The Blog

What a year, friends!

Here at Xpace, we began the decade by saying goodbye to Emily Gove, and thanking her for doing so much during her time as Director: from securing permanent staff positions and advocating for equitable pay and increased opportunities and resources for QTIBPOC emerging and student artists, to many other accomplishments during her five year term with us. Emily- we love and wish you the best of luck with all your future endeavors!

The beginning of the new year also saw an exciting new change, as we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming  Alexia Bréard-Anderson into the directorial position, inviting her to envision the future of the space alongside Programming Coordinators Natalie King and Philip Leonard Ocampo. Not even one month into the new year, we found ourselves navigating some unprecedented and critical changes happening in the world around us.. As the systemic injustices and barriers of anti-Black racism, colonial violence, ableism and racial capitalism continue to rage alongside COVID-19, our ways of living shifted drastically and we were reminded once again of the need to keep leaning in, to keep reflecting, to keep showing up:

What is our intention as arts administrators? What histories do we carry, what tools and resources can we bring forward and share with our communities? Recognizing that this is ongoing, lifelong work, how can we hold ourselves accountable and implement structural change to create saf(er) and more accessible environments for those we collaborate with? 

Looking back, we’ve generated so much for such a small (but mighty!) team, and we couldn’t have done it without your love, support and dedication. We’ve hosted 20 group and solo exhibitions, and witnessed the stories and collective imaginings of a cohort of incredibly talented artists, curators, writers and designers – while adapting to virtual spheres any way we could. As we each faced challenges and struggles in both our professional and personal lives, we’ve remembered the importance of slowing down, remaining honest about our capacity and checking in with each other. 

We hosted 8 workshops throughout the year, offering emerging and student artists tools for navigating tax literacy and intellectual property, documenting artwork and writing exhibition proposals. We also invited community members to share their knowledge on tenant’s rights and cyber-security, and were reminded of the importance of collective and self care through breathwork, mindfulness and intentional movement workshops. 

We also held our annual OCADU summer graduate residency, first-ever virtual programming launch party, and collaborated with the OCAD Student Union to support incoming and graduate students. We had the pleasure of hiring and working alongside OCAD students Enna Kim as Programming Assistant, and Paz Pereira-Vega as the graphic designer of our annual VOLUME publication. Although your time with the gallery has since ended, we’re grateful for the opportunity to work with you both, and are so proud of what we were able to create together. 

Usually around this time we would be requesting end-of-year donations and hosting a Zine & Maker Holiday Fair, which sadly will not be happening this year. However, we invite you to join us in redirecting your energy and funds to the many incredible community-led initiatives advocating for Black lives, Indigenous sovereignty, affordable housing, food and disability justice. 

Black Lives Matter Canada

Maggie’s Toronto: COVID-19 Black Sex Workers Fund

1492 Land Back Lane

Encampment Support Network

Unist’ot’en Camp

Sundance Harvest

Tangled Arts & Disability

Toronto Tiny Shelters  

As an organization that not only supports emerging artists but is also run by emerging arts practitioners and facilitators, the work has never been more important- we recognize the need to continue to show up for our collaborators, much of whom are also our friends, peers, community members and loved ones. And though the future ahead is uncertain and will undoubtedly present even more challenges, we remain excited, ready and hopeful for the year ahead. 

Wishing you the safest of holidays and see you in the new year! 

Yours, 

Alexia Bréard-Anderson

Natalie King

Philip Leonard Ocampo

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ATTN:

• Mayor John Tory
• Councillor Ana Bailão
• Mary-Anne Bedard, General Manager of Shelter, Support & Housing Administration
• Janie Romoff, General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation Department

It is with love and rage that we are writing to you to support the demands to immediately halt the encampment evictions, move to repeal the by-laws that make it illegal to camp and focus your time, energy and funds to providing encampment residents with adequate fire safety, survival gear and housing. 

We are Alexia, Natalie and Philip and we make up the small staff at Xpace Cultural Centre: a not-for-profit artist-run centre founded in 2004 that is dedicated to providing emerging artists and designers  with opportunities to showcase their work in a professional setting. We have been located at 303 Lansdowne Ave, Ward 9 – Davenport for the past 8 years.

We are very concerned for the well-being of people living in encampments, many of which are our neighbours and beloved community members who find this to be their only option: to some, for example, it feels safer and more comfortable than a shelter, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

To evict people from their homes, without providing them with safe, accessible and affordable housing that respects their sovereignty, privacy and basic rights is incredibly dehumanizing and outright cruel. 

The destruction of people’s camps is violent and unconstitutional, and the ‘alternatives’ that the City of Toronto is offering as part of their winter plan for unhoused people does not adequately address the needs of many people living in encampments. Not only does it underestimate how many people are living on the streets (it estimates 500 people, while advocates and outreach workers estimate over 1000), it offers settings like The Better Living Centre which – not only fails to abide by social distancing requirements, but completely disregards people’s privacy, dignity and access to basic hygiene and nutrition like hot showers and meals.

Displacing people from their homes and outright refusing to provide affordable, safe housing and food to unhoused community members and people facing homelessness demonstrates a shameful neglect and utter failure of civic service. These are HUMAN RIGHTS. Not privileges that will benefit those who can afford it and ignore the rest. 

Unhoused people and people facing homelessness have varying needs and should be allowed to live in the communities of their choosing, close to their families, loved ones, services, harm-reduction facilities and places of work. They should NOT have to choose between the fear of contracting COVID-19 and the fear of freezing to death in a tent. With winter steadily approaching in the light of a pandemic, encampment residents need our support now more than ever. This support should include the provision of fire safety equipment, tents, sleeping bags and access to hot water and bathroom facilities. 

In addition, displacing people from their homes during a pandemic is a serious public health concern. The CDC recommends that cities not clear encampments during the COVID-19 pandemic “unless individual housing units are available,” because “clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers. This increases the potential for infectious disease spread.”

And lastly, we’ve been witnessing incredibly mutual aid led by community volunteers such as Khaleel Selvwright, the man building tiny shelters for people living outside this winter, and the multiple small businesses and groups administering community fridges that provide healthy, fresh food for folks in need. In the absence of permanent housing options from the city, these people are implementing tangible solutions and should be supported – not fined. 

On behalf of Xpace Cultural Centre and our communities, we are calling on city council to address these issues immediately and invest in 10,000 units of Rent-Geared-To-Income (RGI) permanent housing options in the next three years. 

Sincerely, 

Alexia Breard-Anderson (Director)

Natalie King (Programming Coordinator)

Philip Leonard Ocampo (Programming Coordinator

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Friends,

Following the most recent COVID-19 guidelines, we’re sad to announce that Xpace will be closing temporarily until further notice, to prioritize the health & safety of our staff and everyone in our community.

It’s been a challenging year, but we wanted to extend our immense gratitude to all of the amazingly talented artists, writers, designers and collaborators who have dedicated their time and energy to keep our space and community afloat during these turbulent times. Thank you.

As a result of the closure, we are postponing our November round of  exhibitions – but there are still many ways you can engage with the programming!

⭐If you’re in the neighbourhood, To Save/To Make by Jasmine Cardenas is up in our Window Space at 303 Lansdowne Ave and viewable 24/7 from the street.

⭐HANBOK/한복 by Enna Kim in the External Space can also be viewed anytime at www.xpace.info.

And coming up soon…  

⭐ a time lapse of Megan Feheley’s site specific installation, mâsikîskâpoy

⭐Photo documentation of all four exhibitions!

⭐And – an official website and digital publication for behind the curtain cultivated by Morgan-Sears Williams!

