Canadian artist-run centres

Canadian artist-run centres are a series of galleries and art spaces developed by artists in Canada since the 1960s. The term artist-run centre, or ARC, is the common term of use for artist-initiated and managed organizations in Canada. Centres follow the not-for-profit arts organization model, do not charge admission fees, are non-commercial and de-emphasize the selling of work.

History

The centres were created originally in response to a lack of opportunity to present contemporary work and a desire to network with other artists nationally and internationally. [http://www.goodreads.ca/aabronson/#1def Bronson, AA "The Humiliation of the Bureaucrat: Artist-Run Centres as Museums by Artists." "Museums by Artists". AA Bronson and Peggy Gale, eds. Art Metropole, Toronto 1983.]

In the 1990s there were over 100 artist-run centres across Canada. Today there are at least 60 artist-run centres with continuous operating funding.

Similar artist-run organizations have been developed world-wide. In the US, they are commonly identified by the term artist-run space and in Australia by the term artist-run initiative (ARI).

Focus

Each artist-run centre has a unique program, but most present contemporary art by Canadian and international artists, often in combination with critical writing and other public events such as lectures, performances, screenings, etc. The centres have tended to focus on emerging artists and artists working outside the commercial gallery system. Some centres have been developed to support creative production, particular in the areas of video, new media, photography and printmaking.

upport

Funding

The primary source of funding for artist-run centres is the Canada Council which has a specific program of two-year operating support for artist-run centres. Most centres also receive funding from the Provincial governments, most of which have an arts council to financially assist individual artists and arts organizations. Centres may also receive funding from their local municipal or city governments. Centres sometimes will secure funding for specific projects from corporations that manage lottery earnings or public and private foundations. Centres have tended not to pursue individual sponsors or patrons, neither corporations nor individuals, in part because they are in a critical relationship with the traditional and established art system of museums which have the resources to pursue that type of support.

upport for artists

Artist-run centres create opportunities for artists to present their work. Centres typically accept submissions openly and make selections by a peer jury process although some centres also use curators to select projects. Centres provide a venue but also help the artist to install the work and will often facilitate the creation of a critical text published in conjunction with the exhibition. Centres will also promote the exhibition or presentation.

Canadian artist-run centres are committed to the principle of paying artists for the exhibition or presentation of their work. Indeed centres are required to do so if they receive funding from the Canada Council.Fact|date=June 2007 A recommended schedule of payment is provided by [http://www.carfac.ca/ Canadian Artists Representation] (CARFAC), an artists advocacy group.

Advocacy

Artist-run centres advocate an artist-centric approach, promoting artists self-determination of what to present and how to present it. This approach has widely influenced the contemporary art scene. Fact|date=June 2007

The artist-run centres are collectively represented by associations formed by region or constituency, which associations are themselves represented by a national association. These associations advocate on behalf of their centre members on issues of public policy.

List of Canadian Artist-Run Centres

Alberta

* [http://www.emmedia.ca/ Emmedia ] (Calgary)
* [http://www.harcourthouse.ab.ca/ Harcourt House Arts Centre] (Edmonton)
* [http://www.latitude53.org/ Latitude 53] (Edmonton)
* [http://www.snapartists.com/ SNAP] (Edmonton)
* [http://www.stride.ab.ca/ Stride] (Calgary)
* [http://www.thenewgallery.org/ The New Gallery] (Calgary)
* [http://www.trapdoorarc.com/ Trapdoor] (Lethbridge)
* [http://www.truck.ca/ Truck] (Calgary)
* [http://www.csif.org/ Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers] (Calgary)
* [http://www.809er.com/ The 809 Gallery] (Calgary)

