About
Overview
Daniels Spectrum is a community cultural hub in Toronto’s Regent Park neighbourhood. It opened to the public in September 2012.
“Rooted in Regent Park, Open to the World,” Daniels Spectrum is home to many outstanding arts-based and community-focused organizations that make Daniels Spectrum a special place to work, play, study and get creative. The facility’s event, performance and exhibition spaces include Ada Slaight Hall, the Artscape Lounge on the main floor, a network of hallway galleries and the Courtyard. Each year, Daniels Spectrum hosts tens of thousands of visitors and hundreds of arts and cultural events.
Daniels Spectrum is named in recognition of a generous lead gift from The Daniels Corporation and The John and Myrna Daniels Charitable Foundation. It is a joint venture between Artscape, Toronto Community Housing, The Daniels Corporation and the Regent Park community.
Daniels Spectrum…
- is fully accessible by Ontario standards
- is LEED Silver TM certified
- was designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects
- is 60,000 square feet in area
Awards
- Urban Land Institute Global Award for Excellence, 2016
- Great Place Award, EDRA (USA), 2015
- Civic Trust Award, Community Impact and Engagement (UK), 2015
- Good Design is Good Business | Architectural Record, 2014
- Best New Venue for Meetings and Events in Canada | BizBash Magazine, 2013
Building Accessibility
- All washrooms and drinking fountains are accessible
- Barrier-free access to the building via the Dundas Street entrance
- Elevators (to all floors) located in the South Lobby
- Signage throughout the building in braille
- Hearing assist devices are available upon request
Accessible Customer Service
Artscape strives to provide equal treatment to and equitable benefits of its services, programs and facilities in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
Please find Artscape’s full Accessible Customer Service policy on Artscape’s main website: http://www.torontoartscape.org/accessible-customer-service
Public feedback regarding accessibility may be provided in person, by telephone, in writing or by email or other electronic means. Feedback received by Artscape will be responded to, documented and tracked. Please contact Tanya Sinclair, Chief People Officer at 416-392-1038 ext. 4200 or TSinclair@artscape.ca.
The Artscape Lounge
The Artscape Lounge is a social zone to meet friends, have informal meetings, do homework, read…in other words it’s a place to hang out. You’ll find the Artscape Lounge inside the main doors of the building, near the corner of Dundas Street East and Regent Park Boulevard. Free WiFi.
It’s a Community Cultural Hub
Daniels Spectrum is a community cultural hub. What does that mean? It’s what you make it, and what the organizations based here make it.
Daniels Spectrum is open to the community, and it is made for a variety of cultural uses. Within these walls you’ll find dancing, art-making, singing, music playing, learning, socializing, community building, mentoring, collaborating… Daniels Spectrum is alive with the spirit and creativity of the community every day.
Come and make this your place. Take part in activities, special events and programs, and use the facility for your own gatherings.
Experience, Learning & Innovation
Daniels Spectrum is all about adding creative experience to people’s lives, and fostering creative learning and innovation through accessible, immersive activities. The three floors of the building were designed to make this happen. In our event spaces and studios, you can experience amazing performances, exhibitions and more. With the organizations here, you can enrich your understanding of the arts and learn from others. And by following your inspiration, you may find innovative ways of expressing your creativity.
Employment
All employment opportunities with the Artscape team at Daniels Spectrum will be posted under News. For career opportunities with organizations based at Daniels Spectrum, consult their websites.
About Artscape
Artscape operates Daniels Spectrum, and has a small staff team located on the second floor that books and presents events, runs programs for the community, and responds to the people of Daniels Spectrum. Artscape also works with a youth sub-committee with members from the local community who help coordinate community events, design mentorship programs and get involved in other opportunities here.
Artscape is a not-for-profit urban development organization that makes space for creativity and transforms communities. To learn more about Artscape, visit artscape.ca and follow @Artscape.
Ownership
Daniels Spectrum is owned by the Regent Park Arts Non-Profit Development Corporation (RPAD), a non-profit joint venture between subsidiary corporations of Toronto Community Housing, The Daniels Corporation and Artscape. RPAD is governed by a Board of Directors with representation from Artscape, The Daniels Corporation, Toronto Community Housing, Daniels Spectrum and the Regent Park community at-large. RPAD was created to develop and own Daniels Spectrum and to lease the facility to Artscape as the building operator.
Development Story
Daniels Spectrum is part of the larger redevelopment and revitalization of Regent Park that began in the mid-2000s. Through community consultation, the Regent Park community identified the aspiration and the need for a dedicated cultural space in the neighbourhood. After a major effort on the part of multiple community and corporate partners, this dream became a reality. Artscape has published an in-depth case study that describes the development story of Daniels Spectrum from its beginning. This case study is available on Artscape DIY, a website dedicated to sharing Artscape’s creative placemaking knowledge. The seven founding organizations at Daniels Spectrum were: ArtHeart Community Art Centre; Centre for Social Innovation Regent Park; COBA Collective of Black Artists; Native Earth Performing Arts; Regent Park Film Festival; Regent Park School of Music; Pathways to Education.
Environmental Features
Daniels Spectrum is LEED Silver certified. Environmental and energy-efficient features include:
- Green roof with native plant species
- Bicycle parking and showers for staff who cycle to work
- Fuel-efficient hybrid car-share vehicle
- Storm water treatment system to reduce pollutants
- Low-maintenance landscape and low-flow fixtures to reduce water use
- High-efficiency HVAC system that contains no hydrofluorocarbons
- Recycled construction materials, including reclaimed wood from Regent Park
- Low-VOC paint, carpeting and cabinetry used throughout the building
- Controllable lights and thermostats
Land Acknowledgment
Artscape acknowledges Toronto as a sacred gathering place for many Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island. We recognize the long history of First Nations and Métis Peoples in Ontario, and show respect today to the Mississaugas of New Credit.
