News - 221A

COVID-19 Mutual Aid & Collective Measures

March 27, 2020

As of March 11, 2020, 221A’s offices and programming venues have been closed, and will remain closed for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the physical distancing measures enacted by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the British Columbia Ministry of Health. Staff are predominantly working from home until further notice, and are maintaining their usual hours. 221A has made commitments to keep its staff employed during these uncertain times, and to provide full payment of fees for Artists and contractors engaged with the Organization’s programming and research initiatives. In the coming weeks and months, 221A looks forward to sharing digital-realm programming outputs that are being generated by its Fellowship program and the Blockchains & Cultural Padlocks Research Initiative.

Exiting 221 East Georgia

March 27, 2020

221A has made a unanimous decision to cease the operation of 221 East Georgia Street, one site under its operations, as of March 31, 2020 due to untenable conditions resulting from poor maintenance of the overall property. While these issues have escalated over several years, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision to exit was recently made for the long-term health of the Organization, the staff, stakeholders and audiences. The facility is the organization’s first programming and administrative venue, under operation since 2008. With such a rich history of developing the organization amidst the challenges and upheavals of the gentrification battle-ground neighbourhood that is Vancouver’s Chinatown, this was not a decision that has been made lightly. While the Organization has grown to operate six cultural space properties in Vancouver, with a total of over 56,000 square feet, the 221 East Georgia Street facility has been formative for 221A’s orientation to the neighbourhood, and cultural sector. The principal reason for this departure is because of the questionable safety of the building resulting from neglected maintenance issues. It was beyond the organization’s control and resources to address the safety of the facility for its staff and audiences.

Job Posting – Program Coordinator

February 3, 2020

Part-Time: 20 hours a week, 3-days at 6 hours a day, with 2 flex hours
Primary Job Location: Downtown Vancouver, Unceded Territories, British Columbia
Wage: $23-$25/hr commensurate with experience, with benefits

Full Job Posting: PDF

221A is seeking applications from eligible candidates for the role of Program Coordinator. 221A is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to work with Artists and Designers to research and develop cultural, social and ecological infrastructure. 221A operates under a Research and Infrastructure model. Unlike a typical exhibition model for a Visual Art and Design organization, 221A’s operating model supports cultural workers over extended periods to lead the organization’s artistic pursuits, engaging deeply with contexts, collaborators, ideas, and audiences.

Blockchain Event Series in Partnership with SUGAR, Goethe-Institut, and Emily Carr University of Art & Design

January 8, 2020

“For us to reclaim our full humanity, we have to understand that this will come from creating new systems of being with each other. So that in the new system, the value of a human being is the full human value, their value as a poet, a thinker, a lover, a carrier of the culture. That’s what the value of a human being is, that’s what we deserve and need.” – Ed Whitfield, Fund for Democratic Communities (F4DC)
“Expansionist thinking is rooted in abstract economic models and monetary analyses that are devoid of biophysical data and ignore fundamental physical laws.” – William E. Rees, School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia