Artscape Youngplace

Artscape Youngplace is a community cultural hub in the West Queen West area of Toronto whose spaces include studios occupied by artists and organizations, a public lounge, café and free public art galleries across three floors. It occupies an historic property that was originally a public school. Artscape Youngplace is named in recognition of a generous lead gift from The Michael Young Family Foundation.

Artscape Youngplace attracts a diverse crowd, and hosts many thousands of visitors every year. On any given day you’ll find people coming to enjoy galleries, the public cafe, the first-floor lounge, workshops and classes, performances, art events, and programs offered by resident organizations. The upper floors buzz with the energy of creative invention happening within the studios.

Opened: November 19, 2013

Pre-occupancy (development) cost: $17 million

Former site: Public school (the Shaw Street School)

Affordability model: Below-market rental (commercial) and ownership (commercial); some at-market commercial ownership

Building Ownership Detail: Artscape holds a majority equity position in the building legally owned by Toronto Standard Condominium Corporation No. 2397 carrying on business as “Artscape Youngplace.”

Area (square feet): 75,000

Spaces included: 39 studios occupied by artists and organizations; one public lounge (Urban Living Lounge); Café (mezzanine level); Hallway Galleries located in circulation spaces

Tenants: See website directory

Building accessibility: Fully accessible by Ontario standards

Developer: The Dalton Company

Design: Teeple Architects (renovation), WilliamsCraig Inc. (interior design of main floor)

The transformation of the building was completed just before the centenary of its construction in 1914. The chalkboards, vitrines, signs and clocks on the walls originally belonged to the Shaw Street School.

Artscape Youngplace Campaign

The Artscape Foundation thanks the following governments, foundations, corporations and individual philanthropists for their extraordinary generosity in bringing Artscape Youngplace to life. Together, their contributions helped build this community cultural hub and will ensure that it remains both affordable and sustainable over the long term.

Lead Gift

$2,000,000 | The Michael Young Family Foundation

Cornerstone Supporter

$1,300,000 | Department of Canadian Heritage

Patrons

$150,000+

• Anonymous
• BMO Financial
• The Saskin Family and URBANCORP>/li>
• Ontario Trillium Foundation>/li>
• The City of Toronto

Champions

$100,000 – $149,999

• Castlepoint Numa and Cityzen Development Group
• First Capital Realty Inc.
• Lifetime Developments
• TD Financial Group
• The Remington Group Inc. and the R. P. Bratty Family Foundation
• TAS Shaping Beautiful Cities

Great Friends

$25,000 – $99,999

• Alterna Savings
• J.P. Bickell Foundation
• Iler Campbell LLP
• The Dalton Company Ltd.
• Philip Deck and Kimberly Bozak
• Lifetime Developments
• Robert and Julia Foster
• The Henry White Kinnear Foundation