1. Greetings from the Public!

The sunshine has finally come to grace us with blossoms, summer treats, and outdoor rendez-vous! Here at the studio, we've been as busy as the bees with projects and events that we're so excited to be working on. Read on for all the details!

2. The Public News: In the Studio

Who run Parkdale? Women of Colour!

The Parkdale Leadership training series for women of colour wrapped up last month with guest speakers Bhutila Karpoche and Alejandra Bravo, who shared their personal journeys getting involved in politics and working in governance. As part of our last workshop, we harvested our learnings from the series as a whole and mapped ideas for community-centered projects that address some of Parkdale's most pressing needs. We were all sad to have the workshop series come to a close, but will continue to be working with the group and be sure to keep you updated on the brilliant neighbourhood initiatives our participants will be launching soon!

Let us host your next event!

We offer the storefront area of our open-concept studio to rent for workshops, screenings, pop-ups, and meetings. Our street-level studio and gender-neutral washroom are both wheelchair accessible, and we are available on-site to assist you with set-up and take-down. Bookings are a minimum of three hours (including set-up and take-down) at $25 + HST per hour. For more details about our amenities and booking the space for your event, please get in touch with our studio manager, Anabel, at anabel@thepublicstudio.ca or 647-477-7474.

3. The Public News: In the Gallery

Gentrification Tax group exhibit
(June 1, 2018 – July 30, 2018)

Gentrification Tax Action (GTA) is a group of friends, artists, and architects (Jane Hutton, Adrian Blackwell, Sameer Farooq, and Kika Thorne) who collectively use art to fight gentrification in our city. Their exhibit aims to build a campaign for a Gentrification Tax in Toronto – a declining percentage tax of the after-inflation increase in home prices over ten years. The income from the tax will be used to support local community-controlled housing initiatives such as land trusts and cooperatives. Stay tuned for more updates soon!

4. The People News: In the Community

Graphic Design Workshop: leave room to grow
Monday June 4 at 6:00pm-8:00pm at Unit 2 (163 Sterling Road)

In the lead up to the queer, trans, and two-spirit community arts festival Bricks and Glitter, this graphic design workshop is for artists, community organizers and complete novices alike. Participants will learn a variety of print techniques (stenciling, screen printing and block printing), including hands-on practice with an x-acto knife and with open source, graphic design software. Find out more info here!

Conflict De-escalation Training
Thursday June 21 at 6:00pm-9:00pm at The Public

The Public will be hosting this introductory training with facilitator Eddie Jude Hareven that will explore how conflict impacts our communities, relationships and well being. In this training, participants practice developing their emotional intelligence and communication skills so they can more easily approach conflict with intention and awareness rather than solely with reaction. Find out more info on the workshop here!

Anti-oppression for Artists & Cultural Producers
Wednesday July 25 at 6:30pm-9:30pm at CSI Regent Park

This workshop for artists explores the language, theories and practices of anti-oppression in depth through creative, technical and collaborative models for building equity and liberation. Facilitator Rania El Mugammar will guide participants through examining the power dynamics that shape access, inclusion, and opportunities in Canada's arts and cultural landscape. The anti-oppression framework will be used to critique institutional dynamics as well as personal artistic practices. Find out more info and how to register here!

5. The Public News: On the streets

LJ has been biking around, smelling the flowering trees and feeling so grateful for sunshine and park season. Field of Dreamers Cooperative Softball Association is in the full swing of its second season, and they're happy to be once again spending Sunday nights under the lights in Trinity Bellwoods!

Jenny is a summer watermelon loving the sun. She's been learning how to wheel throw ceramics with Parker Dirks through Sketch, catching so much city birdsong (chimney swift, mockingbird, oriole), and celebrating all the Taurus people in her life. They're excited about their digital work with astrologist and queer femme Shaunga Tagore, who releases a new site this coming month!

Nat is savouring the summer weather and living her best life. She's hitting home runs with the Field of Dreamers softball league, having splendid park hangouts, getting her groove on to reggaeton, and excitedly prepping for Sheila's wedding. Next month, she'll be studying hard to fulfill her summer goal of getting a motorcycle and license, and heading to Vancouver to visit the ocean!

Anabel recently facilitated a workshop on Facilitation Basics hosted by Bricks and Glitter Festival, and will be co-officiating Sheila's wedding this month: a celebration of love, interdependence, and creating new futures together! In July, she'll be in New York City with her sifu and other members of Toronto Wing Chun Academy for a kung fu seminar with Master Philip Redmond, and then headed back to Toronto to begin seeing clients as a psychotherapist at The Living Institute's Student Clinic.

Sheila is recovering from a month of conferences (MagNet andCultural Pluralism in Arts Movement Ontario), workshop presentations (Future Conditions for Mayworks Toronto) and panels (Stance: Design against Fascism). She's been busy planning the logistics for her speculative design workshop series for survivors (launching in the fall!), and prepping for a zine making workshop at YYZ Gallery for the Toronto Art Book Fair. Mostly, she's been working through her massive to-do list so she can enjoy her upcoming wedding, and month leave, worry free. She's excited to celebrate the occasion with friends (and is so grateful for everyone's help in the process!), and to take a much-needed trip to Morroco and Spain!

6. What we're working on

Keep an eye out for these projects currently in production:

• Fall 2018 Issue for Sex Etc. magazine
• Logo and website branding and workshops for Caregivers’ Action Centre
• Research snapshots/infographics for Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS)
• Re-branding for Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (CHL)
• Online space for Middle East engagement for EQUITAS
• A Women's Equality project for the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario
• Healthy campus initiative: Flourishing Foundations curriculum guide for George Brown College
• Annual report for Human Rights Legal Support Centre
• Communications Strategy for Inspirit Foundation
• Design of year-end report for Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Website re-design for PASAN
• Communications strategy for Parkdale Project Read
• Planned Parenthood LGBTQ Service Guide
• Website re-design for the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton Area (SACHA)
• Rebrand and site redesign for The Housing Help Centre
• Infographics for Social Reform Ontario/Campaign 2000
• A marketing and communications strategy for Tangled Art + Disability

7. What we've done

• Spring 2018 Issue and Lesson Plan for Sex Etc. magazine
• Facilitation and design of leadership training series for the Parkdale People’s Economy Project
• Anti-oppression workshops for Parkdale Public School
• Uniforum Magazine Spring 2018 issue design and layout for Unifor

8. Housekeeping

We'll be closed on Monday, June 18, but otherwise you can find us at 58 Lansdowne Avenue Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm. Feel free to stop in to say hi!