Daniels Spectrum

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