221A welcomes Raven John and Sha Li as the Society’s Public Art Assistants

July 9, 2018

221A is pleased to announce the appointments of Raven John and Sha Li as Public Art Assistants. These new full-time contract roles for the summer of 2018 will develop the next commission for Semi-Public 半公開, as it undergoes a transition towards a new project by Artist and Ethnobotanist T’uy’tanat Cease Wyss, who will initiate a rewilding process for the land at 271 Union Street. Sha and Raven bring their skills from socially engaged practices, commissioning, film production and project management to initiate 221A’s next public art commission. Please join us in welcoming Sha and Raven to the community when you visit next!

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221A seeks Letters of Interest for Storefront Space at 236 E Pender St.

June 28, 2018

Due: July 15, 2018

221A is seeking Letters of Interest from non-profit art, culture or social service collectives or organizations to operate a 1,200 square foot storefront unit at 236 E Pender St. Formerly used by UNIT/PITT Projects as an art gallery, the space will be available for sublease beginning September 1, 2018. Through the assistance of the City of Vancouver DTES Capital Grants, 221A will be making upgrades to the functionality of the space prior to occupancy, including updated storefront glazing and security with additional upgrades to the common areas of the facility in winter 2018 and spring 2019.

236 E Pender Street is a 9,000 square foot property leased by non-profit organization 221A, that is shared by approximately 22 artist studios and a storefront commercial space. The building is located in Chinatown and is operated through a gross-rate cost-recovery model. This model sets the rental rates based on the expectation that the total revenue from the building recovers the total rent, property taxes and operating expenses from the building.

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236 E Pender St

April 11, 2018

In 2013, non-profit artist organizations 221A and UNIT/PITT Projects entered into a joint venture agreement to renovate and operate 236 E Pender Street, to become the UNIT/PITT gallery and artists’ studio. 221A led early renovations of the 9,000 square foot building and UNIT/PITT became the active manager of the gallery space and studios.

Understanding that their most generative, fulfilling and satisfying programming is not gallery-based, but better realized in digital media, broadcasting, publishing, and public actions, UNIT/PITT Projects have determined that they will seek a new home for their activities. In light of these operational shifts, 221A assumed the management of the storefront unit and studio spaces under a cost-recovery operating model as of April 2018.

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