SpaceFinder Toronto uncovers the city’s creative spaces with 600+ listings

For immediate release: Toronto, ON: SpaceFinder Toronto is making its mark in Toronto’s creative sector with over 600 space listings on the site.  Over the last two and a half years, SpaceFinder has become a “go to” site for artists in search of creative space in the city.

SpaceFinder offers more options for artists in search of creative space. SpaceFinder Toronto launched in November 2014 and has since seen hundreds of venues open their doors to the city’s creative community. SpaceFinder Toronto has a wide range of space listings, including Dancemakers, The Music Gallery, Comedy Bar, Crow’s Theatre, Second City, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Toronto Zoo, and over 100 spaces from the Toronto Public Library.

SpaceFinder is FREE to list and FREE to search. Created by Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization based in New York, SpaceFinder is a matchmaking tool for renters looking for creative space, and spaces looking to promote their rentals. Artists and renters can search for creative workspaces that meet their needs based on location, price, amenities and up-to-date availability.

SpaceFinder is improving creative space use across the city. Like an Airbnb for artists, SpaceFinder is providing artists with alterative spaces, while giving venues a platform to promote their rentals. The tool presents a solution for creatives in search of space by illuminating more options across the city. Any venue that welcomes artists in their space can list their rental on SpaceFinder.

The site is helping small-to-medium creative venues earn more revenue from space rentals. SpaceFinder is driving space rentals, and in some cases, has doubled rental revenue for arts spaces – like Hub14. As self-sustaining studio and performance art incubator, Hub14’s mission is to provide affordable space to artists. Since listing their studio on SpaceFinder Toronto, their rental revenues have increased by 200%. SpaceFinder provides a cost free way for arts venues to become more sustainable by helping them reach a wider renter audience.

The site is also helping artists and creative spaces make connections. Vikki Velenosi, manager of The Box in Toronto, met Kasey Dunn who runs The Attic through SpaceFinder Toronto. They decided to merge their organizations under the new name of Brick&Mortar and together provide artists with affordable rental space in three locations across the city. SpaceFinder Toronto has helped increase their rental reach in the arts community and provides a tool to manage their rentals.

SpaceFinder Toronto was launched in November 2014 in partnership with the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), ArtsBuild Ontario and WorkInCulture. SpaceFinder is currently active in three Ontario regions, including Toronto, Hamilton and Waterloo Region. The site is also active in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, as well as 15 U.S. cities.

Have a space to list? Looking for space? Visit SpaceFinderToronto.org.

Quick Facts

• SpaceFinder Toronto has accumulated $118,000+ in rental requests through the site’s booking request button – a special listing feature for venues. This does not include the emails and phone call spaces receive after listing on the site.
• SpaceFinder Toronto has seen 38,000 users who are spending an average of five minutes on the site.
• Over 600 creative space listings are on SpaceFinder Toronto
• Performance space is the most frequently searched by site users followed by special events and classes
• SpaceFinder Toronto is free to list and free to search: http://spacefindertoronto.fracturedatlas.org/
• ArtsBuild Ontario and WorkInCulture are presenting a Learning Series around the topic of creative space rentals. Learn more: https://www.artsbuildontario.ca/learning/learning-series/

Quotes

“It has been fantastic to see such uptake of this tool and to see that it is having a real impact on our organizations in Toronto. Along with our partners WorkInCulture and Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, we envisioned a tool that would impact both our artists and our creatives spaces, and we are proud to see it is doing both!”

Lindsay Golds, Executive Director of ArtsBuild Ontario

TAPA is very pleased to be part of the founding SpaceFinder Toronto team. Since we have been offering SpaceFinder Toronto as a new service the feedback from TAPA members has been positive, and this has become a valuable new tool for our community. I have no doubt that SpaceFinder will continue to grow across the country.

Jacoba Knaapen, Executive Director of Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA

“The WorkInCulture team is thrilled, along with our partners at ArtsBuild Ontario and the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, to be celebrating SpaceFinder Toronto’s 600th space listing. What started as ‘that sounds like a good idea’ has become a much valued resource for both space renters and space seekers in the arts and beyond. Congrats to all.”

Diane Davy, Executive Director of WorkInCulture

About Us

ArtsBuild Ontario is the only organization in Ontario dedicated to realizing long-term solutions for building, managing and financing the sustainable arts facilities needed in Ontario communities. ArtsBuild provides tools, training and resources that support the development of sustainable creative spaces such as theatres, galleries, concert halls, museums and other arts facilities. www.artsbuildontario.ca

-30-

Media Contacts:

Alex Glass, Program Manager

ArtsBuild Ontario

alex@artsbuildontario.ca

Office: 519.880.3670 ext 103

Mobile: 226.792.4849

ArtsBuild is encouraged to see further investment in cultural infrastructure in the 2017 Budget.

There are three key points that we believe will be of benefit to our creative spaces in Ontario moving forward. ABO will work with the funders to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information on any program dates and guidelines.