British Columbia

* [http://www.vaarc.ca/ Access] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.alternatorgallery.com/ Alternator] (Kelowna)
* [http://www.artspeak.ca/ Artspeak] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.gachet.org/ Gallery Gachet] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.galleryvertigo.com/ Gallery Vertigo] (Vernon)
* [http://www.grunt.bc.ca/ Grunt Gallery] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.helenpittgallery.org/ Helen Pitt Gallery] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.inter-mission.org/ Intermission Artists Society] (Vancouver)
* [http://kswnet.org/ Kootenay School of Writing] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.malaspinaprintakers.com/ Malaspina Printmakers' Society] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.ministryofcasualliving.ca/ Ministry of Casual Living] (Victoria)
* [http://www.kiac.org/ ODD Gallery / Klondike Institute of Art and Culture] (Dawson City)
* [http://www.openspace.ca/ Open Space] (Victoria
* [http://www.orgallery.org/ Or Gallery] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.projectilepublishing.ca/ Projectile Publishing / Rubyarts] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.videoinstudios.com/ Video In] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.front.bc.ca/ Western Front] (Vancouver)
* [http://www.xchangesgallery.org/ Xchanges Artists' Gallery & Studios] (Victoria)

Manitoba

* [http://www.aceart.org/ aceartinc.] (Winnipeg)
* [http://www.printmakers.mb.ca/ Martha Street Studio] (Winnipeg)
* [http://www.mawa.org/ MAWA] (Winnipeg)
* [http://www.platformgallery.org/ PLATFORM Gallery ] (Winnipeg)
* [http://www.urbanshaman.org/ Urban Shaman] (Winnipeg)

New Brunswick

* [http://www.atelierimago.com/ Atelier d'estampe Imago] (Moncton)
* [http://www.galeriesansnom.org/ Galerie Sans Nom] (Moncton)
* [http://www.galleryconnexion.ca/ Gallery Connexion] (Fredericton)
* [http://www.strutsgallery.ca/ Struts Gallery / Faucet Media Arts Centre] (Sackville)
* [http://www.thirdspacegallery.ca/ Third Space Gallery / Galerie Tiers-Espace] (Saint John)

Newfoundland and Labrador

* [http://www.easternedge.ca/ Eastern Edge] (St. John's)
* [http://www.stmichaelprintshop.com/ St. Michael's Printshop] (St. John's)

Northwest Territories

* [http://www.openskyfestival.ca/ Open Sky Creative Society ] (Fort Simpson, NT)

Nova Scotia

* [http://www.arcac.ca/ ARTsPLACE] (Annapolis Royal)
* [http://www.centreforarttapes.ca/ Centre for Art Tapes] (Halifax)
* [http://www.eyelevelgallery.ca/ Eyelevelgallery] (Halifax)
* [http://www.khyberarts.ns.ca/ Khyber Arts Society] (Halifax)

