221A membership elects new and returning Board of Directors

July 23, 2020

On July 15, 2020, the Society’s membership gathered via video conference for the 13th Annual General Meeting. Members received reports on the activities of the 2019-20 fiscal year from cheyanne turions, Vice-President and Brian McBay, Executive Director, alongside a presentation of the Audited Financial Statements by Ross Gentleman, Treasurer. Furthermore, members moved to re-appoint Buckley Dodds LLP as the Society’s Auditor for the 2020-21 fiscal year, agreed to the election of Jeff Derksen, Julia Aoki and Katy Young for a term of three years, and to the re-election of Laura Kozak for a term of one year, Russell Baker for a term of two years, and Ross Gentleman for a term of thee years. The Society thanks all members for their ongoing support and their participation in the AGM and welcomes the new and returning Board Members of 221A.

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221A Executive Director, Brian McBay, Appointed to the Board of the Chinese Canadian Museum

July 16, 2020

The B.C. government has invested $10 million to establish the Chinese Canadian Museum – the first in Canada. This investment includes $2 million to complete the planning and development phase and $8 million for an endowment to provide ongoing support. The museum includes a provincial hub in Vancouver Chinatown, multiple regional hubs and spokes throughout B.C., and an online portal and digital experiences for historical locations throughout the province. The newly formed, independent, non-profit Chinese Canadian Museum Society of British Columbia will lead development and operate the museum. 221A’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, Brian McBay, serves on the inaugural board with 19 other members.

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For more information about 221A please contact us at hello@221a.ca.

Continuing COVID-19 Measures at 221A Facilities

May 20, 2020

221A’s offices and programming venues have been closed since March 11, and will remain closed until further notice as we mitigate and learn to live amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff continue to work predominantly from home and are maintaining their usual schedules. 221A’s artist studio facilities remain accessible to studio subtenants of 222 E Georgia, 236 E Pender, 1654 Franklin and 1265 Howe. Sublease holders are required to fulfill compliance with the government Provincial Health Authority to establish physical distancing measures and limit total occupancy to below 50 people at any given time. Furthermore, 221A is strongly recommending that users of these facilities wear masks and face coverings, and implement enhanced cleaning practices. 

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I is for Institute Conversation

May 14, 2020

The ICA Philadelphia recently published a long-form conversation with 221A’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, Brian McBay, and Head of Strategy, Jesse McKee, with ICA curators Alex Klein, Tausif Noor and Jessica Bao, as part of their multi-year project I is for Institute. Featuring over 40 interviews with institutional leaders and programmers, this project asks questions like: Has the definition of an institute been stable throughout history, or has it taken on different meanings and inflections over time? What does the notion of an “institute” conjure for a public? And, how might we question the parameters of an “institute of contemporary art” as a way to rethink how we approach our own institutional identity? During this time of reconsideration and reorientation, this archive is a vital resource for all of us to rethink the essentials and potentials of our work in the art and design realms.