Since COVID-19 emerged as a global health crisis, Partners in Art (PIA) formed an internal task force to reach out to stakeholders and assess the needs of Toronto’s artistic community. In response to these uncertain times, PIA is proud to announce its new online program TBD Takeover.
TBD Takeover is a commissioned art project in the format of an Instagram Takeover and is done in partnership with established artist-run centres. Participating artist-run centres include YYZ Artists’ Outlet, Art Metropole, Open Studio, Gallery 44, Tangled Art + Disability, and Trinity Square Video. More participating galleries will be announced soon.
Participating and upcoming artists include Brad Isaacs, Riaz Mehmood, Micah Lexier (pictured above), Nour Bishouty, Morris Lum, Jawa El Khash, Ciara Phillips, Michelle Forsyth, and more to be announced.
The program addresses the idea that globally we are in a time of transition; everything is “to be decided”. As people stay poised for the next wave of announcements, information is filtered to make decisions on how best to move. As a not-for-profit arts organization, PIA understands these moments of pause and contemplation are ripe with opportunities for new, meaningful, and experimental art to be created.
PIA’s TBD Takeover has three goals: 1. Spotlight the work of selected artists online whose work may not be seen due to the limitations of the COVID-19 environment, and increase online engagement; 2. Heighten awareness of established artist-run organizations through an alternate platform to extend their online programming; 3. Help support and fund the arts community during this slow down as art events are restricted and loss of employment and income are prevalent.
Beginning June 1, each partnering artist-run centre will curate PIA’s Instagram account for two weeks, featuring the work of one artist each week. This project will financially support over 75 individual artists, and over 25 artist-run centres and galleries.
If you don’t yet follow PIA on Instagram, please do so at @partnersinartcanada and watch TBD Takeover project unfold.
PIA is a proud supporter of this project (as a part of its COVID Task Force initiatives).