Ontario

* [http://www.aspacegallery.org/ A Space] (Toronto)
* [http://www.alucinefestival.com/ Alucine] (Toronto)
* [http://www.artmetropole.com/ Art Metropole] (Toronto)
* [http://www.artcite.ca/ Artcite Inc.] (Windsor)
* [http://www.artengine.ca/ Artengine] (Ottawa)
* [http://www.artspace-arc.org/ Artspace] (Peterborough)
* [http://www.bravoart.org/ BRAVO] (Ottawa)
* [http://www.contemporaryartforum.ca/ CAFKA] (Kitchener)
* [http://www.carfacontario.ca/ CARFAC Ontario] (Toronto)
* [http://www.charlesstreetvideo.com/ Charles Street Video] (Toronto)
* [http://my.tbaytel.net/defsup/ Definitely Superior] (Thunder Bay)
* [http://www.easternfrontgallery.com/ Eastern Front Gallery] (Toronto)
* [http://www.edvideo.org/ Ed Video Media Arts Centre] (Guelph)
* [http://www.performanceart.ca/ Fado Performance Inc.] (Toronto)
* [http://www.gn-o.org/ Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario] (Sudbury)
* [http://www.galeriesawgallery.com/ Galerie SAW Gallery] (Ottawa)
* [http://www.gallery101.org/ Gallery 101. Galerie 101] (Ottawa)
* [http://www.g1313.org/ Gallery 1313] (Toronto)
* [http://www.gallery44.org/ Gallery 44] (Toronto)
* [http://www.gallery96.org/ Gallery 96] (Stratford)
* [http://www.photobasedart.ca/ Gallery TPW] (Toronto)
* [http://www.globestudios.org/ Globe Studios] (Kitchener)
* [http://www.hamiltonartistsinc.on.ca/ Hamilton Artists Inc.] (Hamilton)
* [http://www.houseoftoast.ca/ House of Toast Film & Video Collectives] (Windsor)
* [http://www.imagesfestival.com/ Images Festival] (Toronto)
* [http://www.ifco.ca/ Independent Filmmakers Cooperative of Ottawa (IFCO)] (Ottawa)
* [http://www.lift.on.ca/ Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT)] (Toronto)
* [http://www.mercerunion.org/ Mercer Union, Toronto] (Toronto)
* [http://www.modernfuel.org/ Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre] (Kingston)
* [http://www.nac.org/ Niagara Artists' Company] (St. Catharines)
* [http://www.openstudio.on.ca/ Open Studio] (Toronto)
* [http://www.propellerctr.com/ Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts] (Toronto)
* [http://www.sawvideo.com/ SAW Video Association] (Ottawa)
* [http://www.savac.net/ South Asian Visual Arts Collective (SAVAC)] (Toronto)
* [http://www.forestcitygallery.ca/ The Forest City Gallery] (London)
* [http://www.warc.net/ WARC Gallery] (Toronto)
* [http://www.whitewatergallery.com/ White Water Gallery] (North Bay)
* [http://www.yyzartistsoutlet.org/ YYZ Artists' Outlet] (Toronto)

Prince Edward Island

* [http://www.peiprintmakers.ca/ PEI Printmakers Council] (Charlottetown)

