Toronto Media Arts Centre
History
TMAC grew out of grassroots community support and in response to an urgent need for an accessible and affordable centre dedicated to media art and technology in Toronto.
First conceptualized in 2003 after almost 15 years of organizing, TMAC incorporated in 2011 and attained charitable status in 2013. We organically evolved into an integrated collaborative organization supporting our members, the West Queen West community, and all of Toronto's media artists and artist-run centres.
In 2014, with the support of the local community, City staff, Active 18 and Councillor Ana Bailão, TMAC, Urbancorp and the City of Toronto finalized an agreement that would provide the Edge on Triangle Park condominium a $69.2 million density bonus (six additional floors of height) in exchange for a turnkey, purpose-built, 38,000 sq. ft. facility for TMAC.
Our Legal Battle
In May 2015, Urbancorp refused to allow us to close because they had not finished construction work. Instead of acting as an advocate for the community to ensure the property developer fulfilled its obligations, the City directed Urbancorp to default on our contract - absolving it of any responsibility to finish the space for community benefit.
Without the City as an advocate, we had no choice but to protect ourselves by filing a legal claim against Urbancorp and the City in June 2015.
Despite being the original intended operator of the space - approved unanimously by City Council in 2012 - we faced a shocking and abrupt reversal of support. City staff, alongside Councillor Ana Bailao, decided (without any valid reason) to withdraw their support for TMAC. We eventually learned this was likely due to interference by Artscape CEO Tim Jones, who met with the City about taking over the property just weeks before our closing date. (Artscape became insolvent and entered receivership in 2024.)
This was an obvious breach of our agreement and betrayal of the community. As stewards of public funding and small non-profits with long histories planning our future as part of this collaborative organization, we could not simply walk away.
As the organization that designed the facility to our specifications, secured nearly $1 million in funding, and fulfilled all our contractual obligations, our right to occupy and purchase the space should have been unquestionable.
After years of negotiations (complicated by Urbancorp's bankruptcy filing in April 2016) we finally reached a settlement in February 2018 that allowed us to move in under an interim occupancy agreement.
Despite our settlement agreement allowing occupancy, the City kept throwing up obstacles. It demanded we meet new financial requirements that were nearly impossible given the building's unfinished condition. The City demanded we demonstrate escalating financial capacity while revealing new undisclosed costs associated with the space - including $12,000-$16,000 per month in additional operating costs, unknown HVAC completion expenses, and serious accessibility issues.
TMAC maintained that this approach was neither clear nor transparent, and unfairly saddled the community with costs the Urbancorp would have covered had the City not interfered.
Shockingly, in 2018, the City allowed 9,000 sq. ft. of the third-floor space to be severed for Urbancorp's bankruptcy trustee to sell on the commercial market, and allowed Urbancorp to occupy part of the TMAC space (the original Images Festival space) as an office since 2016 - a contravention of the land-use agreement.
We played by the City's new rules and by March 2019, we had secured $3 million in partnerships with Virtualware, Beanfield Metroconnect, and Ubisoft to fulfill our fundraising goals. The City once again moved the goalposts and would not recognize these partnerships, with no explanation. The City even instructed a third-party adjudicator to disregard this fundraising, despite having recommended we form these partnerships in the first place.
The legal battle drained our resources for over five years. By June 2021, we were unable to raise sufficient funds to continue our lawsuit against the City of Toronto, and Urbancorp's trustee canceled our interim occupancy license.
The REOI Process
After we vacated the space in July 2021, the City announced its plans to initiate a Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) process to find a new operator for 32 Lisgar Street. In June 2022, the City formally launched this process with an unrealistically tight timeline.
TMAC continued to advocate for transparency and accountability throughout this process. We attended the mandatory tour of the space in June 2022 and submitted detailed questions about numerous issues we had firsthand knowledge of:
- The building's major construction deficiencies
- Accessibility problems
- Incomplete HVAC systems
- Flooding issues
- Uncertain operating costs under the shared services agreement
Despite our efforts to ensure potential operators would have accurate information, the City provided inadequate responses. When questioned about the rushed timeline, City staff director Pat Tobin admitted the decision was driven by "cycles at City council" - specifically that outgoing ward councillor Ana Bailão wanted an operator selected before she stepped down.
In August 2022, the City continued to defend its flawed REOI process, stating that our "outstanding questions have no bearing on the REOI process." This approach seemed designed to set up any future operator for failure by withholding critical information about the facility's true financial requirements and physical condition.
The Media Arts Network of Ontario (MANO) also expressed concerns, recommending that building condition reports be made accessible to applicants, external consultants be hired to conduct a feasibility study, and transparent information about costs be provided before lease negotiations. The City declined to provide any of this transparency.
Throughout the process, the community showed unwavering support for TMAC. We are grateful to all the dedicated community members who supported us over the years, even when it seemed impossible we'd ever secure the space. We did, though, for two amazing years!
Our Vision
Located in the heart of Toronto's Art and Design District, TMAC created a diverse and collaborative environment where everyone could engage meaningfully with art and technology. We integrated creation, production, presentation, education, conservation, and dissemination practices with a focus on community-building and inclusivity.
With year-round arts and cultural programming, open lab studios, equipment libraries, coworking and social areas, we provided the tools, space and freedom to play with art, media and new technologies—including film, animation, video games, audio and sound, video, robotics, electronics, and more.
Today
TMAC still exists today, and we continue to advocate for media arts space in Toronto. While the original purpose of the space at 32 Lisgar has been lost due to the City's shortsightedness and gross mismanagement, our mission remains vital to Toronto's cultural landscape. We will continue to hold the City to account for its handling of the space, for the benefit of the arts community and future operator.