CANADA CULTURAL SPACES FUND

“Budget 2017 proposes to provide $300 million over 10 years to the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund… the new investment in the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund will be focused on the construction, renovation and equipment needs of creative spaces/hubs, which will help drive growth in Canada’s creative economy.” [page 142]

The mention of creative spaces/hubs is especially encouraging given the growth of shared/non-traditional spaces. We will work with CCSF to understand if there is any change in their current criteria that will make both community and professional arts organizations eligible for this funding.

ENABLING ACCESSIBILITY FUND

“Budget 2017 proposes to provide $77 million over 10 years to expand the activities of the Enabling Accessibility Fund. Eligible projects will include constructing and renovating infrastructure (e.g., adding ramps, automatic door openers and accessible washrooms), providing accessible information and communication technologies and retrofitting vehicles.” [page 143]

So many of our organizations are working to make their facilities more accessible. We hope that with the capital funds from Ontario Trillium Foundation, our organizations will be able to access the EAF to realize their accessibility projects.

CULTURAL RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE

“To help promote arts and culture in Canada… Budget 2017 proposes to build on this commitment, with a further investment of $1.8 billion over 10 years starting in 2018–19. Of this amount, more than $1.3 billion will be provided to provinces and territories through integrated bilateral agreements… delivered through the second phase of social infrastructure funding.” [page 142]

ABO will be clarifying with Ministry of Infrastructure if Ontario will be able to leverage these funds through a bilateral agreement (at this stage Ontario does not have such an agreement in place). It should be noted that this is likely for larger scale projects and we are unclear if this will have any impact on our small to mid-sized organizations.

You can download your copy of the 2017 Budget here.

Case Study: Asset Planner for the Arts at the Stratford Perth Museum

The Stratford Perth Museum has become a cultural hot spot in the community. From exhibiting the original written works of Shakespeare to hosting a “Hoptoberfest” craft beer festival, the museum has made a tremendous impact on arts and culture in the region. 

But where does asset management “fit in” to the mix for this museum?

All the museum’s events are held within and around a unique building structure. The Stratford Perth Museum is made up of two different spaces: a Victorian buff brick house built in 1870 and a modern extension built in 2009.  Mixing the old with the new, the extension onto the Victorian home provides more room for large displays while the heritage home echoes the rich history of the region. Managing these two separate building components, with new and old assets, presents its own set of challenges. Enter Asset Planner for the Arts.

Asset Planner for the Arts is a cloud-based asset management tool used by arts facilities across the province. Read more about Asset Planner.

Searching for an asset management tool
The Board of Directors and General Manager John Kastner were searching for an asset management tool that would meet the needs of the entire facility… but they didn’t really know where to start. “We were talking about who do you go to, do you go to an engineer? We spoke to a couple of home inspectors and were setting up appointments, and we said you know what, Asset Planner is the thing for us,” shares John. “Not to cut your grass, but this was exactly what we were looking for.” Knowing they would not have to seek out vendors to build their asset management software from scratch was an appealing part of the program for John. The Stratford Festival, who also uses the tool to manage their theatre spaces, referred the Stratford Perth Museum to Asset Planner.

Both Finance Committee Chair Randy Matthews and John have found Asset Planner helpful in supporting cases for funding and planning upcoming repairs. The tool allows them to see all their assets in one place, which is something arts managers are not always able to glean from a simple site walkthrough in their facility.

Engineer walk through of the museum

One of the unique aspects of the program includes a site walkthrough from an engineer. John met with Bryn Jones, Director of Facilities Management with WalterFedy, who conducted an in-person assessment of the facility. “We met Bryn Jones and he had his iPad with pictures of the facility, mechanicals and assets that make up the building. It was a unique process,” recalls John. The on-site walkthrough provided an assessment of the museum’s assets, which were documented and photographed. This information is then uploaded to Asset Planner and was ready to use when John and Randy first logged on.

This created a starting point for the museum to work with as they planned upcoming building repairs. “Our concern was how do we create that base that we can take and adjust to what the realities are and what our requirements are. [Asset Planner] got us that base without any effort on our part,” notes Randy. One of the aspects of Asset Planner that has been useful for the museum is the ability to make changes to information on timelines and budgets. They already have plans to update the replacement of their old heaters when two new furnaces are installed next month.

Make better decisions on building repairs

Prior to using Asset Planner, John and Randy took more of a reactive approach to facility repairs. For instance, the museum had to repair a basement wall with water damage due to old eaves troughs. If they had known to replace the eaves troughs 3 to 4 years ago, the repair costs may not have been as high as they were. Now the Stratford Perth Museum is reaping the rewards of planning ahead. Randy mentioned the museum might have postponed repairs needed in the next year if they were not using an asset management system. “And we likely wouldn’t have the money to do [the repairs] if we didn’t plan everything out,” notes Randy.

Asset Planner is helping the museum make better decisions on building repairs. John and Randy received a grant to install two new furnaces and an air-conditioning unit in the next few months. The heat vents were initially going to cover only part of the facility – until they logged on to Asset Planner and changed their plans. They realized that by extending the heat vents into areas where electrical wall heaters are used, they would actually save more on hydro costs. “I am not sure if we would have thought of that if we didn’t have Asset Planner in front of us,” shares John. With this asset management tool, John and Randy were able to identify cost savings and plan accordingly before installing new equipment. As a result, they will use less energy and they no longer need to worry about replacing the electric wall heaters.

