Akin Queen East is Almost at Capacity!

 

Image Description: A photograph of the Akin Queen East Studio's two-story red brick facade, featuring multiple windows and a large bush in front. The background is pink, decorated with a blue checkerboard graphic and two yellow hearts with a smiling faces. The text reads, "Akin Queen East is Almost at Capacity!"

 

Newly opened in the Spring of 2024, Akin Queen East is a vibrant example of the spirit and talent that Toronto’s East-End artists have to offer. Now, just over half a year later, Akin Queen East is almost at full capacity for dedicated memberships. Our studio members include painters, fashion designers, sculptors, installation artists, writers, and more. There are only a few studio memberships remaining - read more below and email info@akincollective.com to inquire about membership!

Akin Queen East consists of the whole building at 429 Queen Street East, close to the intersection of Queen and Parliament. The studio has three floors: a lower level with large private studios, a ground floor that includes a sunny shared membership area, and a second floor with a long skylight which shines light on all three floors of this open-concept space. 

Members at Akin Queen East enjoy community-building events and programming like the Akin Queen East Open Studio event that we hosted last autumn, and the Akin Crit Night which happened in the studio on February 5th. Members working with ceramics have kiln access and a 20% discount on kiln firing services through Lost and Found Project Space which is just down the street from the studio.

All memberships include 24/7 access, wifi, utilities, insurance, restroom and kitchen access, communal workspaces and common area cleaning. Prices include HST.


Akin Queen East, 429 Queen Street East

 

There are only five available studios remaining- learn more below!


QUE 18 - 2nd Floor: 77sqft for $415/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the west side of the ground level. All of the studios receive natural light through the skylight above in the center of the space. It is close to the shared workspace, which has multiple tables that can be used for working on larger projects when available.

Image Description: Akin Queen East’s 2nd floor studios. Built in wooden shelving runs along the railing in the centre of the room. A skylight runs along the ceiling, and at the back of the room are private studios behind an orange-red wall. The background is pink, decorated with a blue checkerboard graphic and a yellow heart with a smiling face.

 

QUE 36 - 2nd Floor: 75sqft for $406/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the west side of the second floor. In addition to the natural light from the skylight above in the center of the space, this studio has an additional small skylight directly above.


QUE 18 - Ground Floor: 77sqft for $415/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the west side of the ground level. All of the studios receive natural light through the skylight above in the center of the space. It is close to the shared workspace, which has multiple tables that can be used for working on larger projects when available.

QUE 10 - Ground Floor: 39sqft for $252/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls, plywood divider walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the east side of the ground level. All studios receive natural light through the skylight above on the ceiling in the center of the space. It is close to the shared workspace, which has multiple tables that can be used for working on larger projects when available.

Image Description: A view of Akin Queen East’s ground floor, including the shared membership area and available studio QUE 10. A long white worktable in the middle of the room sits under overhead sunlight. Behind the tables are studios divided by plywood partition walls. The background is pink, decorated with a blue checkerboard graphic and a yellow heart with a smiling face.

 

QUE 10 - Ground Floor: 39sqft for $252/month

This studio has two 6’ high plywood partition walls, plywood divider walls and one structural wall. It is located in a row of dedicated studios on the east side of the ground level. All studios receive natural light through the skylight above on the ceiling in the center of the space. It is close to the shared workspace, which has multiple tables that can be used for working on larger projects when available.


QUE 4 - Lower Floor: 455sqft for $1276/month

This private office is on the lower level of the building. It has bright overhead lighting, generous built-in shelving along one wall, and is completely private. It does not have windows. It is located on the same floor as 2 other private studios, a communal kitchen, washrooms, and a utility sink for washing up.


Shared Membership: $80/month

We also have shared memberships available! Shared memberships allow you to work in two bright, spacious designated shared workspaces in the building. One is located right under the skylight with great natural light, large and medium-sized tables, and has a more open-concept feeling. The second shared workspace is more private and incorporates a large built-in desk and shelves for shared storage.

Our studios can accommodate a wide range of creative practices. If you are interested in a space at Akin Queen East, now’s the time! Please contact info@akincollective.com to book your tour.

Akin Queen Open Studio: A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community

On October 12th, we had the pleasure of opening our doors to the community for the Akin Queen East Open Studio, and we couldn't be more grateful to everyone who came and made the event such a success!

A huge thank you to our amazing Akin members for showcasing their work and welcoming visitors with such warmth and enthusiasm. The sense of community was palpable, and it was wonderful to see so many meaningful connections made throughout the day.

We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Nurielle Stern of Lost and Found Gallery and the artists from the 1-800-INF-ERNO exhibition for collaborating with us for the day. They truly added another layer of inspiration and we’re so glad to have shared this special occasion with them.

Lastly, a big thank you to all of our guests! Whether you’re an artist, an art lover, or simply curious about our space, your presence and support mean the world to us. It was fantastic to meet so many new faces, and we look forward to welcoming you again in the future— Until then, enjoy the photos from the Open Studio! 

Image Descriptions: a slideshow of images showing artists and guests at Akin Queen East during the open studio. There are different people who are talking to each other, smiling, and looking around the studios. Artwork and art materials can be seen in the studio space including paintings, sculptures, and textile works. 

List of participating artists: 

As well as the artists featured in the 1-800–INF-ERNO installation at The Lost and Found Gallery: Micki-Lee Smith & Zakriya Bashir-Hill, in collaboration with Diana Lawryshyn, Pratap Mathews, & Yun Young Lee. Also featuring paintings by Diana Lawryshyn.

Thank you! 
Love, Akin