The new spaces will be located at Centennial Lodge, which hosts the Gallery at Queen’s Park on its upper floor. The council will be opening up two studio spaces on the upper level and four exhibition areas on the main floor. The Gallery at Queen’s Park, currently open by appointment only, typically displays a variety of work by members of the council. The Gallery is designed to be flexible to accommodate the diverse needs of artists in different mediums, such as painting, sculpture and graphic design.
Each space will include storage and shelf space, tables and chairs, and access to a kitchen and wi-fi. The aim is to provide useful space at an affordable rent. The program is designed to help artists after the closure of 100 Braid Street Studios, a home to many studios that closed in November. Laura Grady, Arts Council Program Manager, explained the goals of the new rentals:
“We want this space to express the needs of artists in our community and to be used in a way that reflects our goal of fostering a viable and vibrant presence for artists in our city.”
The Arts Council’s gallery space inside Queen’s Park is now available for applications for rental and other inquiries.