Invest Campaign | SKETCH Working Arts

About The SKETCH Home

SKETCH engages homeless and marginalized youth through the arts. Our programs have been recognized locally, provincially, and nationally. In 2019 our participant numbers surpassed 1,000.

But with skyrocketing real-estate prices, renting our 9,000 square feet of accessible studio space is no longer sustainable. In five years time, rent will be out of reach and SKETCH will need to disrupt programs to relocate into the broader GTA.

Support our campaign to purchase and secure a legacy space for SKETCH. Keep SKETCH in a neighbourhood youth can easily access, and keep young innovative artists and culture makers here in our Queen West community. Read more about SKETCH here.

SKETCH Programs Include

24 Years of Impact in Toronto

+20K ft²

of studio and creative engagement spaces

+13K

youth participants

+400

youth-led exhibitions, commissions, and events

+1000

volunteers

+500

community partners

View Our History

History of SKETCH

1996

SKETCH founded

1998

200 youth participants

1999

SKETCH opens in historic Great Hall in Queen West

2001

Not-for-profit status

2002

SKETCH transforms 6,000 sq. ft. century-old loft space into studios

2003

Charitable status

2011

Capital campaign launches to build new creative hub in Artscape Youngplace

2012

During construction, creates city-wide pop-up studios to reach broader community

2013

Moves into new 9,000 sq. ft. creative hub in Artscape Youngplace

2014

750 youth participants

2016

Celebrated 20th anniversary

2018

Over 1,300 youth participants

2019

Launch campaign to purchase creative hub from Artscape to ensure a space for the next 20 years

The Impact of The Purchase

Purchasing our space means more of our funding can:

Secure a legacy space for the next 20 years

Provide free weekly skill-building workshops in several arts disciplines

Nurture an accessible, inclusive and creative community hub in the heart of Queen West

Provide mentors for the next generation of artists and leaders

I came from my home town in search of a place just like SKETCH. I’m glad I’ve found it. I’ve been coming here for years and it’s helped me in infinite ways.

Keep SKETCH going forever.

I’ve accessed an amazing community of friends and artists who have and continue to connect me to opportunities. They encourage my craft, and empower me to teach and share what I know.

I really wish there were more places like SKETCH. There are countless youth in our communities who would benefit from the abundance of opportunities here.

I’m beyond thankful for every day I get to work in such a creative and welcoming environment.

Campaign Target

We will finance $4 million through the following three sources:

$1.52M

in capital fundraising

$1.4M

in community impact bonds

$1.1M

in a traditional mortgage (equal to our existing rent payments)

Support this campaign now

Invest in Bond Make Donation

SKETCH COMMUNITY UPDATE (as of August 14, 2020)

Thanks to all who participated in Creating Against the Odds! Our online experiments offered May, June and July. Thanks to everyone who made those experiments during these challenging times.

SKETCH studios at 180 Shaw Street will remain closed to public access until further notice. We are forced in this time of pandemic to rework and consider our sustainability given public health priorities and resources. We will keep you posted on new designs in September.

Connect here for wellness supports.

We've launched our Equity at SKETCH Web page to be in dialogue with you about our Equity goals.

Black activists and communities everywhere are working hard to lead all society to call out and authentically address the violent impacts of White Supremacy in policing, justice, education, health, community and in all systems and infrastructures across Turtle Island (North America). Anti-Black racism is deeply embedded in every fabric of our society. This, as well as our violent colonial legacy of Indigenous erasure, constant gender discrimination and violence, and the violence and mistreatment of those in the disability community, are pervasive pressing truths that we need to face and address, daily, to make change in real ways. We need boldness, energy, honesty, deep listening and accountability, to generate sustained action and inversions of power in the immediate, medium and long term.

What can a community-engaged arts organization in Toronto like us do, to take up its role in this critical renaissance of justice? Join us in learning together with us, what this means.

SKETCH is deeply committed to supporting, learning from and amplifying the brave and creative leadership of young Black Artists and Activists. Check out Art in Pandemic and be inspired by the incredible work of young artists creating during this time.

We call on the Arts Councils to create a Black Artists Fund to support Black Artists and Black Arts and Culture Organizations, recognizing and investing in their leadership in arts and culture, and in building fair and inclusive communities.

Please support us to be a just, accountable and vibrant arts platform for young people on the margins! We need your help now more than ever!

Help Sketch Purchase its Home