, as well as work by Special Highlights Scarborough artists Wandy Cheng and Theresa Hopkins.

From paintings and prints, to ceramics and textiles, we hope to present a gorgeous and colorfully integrated expression of artistic talent to warm hearts as we head into the winter months.

The Akin Winter Arts Market and Exhibition is happening from December 3-18. Click here for full details including a list of partcipating artists.

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We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
@CanadaCouncil  #BringingTheArtsToLife

🎉It's Giving Tuesday 🎉

Today is November 29th, also known as Giving Tuesday! As the opening day of giving season, Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to supporting your favourite organizations and the causes closest to your heart.

This year we're using Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to support our upcoming Clark Centre Art Market and programming. From December 3-18th, 2022, Akin will be hosting a public arts event at the Clark Centre for the Arts in Scarborough, featuring art by local artists around the GTA. Artists of all levels of experience and expression will be exhibiting and selling work through the Winter Arts Market and Group Exhibition.

Our artists are currently preparing their works to be shown and sold and we want to centre them by making this event as accessible as possible for them. Your financial contribution will make that possible.

This Giving Tuesday, with a goal of $5000, we are asking you to give to artists; to support their practices, their work, and to join us in our determination to make space for them in our city.

Visit our link to donate or email info@akincollective.com with any questions or to discuss alternatives to donating online.

The Akin Winter Arts Market and Exhibition at the Clark Centre For the Arts! December 3-18

Akin is very pleased to invite art-lovers, artists, and the public at large to an exciting new initiative and collaboration with the Clark Centre for the Arts in Scarborough!

• When; December 3-18, 2022

• Opening Reception: December 3, 2022 from 1-3pm

• Where: Clark Centre for the Arts, 191 Guildwood Pkwy, Scarborough

• What: Arts Market (December 3, 4, 10 and 11) and Group Exhibition (December 3-18)

• Hours, Exhibition: ‘Through 100 Windows’ December 3-18th from 9am-4pm

• Hours, Market Days: December 3 and 4 & 10 and 11 from 11am-6pm

• Admission: FREE!

Akin will be hosting a public arts event at the Clark Centre for the Arts in Scarborough, featuring art by local artists around the GTA. Artists of all levels of experience and expression will be exhibiting and selling work through the Winter Arts Market and Group Exhibition. We hope that you will join us in celebrating their achievement!

Featuring members of Akin’s studios as well as local creatives from Scarborough and surrounding neighborhoods, artists and creatives of all mediums will be participating in an interdisciplinary wall installation of art panel hangings on the walls of a professional gallery, and at the market offering handmade crafts, art and objects to the public over 2 weekends. From paintings and prints, to ceramics and textiles, we hope to present a gorgeous and colorfully integrated expression of artistic talent to warm hearts as we head into the winter months.

‘Through 100 Windows’ is a collaborative art project, aimed to highlight the harmony, beauty and hope of a community of artists who continue to share and exchange their ideas; collectively resilient and active. Taken on their own, each work is a window into an individual experience. Seen together, we are a vision of combined colour, strength and power. 

In conjunction with this event, a selection of art work by  studio members belonging to the Akin Studio Program at Auto BLDG will be featured on the 3rd floor of the Clark galleries, as well as work by Special Highlights Scarborough artists Wandy Cheng and Theresa Hopkins  

Join us for the opening reception on December 3rd 2022 1-3pm, and drop in for live music and a variety of beautiful gifts at the Arts Market on the weekends of December 3/4th and 10/11th, from 11-6pm! The exhibition will be open during regular Clark Centre hours (9am-4pm) during the week as well as weekends (11am-6pm).

Accessibility & Site Address: 
The Clarke Centre has elevators to all three floors, barrier free washrooms on each floor and automatic doors on the bathrooms and the front entrance. Located at 191 Guildwood Pkwy, The Clark Centre for the arts has free but limited parking. By TTC: from Kennedy Station, take the 116 bus to Guildwood Pkwy at the Guild Inn stop.

