Daniels Spectrum is a community cultural hub in Regent Park, and is part of the larger revitalization of the neighbourhood that began in the mid-2000s. It is home to arts and community organizations, and includes a variety of arts spaces, notably the popular Artscape-operated venue Ada Slaight Hall. Daniels Spectrum is named in recognition of a generous lead gift from The Daniels Corporation and The John and Myrna Daniels Charitable Foundation. It is a joint venture between Artscape, Toronto Community Housing, The Daniels Corporation and the Regent Park Community. The project achieved a LEED Silver rating in 2012.

Since opening, Daniels Spectrum has become a lively destination on Toronto’s cultural map. The hub is home to outstanding arts-based, social good and community-focused organizations (see website for tenant directory), whose programs for adults and youth animate the building on a daily basis. Artscape runs several programs from Daniels Spectrum, including the Ada Slaight Youth Arts Mentorship Program and Summer Series, and manages the Hallway Galleries that feature art exhibitions throughout the year. Daniels Spectrum also features state-of-the-art performance and event spaces, where hundreds of cultural events are hosted every year for tens of thousands of visitors.

Opened: September 20, 2012

Pre-occupancy (development) cost: $38 million

Affordability model: Below-market rental (commercial)

Building Ownership Detail: Owned by the Regent Park Arts Non-Profit Development Corporation, a non-profit joint venture between subsidiary corporations of Toronto Community Housing, The Daniels Corporation and Artscape. Artscape holds a 50-year lease to the facility as Facility Operator.

Area (square feet): 60,000

Spaces included: Seven organizational spaces (including offices, screening room, rehearsal space); Ada Slaight Hall; Show Love Café and Artscape Lounge (main floor); Hallway Galleries; The Courtyard (outdoor event space)

Tenants: See website directory

Building accessibility: Fully accessible by Ontario standards

Developer: The Daniels Corporation

Design: Diamond Schmitt Architects

The design of the building’s exterior features colourful stripes. The colours of these stripes are based on the flags representing the nations of origin of Regent Park residents at the time the area redevelopment began.

Artscape Regent Park Campaign

The Artscape Foundation and Regent Park Arts Non Profit Development Corporation would like to thank the following governments, foundations, corporations and individual philanthropists for their extraordinary generosity in bringing Daniels Spectrum 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.

Cornerstone Gifts
Government of Canada Gouvernement du Canada ($12,000,000)
Government of Ontario Gouvernement de l’Ontario ($12,000,000)
City of Toronto Toronto Community Housing (Land)

Lead Gift ($4,000,000)
The Daniels Corporation and The John and Myrna Daniels Charitable Foundation

Transformational Leaders ($1,000,000 – $2,000,000)
Anonymous
The Slaight Family Foundation

Partners ($500,000 – $999,999)
Innocon
Ontario Trillium Foundation

Patrons ($150,000 – $499,999)
Aziz Manji Family and Amica Mature Lifestyles Inc.
BMO Financial Group
Eric Tripp and Maria Smith
Masters Insurance Limited
MDC Partners Inc.

Champions ($100,000 – $149,999)
Aspen Ridge Homes
McLean Smits Family Foundation
The Peter and Melanie Munk Charitable Foundation
The W. Garfield Weston Foundation
Timothy and Frances Price
RBC Foundation and RBC Financial Group

Great Friends ($25,000 – $99,000)
The Ralph M. Barford Foundation
Burgundy Asset Management Ltd.
CIBC
Anthony Ciccolini
Catherine Angela Ciccolini
Diamond Schmitt Architects
The W.R. Farquharson Family
Robert and Julia Foster
Pace Family Foundation
Sandra Lee Simpson
Quadrangle Artchitects Limited