About

The White House Studio

The white house studio project is a multi-platform arts collective aimed at producing, presenting, and supporting emerging art and art projects.

The collective consists of 26 shifting in-studio members, and counts a board of 10 current members and advisors. The board is operating in an ARC format within our collective: In that way the whitehouse is an alternative to not only traditional art practices but as well, traditional models of art governance and operation.

The exhibition space that we operate accepts proposals by members and outside artists on the merit of visual art production, and doubles as an ongoing project space. Our aim is to keep a contemporary arts mandate challenged by a shifting governing body. Much of the project reflects the ever changing flow of new ideas and practices that direct our group towards new objectives.

When engaging in outside projects the whitehouse collective is hoping to project a discourse that is central to the current contemporary art conversation.

HISTORY:

In November of 2008, a small group of artists rented a large residential house and converted the bedrooms and common spaces into individual/shared studios. Calling the project The White House, the space was meant to provide affordable work environments as well as an active community centre for emerging artists within the city. By doing this, the project claimed back the functionality of residential spaces left empty by the market shift of buyers who now prefer living in condos/lofts/warehouses.

In December 2009, the whitehouse had relocated into a large former Kung-Fu studio in Toronto’s Kensington Market. Our placement within the Kensington Market community is perfect for us to expose our artists to the public and to get more involved within the local creative community. Our current space is more accommodating to the idea of a “collective” as we have enough space to house a common area where members can hang out and display artworks. We have a functional wood shop, screen printing facilities and 2600 square feet of studio space shared between 26 individuals.

The White House Studio Project motivates artists, creates potential for collaboration and provides affordable working space within downtown Toronto. Through studio shows, art sales, community events and charitable donations we generate enough revenue to sustain the project and to remain independent; by artists for artists.

The White House is currently located at 277.5 Augusta Ave.
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