Stay tuned on Xpace’s Instagram and Facebook for updates, upcoming virtual programming and daily resources, and funding/opportunities for emerging artists. If you have any questions/concerns you can always reach out to Alexia at [email protected]

The Xpace team remains devoted to supporting emerging artists and designers and are here to offer any support and resources during this time.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back into the space soon.

Stay safe, we love you!

– Alexia, Natalie & Philip

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Hi friends!

In response to the rising numbers of COVID-19, we are implementing a couple of changes at Xpace.

Our current round of exhibitions closed a couple of days early, to give our team the chance to regroup and figure out next steps. We know some of you were really looking forward to seeing these works in person, but hope you can understand that this decision was made with the health and safety of our staff and the community in our best interest.

We’re so grateful for all the talented artists and writers who made it happen! Thank you, and thanks to everyone who visited and tuned in online.

You can view the photo documentation by Roya del Sol on this page and on our website.

Our next round of exhibitions opens on October 9th with a couple of changes:

🌟 Gallery hours are now from 1 – 4 PM
🌟 Appointments are still mandatory, and all visitors must continue to comply with our health & safety protocols (no exceptions!)
🌟 The amount of visits per appointment is now limited to 3 people, instead of 5
🌟 Staff members will now work remotely for alternating weeks to minimize risk of COVID-19 exposure

We will be providing updates as the situation develops, and if you have any questions or concerns please reach out to [email protected]

Stay safe and take care!

– Alexia, Natalie and Philip <3

Image: Forest Van Winkle, Secret From Two Wombs Ago, 2020. Photo credit: Roya DelSol

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After nearly five months of closure, a bit of stress and a lot of love, we’re very excited to reopen the gallery to the public on Tuesday, September 8th!

Gallery Hours : Tuesday – Saturday (12 – 6 PM)

Gallery visits will be by appointment only, to prioritize the health and safety of staff, visitors and collaborators and you can book an appointment by completing this online form. We ask you to provide your name, email, date and time of your visit and access needs.

If you are accompanied by a group, please note that our capacity is 10 (ten) people in the space at the same time including staff and visitors.

Visitor Terms & Conditions

• All visitors are required to complete a self-assessment visitor log with their name and date, stating if they have any COVID-19 symptoms before entering Xpace
• All visitors must sanitize hands at the front entrance with the hand sanitizer provided
• All visitors must wash hands thoroughly after using the restroom, sneezing, touching their face, blowing their nose, cleaning, sweeping, mopping, smoking, eating, or drinking.  
• All visitors must comply with the Xpace mask usage policy within the space. Disposable masks are available at the front entrance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What do I need to know before visiting Xpace?

We are prioritizing the health and safety of visitors and staff at Xpace Cultural Centre. Please read the following before visiting us:

If you are feeling unwell, show any COVID-19 symptoms, have been tested positive for COVID-19 or have been in touch with anyone that has, please stay home and take the time to heal and recuperate. 

• Wear a mask during your entire visit (Some exceptions apply, see below)
• Remain at least two (2) metres apart from other visitors at all times.
• Please wait your turn. We are permitting ten (10) people at Xpace at the same time, including office, galleries and restrooms. If you plan on visiting with a friend/group of friends, please let us know in advance and keep in mind that you might not be allowed to enter the space at the same time if we are at capacity. 
• Use hand sanitizer upon entering and leaving the gallery. We have a hand sanitizing station in the entrance and two gender-neutral restrooms where you can wash and dry your hands. We’ve also posted signage with instructions for hand-washing and face-covering.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue; if no tissue is available, use your elbow and wash your hands right after. 

How do I book an appointment to visit the gallery or zine library? 

We are not encouraging spontaneous visits to Xpace Cultural Centre during this time. If you are interested in stopping by to visit the gallery, zine library (or say hello to us!) please complete this online form. Our staff is not working from Xpace every day, so we will try to accommodate as best as possible. We’re looking forward to seeing you too! 