Thank You:
Thank you to all of our community partners and the many artists and supporters who’ve come together to share this beautiful event, including local musicians Rudy Ray’s Duo and Aaron Ridge, and participating vendors.  Particularly, we are grateful to the talented and friendly staff at the Clark Centre for the Arts, who have contributed a great deal and offer a wealth of experience and grace.

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We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. @CanadaCouncil  #BringingTheArtsToLife

🔥 Happy NPD2022! 🔥

🔥 Happy NPD2022! 🔥

We want to wish a happy national philanthropy day to our donor community! Without our donors, our developers, and our supporters we would not be able to continue our pursuit in creating more affordable spaces for our creatives.

This Giving Tuesday (November 29!) we will be fundraising $5000 to go towards our December Winter Arts Market and Exhibition at the brand new Clark Art Centre in Scarborough!

More coming in the next few days ❤️

Financial Planning For Artists

Financial Planning For Artists

Tuesday October 25th 5-6:30pm - Free and online!

As part of a new series on Financial Literacy and Learning, Akin invites artists and the public to join us for the 2nd of 3 workshops happening this fall, hosted in collaboration with a team of facilitators from our partners at Wealthsimple. This month's session will be focussing on Financial Planning For Artists.

Along with a discussion around the following topics (below), we're inviting artists to submit their questions around Financial planning and strategies to erin@akincollective.com. Your questions will support the presentation and may be used during the Q&A period following. In preparation, the upcoming workshop will look at such topics as:

• Understanding sole-proprietorship vs. incorporation

• Taxes & accounting as a small business owner

• Financial goal setting as a business owner &

• How much to save for retirement

Send your questions or ideas for the Q&A to erin@akincollective.com and let us know what else you'd like to see!

Prioritizing and making Financial Literacy learning and resources available and accessible to creative entrepreneurs is one of the ways that Akin can support Artists in their work towards economic independence and stability. From breaking down language and providing clear steps required for understanding one's personal finances, to templates and resources that can be useful tools, Akin and community partner Wealthsimple are pleased to present a 3-month workshop series on Financial Literacy for artists, from September through November.

There will be an ASL interpreter at the event. For more details please register through the link in the @akinprojects bio and feel free to contact erin@akincollective.com for questions or concerns in advance.

Black Lives Matter: Organization Update

In July of 2020, we made a promise to our community that we would continue our work towards combating systemic anti-Black racism at our organization and we’re taking time to provide you insight into Akin’s current progress, offerings, and what we have committed to in the last 22 months along with some of our plans moving forward.  

We want to begin by thanking everyone who has offered their advice, insights, and support in pushing Akin towards creating intentional and proactive changes. In doing so, we have been actively guided by the leadership and consultation with mentorship of local Black artists, advisors and our own members to create foundational changes that endeavour to centre and uplift Black artists in our communities. 

With your feedback, we revised our social media process to create transparency and equity when requesting labour from the Akin community. We began paying CARFAC artist fees to all artists doing Instagram takeovers—while specifically and indefinitely prioritizing Black artists for these and all other programming opportunities. 

In August 2020, we began offering additional support to any individuals harmed by racism in our spaces. We have been mentored by local Black artists and organizations who have been hired towards the goal of creating studio spaces and supports specifically for Black artists in a way that centers around self determination, sovereignty, and self-governance. Akin is actively critiquing our power structures; how an organization can hold power over information, space, and resources. We are cognizant of the systems we exist under, but we are determined to learn and push towards leveraging our position in regards to redistributing access to Toronto’s Black creatives.

In August, we also began a complete reimagining and restructuring of Akin’s Board of Directors which, until this point, did not fully reflect the city and community it serves. We have welcomed 6 new Board Members across various sectors, interests, experiences, and disciplines, with the Board of Directors now comprising a majority of members who self-identify as belonging to one or more of the Toronto Arts Council’s Equity Priority Groups including Black artists and community organizers. Akin has also completely revised its board member search and hiring process which began with these board members and has been applied to three hires that Akin has made over the past year. Part of this revision includes the re-allocation of decision-making power to include Akin’s staff and board as well as Akin studio members in hiring and programming jury processes. This change arose from a collaborative process amongst all parties which determined who would be the best fit for these and future roles, prioritizing equity deserving groups as identified by Toronto Arts Council. 

