AKA / PAVED Arts Announce Building Renovations

Rendering (Billboard: Magic Eyes, Chris Morin, 2022.)

AKA / PAVED Arts announce new window gallery and updated accessibility renovations

AKA and PAVED Arts are happy to announce major renovations in an effort to bring greater accessibility and visibility to our building. Throughout the pandemic, AKA and PAVED opened our building up to meet artist needs, experimenting with project forms and providing studio and gathering spaces. It is with gratitude to these artists and communities for their input into our activities and facility that we announce that we have been granted $100,750 from the Canadian Heritage Cultural Spaces Fund, City of Saskatoon Cultural Capital Grant, Affinity Credit Union, and Business / Arts arts mentoring program, ArtsVest. These funds will provide:

• A new store front window gallery will expand artist project space while creating a friendlier street presence
• New lighting and sound treatment creating a more functional community space
• Kitchen and bathroom accessibility renovations
• Rick Hansen Foundation Rating & Certification

In 2005, AKA and PAVED Arts jointly purchased and renovated the former Toon’s Kitchen restaurant in the Riversdale neighborhood. Through the years the building has transformed into a home to multiple artist project spaces, new free artist studios, a community event space, PAVED’s production centre, and BlackFlash Magazine. As neighbours we are striving to serve Saskatoon communities by sharing the resources of the building and providing access for everyone as a safe, open, and welcoming space.

The upgrades will be completed by Fall 2022. Special thanks to Lenore Maier and all of the folks who contributed to these grants.

Canada Cultural Spaces Fund
The Government of Canada’s Canada Cultural Spaces Fund 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 fund increases access for Canadians to performing arts, visual arts, media arts, museum collections and heritage displays.

City of Saskatoon Cultural Capital Grant
The purpose of the Culture Grant Program is to provide funding support to cultural organizations in Saskatoon in recognition of their role in providing cultural activities for Saskatoon residents and visitors, and the contribution they make to the quality of life and economic prosperity of the city.

Affinity Credit Union
Affinity Credit Union is a different kind of financial institution. A member-owned and democratically-operated co-operative, Affinity is firmly rooted in community, and committed to serving the needs of our members across Saskatchewan.

ArtsVest / Business / Arts
Business / Arts is a national charitable organization that shows the power of partnership between business and arts. Their national mentorship training program artsvest has created nearly 5,000 partnerships between business and arts organizations, raising over $21M in new private sector investment. Combined with matching funds, this has led to an overall impact is $29.25M to Canada’s cultural sector. Our arts & business exchange initiative is focused on cultivating and inspiring the next generation of business leaders to partnership with the arts.

Rick Hansen Foundation Certification
In Canada, almost 50% of adults have or have experienced a permanent or temporary physical disability or live with someone who has. Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™  (RHFAC) is a national rating system that measures and certifies the level of meaningful access of buildings and sites.  Getting an RHFAC rating allows better understanding of your physical accessibility, how you can improve, and can identify barriers for your community, customers, or employees.

AKA
424 20th Street West
Saskatoon, SK S7M 0X4
306 491-6102 | Accessible
akaartistrun.com
gallerycoordinator@akaartistrun.com
Instagram | Facebook

AKA is an artist-run centre operating on land that encompasses the traditional homeland of numerous First Nations, including Cree, Dene, Plains Cree, Nakota, Saulteaux, and Ojibwe, and the homeland of the Métis Nation, colonially known as Treaty Six.

Projects and events are free and open to the public

PAVED ARTS
424 20th Street West
Saskatoon, SK S7M 0X4
306 652-5502 | Accessible
Pavedarts.ca
executive@pavedarts.ca
Instagram | Facebook

PAVED Arts is a non-profit, artist-run centre for production, presentation, research and dissemination of contemporary media arts. The word PAVED is an acronym signifying the integration of media art forms the organization serves: photographic, audio, video, electronic, digital. Through public programs and outreach as well as equipment and production support for members, PAVED Arts continues in the legacy of its predecessors The Photographer’s Gallery and Video Verité.