Are visitors to Xpace required to wear a mask or face covering

Yes. Everyone, within their capacity, is required to wear a mask or face covering at all times when visiting Xpace. Please see exceptions below. 

Is anyone exempt from wearing a mask or face covering while visiting Xpace?

We recognize that masks and face coverings are not universally accessible and pose a specific challenge to some folx. Please see a list below of people who are not required to wear a mask or face covering at Xpace:

• Children under the age of two. Babies and young children must not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation. 
• Individuals with a medical condition that makes it difficult to wear a mask. This can include but is not limited to:
  • Medical condition, mental health condition, cognitive condition or disability that prevents wearing a mask or face covering.
  • Medical condition that makes it difficult to breath or someone who is unconscious or incapacitated.
  • People who are hearing impaired, or are communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, and where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication
  • Individuals who are unable to put on our remove a mask without assistance
  • People who require accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code
  • Staff within an area designated for them and not for public access. This designated area is the private office for Xpace Director and Programming Coordinators. 

*Please note that we will not ask you for any “proof” or “evidence” of any condition(s). 

I have a question or concern about accessibility, and/or need accessibility accomodations. Who can I speak to about this?

Xpace is at street-level, with accessible door width to the gallery entrance and gender-neutral washrooms, that also have grab bars. We do not have automatic door openers. If you have any accessibility concerns or questions, please fill out the form or contact Alexia at [email protected] before visiting.

Will Xpace be screening visitors and staff before entering the gallery?

Xpace will be screening visitors and staff before entering the gallery by asking folx to complete and sign a self-assessment visitor log with their name, date and confirmation that they have no COVID-19 symptoms. 

Has Xpace made any changes to the gallery or zine space?

We’ve removed the pamphlets and publications from the front entrance, which you can request from one of our staff members instead. We also have gloves available for visitors who are interested in browsing the Xpace Zine Library.

Can I visit Xpace with a group of friends?

We are not encouraging group visits of more than five (5) people in total. If you are accompanied, please let us know how many people are coming with you in advance and ensure that you remain two (2) metres apart from each other at all times. Keep in mind that you might not be allowed to enter the space at the same time if we are at capacity. 

We’re looking forward to seeing you! 🙂

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Dear Xpace community,

Xpace will remain closed for the month of May 2020. We’re putting all our energy into rescheduling postponed exhibitions and shifting programming around to adapt to the current circumstances – both virtually and IRL.

It’s a slow process. Much slower than we are used to working through as a small artist-run centre and it has definitely been a great challenge. The pandemic has taken a toll on so many of us: emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.

It comes as no surprise that our current social and political systems, upheld by white supremacy and capitalism, are not sustainable.

It comes as no surprise that prioritizing profit and “productivity” over communal care is a colonial illusion.

It comes as no surprise that the precarious realities of so many are ignored, that state support is inherently discriminative and biased.

As much as we’d love for it to be the case, we’re not “all in it together”. Not yet.

A deep bow to land defenders, to essential workers, to folx dismantling white supremacy and patriarchy and fighting for equity and accessibility, on the frontlines, from their homes, in their every day.

Profound gratitude for the elders that guide us, and the youth that keep the spark going.

Thank you for your patience and for accompanying us through this moment. It’s inspiring to see so many virtual calls to action, teach-ins and messages of collective care and resilience. We see the incredible amount of energy you’re putting into nurturing yourself, and those around you.

As adrienne maree brown reminds us, we are learning to move at the speed of trust. It’s a challenge for everyone, but we’re grateful to be learning by your side.

*virtual hug*

And now some updates!

We’re excited to be launching the open call for our annual OCAD U Graduate Residency, set to take place in August 2020. Stay tuned for more information in these upcoming weeks!

Stay tuned on social media as we dig into our exhibition archives to bring you some cool Weekly Staff Picks, gathered by past and current staff members – dating all the way back to 2004 – that have helped make Xpace who we are today.