In the fall of 2020, in an effort to structurally change the organization and redistribute power and decision making, four committees were created to critique and develop our work in these areas: programming, marketing, conflict resolution, and community experience. The committees currently comprise of board members and staff who guide the process of creating more equitable committee structures with a goal of also including Akin studio members on the committees in the future.

We are also offering future plans for our community. In the next six months we plan to:

• Undertake a 2022 Updated Demographics Report to gain insights on changes to Akin’s community since 2018, and create a connected, goal-oriented action plan for addressing the needs of Black artists.

• Revise the Conflict Resolution process used by Akin, and work with community partners in a way that ensures Black artists are heard, safe and supported through the process.

• Assist in the launch of studio supports and spaces specifically focused on supporting Black artists as a result of our ongoing collaborations with Black artists and advisors.

As a collective of individuals far greater than simply our board, staff teams and Akin’s community of artists alone, we are endeavoring to stand in solidarity with Black experiences, leadership and teachings in each step forward in 2022. We have shared this update to be accountable to you, our members and community, and to document and inform you about the work we have done and still have ahead of us with openness, kindness and hope.

While we are aware that these steps are small, we are determined to continue to implement lasting changes in the structures of our organization. We are grateful for your patience, care, and willingness to join us in this journey. We feel a huge amount of gratitude towards the many folks who have supported us through our learning over the last several years as we have grown to try and better support BIPOC creatives—beginning with our 2018 Demographics survey and ongoing community conversations that guide us as we look ahead. A special thank you to BAU Collective, Anique Jordan, Catherine Tammaro, Rania El Mugammar, and Tannis Nielsen for their ongoing labour and wisdom as part of these collective efforts. 

In order to ensure we hear your concerns in a timely manner, we have created a form for your thoughts on the above steps. As always, we are excited by your feedback and appreciate hearing what you’re hoping to see next from our organization as we continue doing this work. We are grateful for your words, questions, and concerns as they allow us to remain critical of the ways we envision the future of Akin.  

With gratitude,

Akin

2023 Akin Studio Program: Call for Applications

⭐Call for Applications! ⭐

Are you an artist, writer, curator? Have you been searching for a community of creatives to immerse yourself in? Look no further than our 2023 Akin Studio Program: Call for Applications! 

The Akin Studio Program at Auto Building (158 Sterling Road) is a unique and publicly open opportunity to lease shared studio space within the historical Auto Building at 158 Sterling Road in Toronto. In addition to a studio space throughout 2023, selected artists will be immersed within a community of peers, offering various opportunities for engagement.

Studio members will be encouraged to develop and expand their individual practices while playing a role in the artistic community within the studios itself.

Deadline to apply: November 7, 2022, 5:00pm EST.

Visit our link for the full application:  www.akin.art/autocall

Open Studios on October 16th

In the summer we had the chance to come together and check out some of the art in Akin Stockyards. We saw the studios, the artists, and the community members which offered lovely moments for us to get to know one another. Interested in checking out the studios yourself? Email info@akincollective.com or join us at our Open Studios on October 16th.

Free Comic Art Workshops

🎉FREE COMIC ARTS WORKSHOPS 🎉  No experience needed + materials provided!

Creative activity is known to boost your health and happiness, and sometimes one just needs a guiding hand to find your own artistic voice! Work with professional artists Sarvenaz Rayati and Erin Candela to learn about different techniques and tools which can develop and guide your creative expression through the world of Comics and Stopmotion Animation. This is a beginner level introduction to comics and participants only need to show up and bring their ideas. This series offers 3 in-person sessions, with 7 sessions online to follow, taking place on Thursdays starting October 6th through December 8th.