Arts managers can customize their data to reflect current assets in Asset Planner – one of the features John and Randy really like about the tool. In the next year, the museum will be getting new windows in the Victorian home that makes up half their facility, but the windows need to optically reflect the heritage building. While Asset Planner projected replacement costs using estimates for vinyl clad windows, they need to install windows that look like they are from 1870 which could cost two to three times as much. With Asset Planner, they can easily adjust cost projections for their upcoming window replacements as well as future repairs, allowing the museum to budget and plan ahead accordingly.

Support cases for Funding

Asset Planner has also helped the Stratford Perth Museum support cases for funding. The museum is supported in part by the County of Perth and the City of Stratford, and operates with 45% of self-generated revenue. When the museum approached the City and County to renew their 10-year cycle of funding, they leveraged Asset Planner’s capital projections. Tools like Asset Planner help demonstrate their ability to manage capital expenses. John notes that “one of the things they have been concerned about in the past is what if there is a major capital expense in the museum […] through tools like Asset Planner we can set aside money for capital.” Using projections from the tool, the museum demonstrated they have contingency plans in place, are actively planning for upcoming repairs and can cover their own costs in the event an unexpected major capital repair needed. These data projections helped John and Randy make a strong case to their funders and reflected the museum’s stability as an organization.

Financial managers can prepare for contingencies by customizing cost estimates for building repairs. Randy has plotted in some “cushioning” in the budget for those unexpected repairs that can catch arts managers off guard. “I am always setting a threshold regardless of the maintenance that’s planned out, so that if we do get something unexpected, it’s not an issue,” shares Randy. “I think that’s important for organizations to keep in mind and to know.” While Asset Planner is designed to prevent surprise repairs, financial managers and arts managers can plot in extra costs for contingency planning as an extra preventive measure.

In summary

The Stratford Perth Museum has leveraged Asset Planner for the Arts for all its benefits. The tool is helping them track building assets and make better decisions for upcoming repairs. It also helped demonstrate to their funders that they are financially stable when it comes to building maintenance and as an organization as a whole. So while the museum continues to host arts and cultural events in its space, John and Randy can rest easy knowing they have planned ahead to keep the Stratford Perth Museum in tiptop shape for years to come.

Download the case study here!

Place your bids! ArtsBuild Ontario is thrilled to announce our second annual online auction is now live! This year we have over 30 incredible packages, experiences and items to bid on!

From restaurant packages for the culinary connoisseur to the season’s hottest tickets for the theatre aficionado, we guarantee there is something for everyone!

Some of the great items up for grabs include:
Two Tickets for Harry Potter in Concert featuring the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Brewery Tour Package for Four & Gift Basket from Collective Arts Brewing
Foursome Golf Package at Cardinal Golf Club

By participating in our auction, you will help us sustain the essential programs we provide to arts organizations across the province. All proceeds go towards supporting our work in helping arts organizations build and manage the creative spaces that make our communities vibrant places to live.

Our auction is now live! Bidding closes May 15, 2017! 

SpaceFinder is coming to Simcoe County!

Now accepting creative space listings!

ArtsBuild Ontario, in partnership with the County of Simcoe and their community partners are pleased to introduce SpaceFinder Simcoe County!

Billed as an “Air BnB” for artists, SpaceFinder is a free online tool for artists to search for space, and for creative spaces to promote their rentals. SpaceFinder is designed to help increase the visibility of creative space, helping artists easily find space, and helping venues promote their under-utilized rental space.

What is SpaceFinder Simcoe County?

SpaceFinder Simcoe County is a FREE online directory of venues and creative spaces in the community available to rent. It’s a matchmaking tool for renters looking for creative space and spaces looking to promote their rentals.

Created by Fractured Atlas, SpaceFinder first launched in Canada in November 2014 withSpaceFinder Toronto. It has since become the primary resource for artists to discover creative space, and is now active in four Ontario regions, including Hamilton, Waterloo Region and York Region. The site is also active in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, as well as 17 U.S. cities.

ArtsBuild has partnered with our community partners; County of Simcoe, City of Barrie, City of Orillia, Town of Midland, Township of Oro-Medonte, Clearview Township and Town of Collingwood to bring this tool to the communities of Simcoe County. SpaceFinder Simcoe County is funded in part by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Be a part of SpaceFinder Simcoe County!

We want to see YOUR creative space on SpaceFinder Simcoe County! We are looking for spaces such as galleries, cafés, yoga studios, sacred spaces, theatres, dance studios and others that rent their spaces for creative uses to join a community of local venues on SpaceFinder. SpaceFinder is a “go to” site for artists, creative types and event planners looking for unique space to rent.

Listing your space on SpaceFinder gives your space exposure to new audiences AND more revenue potential.

SpaceFinder Simcoe County is made possible by the County of Simcoe and their community partners: