(Toronto, Ontario – February 8, 2017) – Today the Government of Canada announced the allocation of $5.1 million from the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund for the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA).
The announcement was made by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage at Toronto’s Junction Gallery, just meters away from the MOCA construction site. Attendees included MOCA partners and supporters, neighbourhood stakeholders and representatives from the local arts and culture community.
“Investing in the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada will help strengthen the economy by creating jobs for the middle class, provide the opportunity for families to discover the arts in their own community, and create spaces for artists and artisans to share Canada’s unique perspective with the world,” says Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage.
The Government of Canada’s support will help MOCA transform 55,000 square feet of heritage-designated, former industrial space into a new forum for contemporary art in one of the world’s most culturally diverse cities. Opening in fall 2017, this revitalized space will feature museum-grade exhibition space. Formal and informal spaces will allow the public to gather, exchange, engage, educate, and inspire. The new MOCA will expand audiences for and increase participation in contemporary art by activating and engaging audiences and artists in issues and themes relevant to our times.
“We are thrilled and grateful for the Government of Canada’s support through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund,” says MOCA Board of Directors Chair Julia Ouellette. “This funding will help create a new, inclusive home for contemporary art in Toronto that will reflect and bolster the city and country’s reputations as one of the best places in the world to think, create and shape the future. We look forward to an exciting opening this fall.”
The expanded MOCA will place art, culture and creativity at the centre of a new eight-acre mixed-use development in Toronto’s Junction Triangle being undertaken by Castlepoint Greybrook Sterling Inc. A striking example of culture-led city-building, MOCA will vibrantly strengthen the social fabric of this evolving neighbourhood.
About the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund
As part of the 2016 budget, the federal government announced that over the next two years, it would invest an additional $168.2 million in cultural infrastructure through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF).
CCSF supports the improvement of physical conditions for artistic creativity and innovation through the improvement, renovation and construction of arts and heritage facilities, as well as the acquisition of specialized equipment. By supporting improvements to our country’s cultural spaces, the CCSF increases access for Canadians to performing arts, visual arts, media arts, museum collections and heritage displays.
About the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada
Founded in 1993, the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada is celebrated for its sharp, incisive, artist-centric approach to programming, and its welcoming visitor experience. In fall 2017, MOCA will mark a new phase of the museum’s growth as it expands its footprint into the iconic, heritage Tower Automotive Building situated in Toronto’s Junction Triangle.
More than just a new physical space, it will be a participatory vehicle where artists and audiences can step into a wider world of contemporary art, and be part of a global creative moment defined by new ideas and new forms. The expanded museum will realize its vision through bold and innovative programming including three lead exhibitions per year, strategic permanent collection development, print and web publications and integrated educational opportunities such as workshops, talks, screenings and much more. Across all areas of its programming, MOCA will engage in collaborative partnerships with like-minded local, regional, national and international artists, organizations and institutions.
The evolution of the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada is made possible through a unique alliance with Castlepoint Greybrook Sterling Inc., public sector funders, private donors, members, sponsors and a network of cross-sectoral partners.
Media Contact
Mark Savoia
Marketing and Communications
msavoia@museumofcontemporaryart.ca
416-395-7490