We had a beautiful day last Saturday for Akin's first East-End Gallery Crawl! Thank you to everyone who joined us and all of our gracious hosts: Project Gallery , Creative Space, Cobalt Gallery, Yellow House Gallery and The Great Escape Book Store.
Here are some photos from our day of fun!
Saturday, May 13 / 11am- 3pm / Meet at Project Gallery, 1109 Queen St E / FREE
Join Akin for our very first gallery crawl in Toronto's east end! Free and all are welcome. Stick around and join us on a patio after!
1. We will meet at Project Gallery (1109 Queen St E) at 11am
2. After our visit we will take the 501 Streetcar East to Studio 888 (2359 Queen St E) Please note that this leg of the journey involves using the TTC. This is a free event but please bring your own TTC fare/tokens. If you require another form of transpiration please get in touch and we will provide alternative transportation.
3. Walk to Creative Space Residency (70 Silver Birch Ave)
4. Walk to Cobalt Gallery (870 Kingston Rd)
5. Walk to Yellow House Gallery (921 Kingston Rd)
6. Visit Great Escape Book Store (957 Kingston Road)
Map of locations is here: https://tinyurl.com/n5xes45
Questions? email michael@akincollective.com
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ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION:
There street parking near the Project Gallery on Queen Street East, but there is no designated handicap parking. There are no level or accessible entrances. The front entrance has one small step and the doors are not automated. The washroom is on the ground level, but there are no grab bars in the washroom and the toilet is not raised.
Studio 888 has street parking only. There is one step to enter the gallery but there is also a ramp. Studio 888 does not have automated doors but if the weather permits, the door is often propped open. The gallery is on the ground floor. The public washroom is large but navigating a wheelchair may prove awkward. Studio 888 has a ramp main gallery space and it is all accessible after entering. Is no there grab bars in bathroom and the seat is not raised.
While there are plans to make the church building housing Creative Space Residency accessible, it is not currently accessible. The studio, an apartment inside the church, is up one flight of stairs. There is free street parking along many side streets surrounding the church, and pay parking on Queen Street East. There is roughly 3 or 4 steps to enter. There are washrooms on the main floor and second floor. It is two flights up to the studio.
Cobalt Gallery does not have designated handicap parking. There are steps to enter the gallery and no automated doors. The washroom is not on the ground level. Their is no grab bar in the bathroom and the toilet is not raised.
There is street parking near Yellow House Gallery. There are three steps to enter the gallery. Once inside the gallery it is all one level with no more steps.
The Great Escape Book Store is a converted garage behind a bookstore on Kingston Road. The garage is located in an alley with street access from Scarborough Rd. It has double barn doors that allow wheelchair access. The store has access from Kingston a Road on the sidewalk with a ramp but there isn't any access to the washroom, or for a wheelchair to go through the store.
Akin is thrilled to announce their expansion into the east end of Toronto with the launch of a new studio and its first dedicated programming space as an anchor tenant of the mixed-use building at 100 Sunrise Avenue.
Expanding on its eleven current studios located at 444 Dufferin Street (Queen & Dufferin), 87 Wade Avenue (Lansdowne & Bloor) and 1485 Dupont Street (Dupont & Symington), Akin's new spaces will offer larger, more private studios in addition to its smaller, more affordable options- including continuing to offer 24/7 shared studio access to artists and creatives at $60/month.
Akin will expand its operations within the building immediately where it will also widen many of its programming initiatives into the city's east end including skill shares, studio critiques, gallery crawls, and its Forge Professional Workshop Series. This exciting expansion will increase Akin’s size to approximately 20,000sq feet of studio space enabling it to meet the ever-increasing demand for affordable artist studios and creative workspace across the city, and offer free public programming in new neighbourhoods. Other exciting plans for our latest space include local and international artist residencies, a community gallery, youth programming and much more.
Since opening its first modest space 8 years ago, Akin has striven to make being an artist in the city a more a fun and financially viable vocation. Now more than ever, we feel our role is an important one for Toronto's cultural community and our artists. Akin's new 'Akin Sunrise' location will be easily accessible by subway, streetcar, bus, bike, or car. By transit, visitors can access the studios by a short bus ride from Woodbine TTC station. All rentals include 24/7 access to the studios, taxes, insurance, wifi, access to communal working areas as well as storage, kitchen, and bathroom.
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For more information, pricing inquiries or to share ideas, please get in touch:
info@akincollective.com
