SKETCH Forward: Support the next chapter of SKETCH Working Arts

Dear SKETCH Community,

SKETCH Working Arts has always been a place where creativity, resilience, and community come together to empower young people living on the margins through the arts. For over 25 years, we’ve been committed to fostering a safe and inspiring space where young people can explore their creativity, develop their skills, and find their voice.

We Need Your Help to Reset SKETCH for the Future

SKETCH is at a critical juncture. We are facing significant financial challenges that have led us to make difficult but necessary decisions, including reducing our operations and staff. These issues have arisen from a combination of long-standing financial inefficiencies, the long-term impact that COVID has had on our rental income, and an unsustainable rise in operating costs in a challenging funding climate. 

Our Commitment to Transparency and Accountability

We want to be transparent with you about the steps we’re taking to address these challenges. Our focus is not merely on preserving what we have, but on resetting and restructuring SKETCH to build a stronger, more sustainable foundation for the future. This involves overhauling our financial management practices, exploring new ways to operate more efficiently, and engaging with strategic partners who can help us carry out SKETCH’s mission in a more sustainable and impactful way. 

We are now partnering with community artists who will be in the space soon to open the doors to the SKETCH community! Stay tuned to our social media for announcements on upcoming sessions and further updates. Be sure to follow us @sketchtoronto. 

Your Support is Vital 

This situation, although difficult, has given us an opportunity to pause and reflect on our commitment to our mission. We believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to engage with the arts. With your support, we can reach our goal of raising $500,000 to stabilize SKETCH and reset the organization so that we can be even more intentional about providing opportunities to those who need them most. Your donation will directly support our restructuring efforts, enabling SKETCH to fairly compensate terminated staff, pay artist fees for fall programs, and cover operating expenses, ensuring we can keep our doors open.

How You Can Help

We are asking you to join us as we embark on a critical transition. By contributing to SKETCH, you are investing in the future of an organization that is committed to learning from its past and building a stronger, more resilient model for serving young, racialized and marginalized individuals. 

Donate: Visit our website at www.sketch.ca/donate/ to make a one-time or recurring donation. Gifts of $100, $50 or even $20 can make a real difference and will receive a tax receipt. 

Share: Spread the word about our campaign on social media and with your networks. Please include #SKETCHForward and @sketchtoronto. 

Get Involved: Consider volunteering your time or skills to support SKETCH as we navigate this transition. Contact sketchboard@sketch.ca to connect about volunteer opportunities. 

Together, we can reset SKETCH Working Arts for a future where we continue to empower young people through the arts, with a renewed commitment to sustainability and impact.

Thank you for your unwavering support.

Sincerely,
Board of Directors
SKETCH Working Arts