Quebec

* [http://www.3e-imperial.org/ 3e Impérial] (Granby)
* [http://www.action-art-actuel.org/ Action Art Actuel] (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu)
* [http://www.admare.org/ AdMare] (Cap-aux-Meules (Îles-de-la-Madeleine)
* [http://www.agencetopo.qc.ca/ Agence Topo] (Montréal)
* [http://www.artexte.ca/ Artexte] (Montréal)
* [http://www.articule.org/ Articule] (Montréal)
* [http://www.atelier-circulaire.qc.ca/ Atelier Circulaire] (Montréal)
* [http://www.atelier.qc.ca/ Atelier de l'Il] (Val-David)
* [http://sites.rapidus.net/atelier.presse.papier Atelier Presse-Papier] (Trois-Rivières)
* [http://www.oculiartes.org/ Atelier Silex] (Trois-Rivières)
* [http://www.graff.ca/ Ateliers Graff] (Montréal)
* [http://www.atsa.qc.ca/ ATSA: Action Terroriste Socialement Acceptable]
* [http://www.lenomdelachose.org/ Avatar] (Québec)
* [http://www.axeneo7.qc.ca/ AXENÉO7] (Gatineau)
* [http://www.artnature.ca/ Boréal Art/Nature] (L'Annonciation)
* [http://www.rcaaq.org/membres/profil/64 Caravansérail] (Rimouski)
* [http://www.circa-art.com/ Circa] (Montréal)
* [http://www.clarkplaza.org/ Clark] (Montréal)
* [http://www.regart.levinux.org/ Collectif Regart] (Lévis)
* [http://www.daimon.qc.ca/ DAÏMÕN] (Gatineau)
* [http://www.dare-dare.org/ DARE-DARE] (Montréal)
* [http://www.dazibao-photo.org/ Dazibao] (Montréal)
* [http://www.artdiagonale.org/ Diagonale] (Montréal)
* [http://www.meduse.org/engramme Engramme] (Québec)
* [http://www.espacef.org/ Espace F] (Matane)
* [http://www.espacevirtuel.ca/ Espace Virtuel] (Chicoutimi)
* [http://www.estnordest.org/ Est-Nord-Est] (Saint-Jean-Port-Joli)
* [http://www.galerieb-312.qc.ca/ Galerie B-312] (Montréal)
* [http://www.rcaaq.org/membres/profil/34 Galerie d'art de Matane] (Matane)
* [http://70.103.16.172/~galerie1/web/wb/pages/fr/actualites.php Galerie Verticale] (Laval)
* [http://www.oculiartes.org/~grave/index.html Grave] (Victoriaville)
* [http://rcaaq.org/membres/profil/51 Horace] (Sherbrooke)
* [http://www.lecart.org/ L'Écart] (Rouyn-Noranda)
* [http://www.meduse.org/oeildepoisson L'Œil de Poisson] (Québec)
* [http://www.meduse.org/labandevideo La Bande vidéo] (Québec)
* [http://www.lacentrale.org/ La Centrale] (Montréal)
* [http://www.chambreblanche.qc.ca/ La Chambre blanche] (Québec)
* [http://www.langageplus.com/ Langage Plus] (Alma)
* [http://www.inter-lelieu.org/ Le Lieu] (Québec)
* [http://www.lelobe.com/ Le Lobe] (Chicoutimi)
* [http://www.meduse.org/recto-verso Les Productions Recto-Verso] (Québec)
* [http://www.oboro.net/ Oboro] (Montréal)
* [http://www.occurrence.ca/ Occurrence] (Montréal)
* [http://www.optica.ca/ Optica] (Montréal)
* [http://www.paraloeil.com/ Paraloeil] (Rimouski)
* [http://www.perte-de-signal.org/ Perte de Signal]
* [http://www.artactuel.ca/ Praxis Art Actuel] (Sainte-Thérèse)
* [http://www.sagamie.com/ Sagamie] (Alma)
* [http://www.sequence.qc.ca/ Séquence] (Chicoutimi)
* [http://www.skol.ca/ Skol] (Montréal)
* [http://www.studioxx.org/ Studio XX] (Montréal)
* [http://www.rcaaq.org/membres/profil/19 Vaste et Vague] (Carleton)
* [http://www.videographe.qc.ca/ Vidéographe Inc.] (Montréal)
* [http://www.voxphoto.com/ Vox] (Montréal)
* [http://www.meduse.org/vuphoto Vu] (Québec)
* [http://www.zocaloweb.org/ Zocalo] (Longueuil)

askatchewan

* [http://www.akagallery.org/ AKA Gallery] (Saskatoon)
* [http://www.neutralground.sk.ca/ Neutral Ground] (Regina)
* [http://www.pavedarts.ca/ paved Art New Media] (Saskatoon)
* [http://www.sakewewak.org/ Sâkêwêwak] (Regina)
* [http://www.tribeinc.org/ Tribe] (Saskatoon)

Yukon

* [http://www.kiac.org/ Klondike Institute of Art & Culture] (Dawson City, YT)

Notes

Bibliography

* Bronson, AA "The Humiliation of the Bureaucrat: Artist-Run Centres as Museums by Artists." "Museums by Artists". AA Bronson and Peggy Gale, eds. Art Metropole, Toronto 1983. pp. 29-37. ISBN 0-92095-613-0

ee also

* artist-run space
* artist-run initiative

External links

* [http://www.artspace-arc.org/links.htm List of Canadian Artist-run Centres, Media and Production Centres, etc.]

* [http://www.arccc-cccaa.org/ Artist-Run Centres and Collectives Conference / La Conférence des collectifs et des centres d'artistes autogérés (ARCCC/CCCAA) (Canada)]

* [http://arcpost.ca/resources?tags=Artist-Run-Spaces Listing of artist-run centres world-wide]
* [http://www.carfac.ca Canadian Artists' Representation / le Front des artistes canadiens]