And lastly… this Friday is our programming assistant Enna Kim’s last day with Xpace. Enna started with us last summer, when she created the badass design for our most recent VOLUME publication, available to read online here. She’s been such an immense pleasure to work with, always showing up with a big smile, big ideas and the best style. Thank you Enna for all of your time, dedication and energy and a huge congratulations for graduating this year! We’re going to miss you a lot <3 Be sure to check out her website to follow her creative ventures.

Deep gratitude to all of you. Stay tuned, and stay safe!

Alexia, Philip and Natalie

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Dear friends of Xpace, 

A couple of updates on our end, as we continue to follow the guidance of Canadian public health authorities to protect the health and safety of our staff and community:

Xpace Cultural Centre will remain closed until Tuesday, April 28th and all onsite exhibitions and events have been put on hold.

COVID-19 Artist Resources

There are multiple grassroots and state-led emergency funds, resources, toolkits and volunteer services being shared citywide for artists, freelancers and folx most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. You can visit our public Facebook group and check our Instagram stories for daily updates, and feel free to send over any initiatives you’d like us to share with our networks!

Web Programming

As we continue to brainstorm creative ways of supporting and engaging with you remotely.

Please join us on Friday, April 3rd @ 1 PM for a virtual tour of Memorial: Artists of the Venezuelan Diaspora led by artist José Andrés Mora. 

Additionally, you can tune into a free Tenant’s Rights Webinar facilitated by Piera Savage, co-presented by Images Festival! 

In the meanwhile, you can always browse the public External Space archives on our website, which carries a generous collection of video, animation and media-based works by emerging artists that have exhibited with us in the past 9 years.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Alexia with any ideas, suggestions or requests at [email protected]. 

We will keep you updated on any changes as they roll in. 

Sending much love, stay safe and cozy!

Alexia, Natalie, Philip and Enna

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Dear friends of Xpace, 

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are actively following the guidance of Canadian public health authorities to protect the health and safety of our staff and community. 

Following recommendations from the Department of Health Canada, spring programming at Xpace Cultural Centre has been postponed until further notice. 

Xpace will remain closed and scheduled events/exhibitions will be put on hold. To practice social distancing, our staff members are working remotely and maintaining communication through email, cellphone, Skype and social media. 

We understand that it may be a scary and stressful time for many of you right now, especially for those in precarious health, work or living situations. Please be assured that all scheduled artists, curators, speakers and facilitators will be paid on time and in accordance to CARFAC fees, regardless of any cancellations.  

We are also posting daily updates on our public Facebook group and Instagram regarding resources, toolkits and emergency funds for artists, freelancers and folx most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Please join the discussion, invite friends and send over anything you’d like us to share with our networks. 

Although we’re a small team, we recognize the role that Xpace plays in the emerging arts community, and are doing everything in our capacity to practice mindful social distancing, keep everyone informed and support you as best we can. 

We are currently brainstorming creative ways in which we can present programming, host gatherings and share resources virtually and online. If you have any ideas, suggestions or accommodation requests, please contact Alexia at [email protected]. 

We will keep you updated on any changes as they roll in. 

Sending much love, stay safe!

Alexia, Natalie, Philip and Enna

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In September of this year I was able to travel to New York city with some generous support from the gallery. Under less than ideal circumstances (in relation to life events, purpose, funds and other commitments) my only other experiences with this place have been either too short or unfulfilled. There’s a difference between looking and seeing! So with an iphone 6 in hand and enough underwear to last me a week, I step off a Megabus an onto a busy New York City sidewalk, eager to learn more and do some research about arts / artist run culture in the city.

This post is largely an assortment of miscellaneous things: Observations, art, sights seen, and things i’ve learned.  I’m excited to share it with you!

Toronto vs. NYC is so wildly different – Despite this being my longest trip, I know that I haven’t even scratched the surface of what the city has to over. It’s is just so big!

Until next time I guess. Thanks for reading ;^)

-Philip

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