The year is coming to an end and we wanted to wish each of you a warm and safe holiday season. This was a year of recovery, reflection, and of supporting our community of artists. The past year marked many milestones with Akin and we wanted to take a minute to acknowledge said milestones and share with you some of the highlights of the 2021.

A Growing Akin!

Image Description: 8 Akin members and staff are gathered together. They are smiling at the camera and are standing over some benches and the corner of a brick building.

We began the year with the introduction of our six new Akin Projects board members, and welcomed Tannis Nielsen as our Indigenous Studio Space Advisor. Throughout the year we also added three new Akin staff members to our growing team.

We celebrated our 2021 RBC Space Award Winners, BigArtTO Artists, Akin members at TOAF, and saw many more of you create around the city in new and exciting ways. Our ongoing series of @akinprojects Instagram Takeovers has featured the works and thoughts of our artists and makers.

You helped us support artists:

Image Description: On a white background is text that reads How have we allocated resources from the Akin Rent Relief Fund?. A pie graph breaks down three sections: the biggest slice in the darkest orange has text that reads $20,389 distributed out to over a 100 artists." The second slice in orange has text that reads, $1,159 Akin's admin, and the final darker orange slice has text that reads $1640 left in funds. In the right upper corner is the Akin logo.

Funded by artists and our generous donors, our Rent Relief Fund distributed $20,389 out to over 100 artists in the city of Toronto and continues to support our members. We’ve also launched our Friends of Akin Donor Program which helps bring to life our vision and mission to sustain and improve the art ecosystem in Toronto for the next generation of artists and communities.

We said goodbye to spaces we loved; Akin X Collision Gallery, Akin Lakeshore, and Akin Ossington. Endings however are often signs of new beginnings because we also launched Akin Logan, and are looking forward to welcoming a new cohort of artists to the Akin Studio Program at Auto BLDG as well as launching new studio locations across the city in the new year!

Despite the challenges of the year, we held a number of exhibitions, workshops, show and tells, and get togethers—some even in real life!—and through it we created, shared, and connected over our art practices.

We're so grateful for YOU!

Image Description: A number of people gathered in a studio space that contains hung up art as well as tables and chairs. There is a person at the front speaking as the people look towards them.

Finally, a huge thank you to our studio members for being a part of our community! Akin would not exist without your passion, your dedication, your creations, your support and your presence. Thank you for sharing through these times with us and we are looking forward to another year together.

Have a wonderful end of your year and here’s to brighter days ahead and a kind, healthy and joyful new year.

With care and warmth,

Akin