Participants will need a smartphone to be able to use the Stop Motion Animation app independently, but otherwise art supplies and access to materials is provided at no cost. Participants at the in-person sessions will also be provided with snacks and beverages on site, and are invited to take home materials to continue working for the online portion of the course.

October 6, 13, and 20th Thursdays 4-7pm - Stopmotion Animation: In-person at Colborne Lodge Coach House (in High Park)

October 27 to December 8th Thursdays 5-7pm - Comics Art : Online

You may register through Eventbrite and purchase your free "ticket" as places are limited. More details will be provided through the registration process and questions or concerns are welcome.

Akin Open Studio Day!

In conjunction with the many arts and culture festivals that are hosted every fall (from the @queenwestartcrawll to @nuitblancheto and @culturedays to name a few), Akin would like to invite the public and its community to visit the place where art and culture is made - the studios! 

This October we'll be opening the doors of two west-end locations: Akin Stockyards (at 2231 St.Clair West) and the Akin Studio Program at the AUTO BLG (158 Sterling Rd. 4th floor). For those of you who are not artists yourself, or for a creative individual who is thinking about getting a studio of their own, this is an excellent opportunity to see what a collective art space looks like, as well as to browse the many artistic creations and meet the artists who make them in person. 

So pop the date in your Calendar and come say hello. We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Community Check-in: AREA

Since its inception, Akin's mandate has centered around one main goal: securing suitable work spaces for artists in order to enrich and ensure the stability of artistic practice- in the city of Toronto. Over the course of nearly 14 years, our organization has developed a partially nomadic nature, a necessary reality for us and our community, to endure the challenges of Toronto’s real estate market. Adding a pandemic to the mix, one that forced many of our studio members into difficult financial decisions, Akin has become actively interested in engaging with the broader community to continue developing novel and innovative methods of considering and maintaining creative space in the city. 

Akin collectively asked itself, “How do we help support healthy artists and organizations while reducing barriers to creative spaces in a continuous real estate dilemma?”

Thus AREA was born. AREA stands for Akin Real Estate Advisory, an initiative set up to help ensure Akin evolves in a healthy and sustainable way while continuing to support our growing community long term . Akin has convened experts in Toronto’s development and real estate industry who care to see artists thrive and who share feedback with us as we plan for the future. In recent months, Akin has been focused on stabilizing our administrative processes in order to advance our role, connecting artists and arts organizations in need of space with property developers and building owners eager to invigorate the arts and culture community through activation of space.  

Akin’s founder, Oliver Pauk comments  “It’s exciting to witness how a group of people, with a common goal of enriching Toronto’s creative scene in the long-term, can come together to build language and ideation around mixed use spaces. These spaces are the future of urban growth in Toronto. Building art and artists into the earliest stages of the development process, as a fundamental component of the city’s structure, gives us the ability to ensure the richness and well-being of communities.”

“We are looking forward to continuing to partner with Akin and to support them with their real estate strategy. The AREA committee strongly believes in the work Akin is doing to support the arts in Toronto, and we are proud to lend our expertise to expand their reach even further” said AREA Board Member, Heidi Tibben.

Monthly and on a volunteer basis, Pauk is joined by Jonathan Peretz (JLL), Katie Fong (Slate), Heidi Tibben (Carttera), Liza Stiff (TAS), Ashley Wedlock (Kingsett Capital), Ayelet Klaczkowski (Kingsett Capital), and Joshua Mitchell (University of Toronto) for a chance to strategize around Akin’s recovery and ongoing search for relevantly located, suitable spaces (both short- and long-term). AREA is also advising on the development of a system for creating creative work and exhibition opportunities with property owners, a valuable collaboration building structure for mutually-valuable relationships across Toronto. 

We are grateful for the support of the AREA team and are excited for the insights they will share that shine a light on opportunities ahead of Akin to further our work in advocating for artists and creative spaces in the city of Toronto.

For any questions or concerns, please email us at info@akincollective.com.