1. Greetings from The Public!

We’re “Lansdowne” the Best Public Studio!

The Public is thrilled to announce that we’re beginning our next chapter, and moving to a new and improved space! Our new wheelchair accessible store-front studio and gallery will allow us to host events, workshops, shared work stations, a resource library, and to feature artists and designers working towards a more just world.

Starting December 1, 2016, you can find us at 58 Lansdowne Avenue, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Be sure to add our new location to your address books, but note that our phone number and email addresses remain the same.

2. The Public News: In the Studio

Creative Resistance is Collective Work

The Public continues to grow every year, thanks to all the brilliant folks who put their ideas, passion, and talent into creating our projects and resources.

This month, we welcome our newest intern, Amber, into the studio. She’s working on a new People’s History poster unpacking the prison industrial complex as part of the ongoing legacy of slavery, and a zine on the history and practices of stop motion animation as part of our Creative Resistance How-to Series of zines.

Jessica, our research assistant who came to us through the Communications Field Placement course at York University, is helping to lay the foundation for our upcoming studio programming, and the launch of our new space!

3. The People News: In the Community

Healing our Grief, Rage & Resilience: Zine and Writing Workshop
Thursday November 17, 5:30pm to 7:30pm at George Brown College

To honor the Trans Day of Remembrance, this workshop is a space for trans and non-binary folks to learn about zines as a political and healing medium and create zines together. The workshop will offer facilitated exercises and time to work on your zine and meet others in a low-stress environment. Find out more info about the event here and register by contacting lgbtq@sagbc.ca.

Trans Day of Remembrance: Existence is Resistance
Sunday November 20, 4:00pm to 8:00pm at The 519 Grand Ballroom

November 20th marks the annual Trans Day of Remembrance, a time to come together to show our respect for our trans loved ones and community members who were lost to physical and systemic violence. This evening will commemorate these lives lost, while also celebrating those who continue to exist, and the ongoing resistance to transphobia. Find out more info about the evening here!

14th Annual Regent Park Film Festival
Wednesday November 23 to November 26 at Daniels Spectrum

The Regent Park Film Festival is the city’s only free community film festival dedicated to showcasing local and international independent works to residents of the largest and oldest public housing in Canada. The films present urgent issues and creative resistance related to poverty, immigration, sexuality, urban redevelopment, and multiculural relationships (among many other themes!). Find out more about their year-round programming and the festival’s full schedule here!

The Remedy: Queer and Trans Voices on Health and Health Care book launch
Saturday November 26, 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Glad Day Bookshop
Queer and trans people share their real-life stories on their health care experiences and challenges in this new anthology. This collection invites readers to imagine what we need to create healthy, resilient, and thriving LGBTQ+ communities. The launch will feature readings by editor Zena Sharman, as well as by Francisco Ibáñez-Carrasco, Xeph Kalma, Lisa Baird, Craig Barron, and Vivek Shraya. Check out all the details about the launch here!

4. The Public News: On the streets

Natalia will be returning this winter to George Brown College's School of Design to teach her Design and Social Justice class. She continues to organize with the Radical Design School collective, who are gearing up for the launch of their new website. Nat also cannot contain her excitement for all things magic! You can catch her at the opening of the new film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and enjoying a butter beer at the recently expanded Harry Potter World in Orlando during the December holidays!

Anabel recently started her second year of training in psychotherapy, and is back in house and waacking dance class. Outside of classes, she’ll also be working on her visual artwork and writing on the intersections of holistic healing and social justice movement building. In December, she will be facilitating an anti-oppression workshop for the Graduate Geography & Planning Student Societyat the University of Toronto.

Sheila recently published an article on radical empathy for the 50th anniversary issue of This magazine and presented on community-based media at Queen’s University in Kingston. She is currently working on the upcoming politics issue of Shameless and preparing for a talk on design and dissent at York University. She is working on taking her project, Invisible Activisms (launched at the Art Gallery of Ontario in September) to City Hall this winter, and, through her work at The Public and OCAD University, she is curating the activation of Sexual Assault: The Roadshow this month. She has also started punching things again. It feels good.

5. What we're working on

• Winter 2016 Issue of Sex, Etc. magazine and lesson plan
• Branding mentorship for Youth Opportunities Fund group, Words of Wisdom
• App design for a Hep C E-Book for CATIE
• A Women’s Equality project for the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario 
• Workshop and newsletter design for OPSEU local 558
• LGBTQ Youth campaign materials for Planned Parenthood Toronto
• Co-design of a sexual health activity book for Planned Parenthood Toronto
• A marketing and communications strategy for Tangled Art + Disability
• Re-brand and site re-design for The Housing Help Centre
• Calendar for OPSEU members working within healthcare
• Handbook for the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.
• Workshop facilitation for the Sexual Assault: The Roadshow at OCAD University

6. What we've done

• Art direction and design of an annual report for CATIE
• A direct mail piece and handbook for the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
• Design of materials for Health Nexus' project on Collaborative leadership in practice
• Design of a Welcome to ETFO guide for union members in Ontario
• Site design for a course on Feminist Legal Reform for the National Association for Women and the Law
• Workshop facilitation for the Reshaped and Reimagined fashion and social justice camp at Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto
• Website re-design for the Ontario Women’s Health Network
• Print branding materials for Supporting Our Youth
• Design of a research flyer for the University of Toronto, Department of Psychology
• Design of booklet welcoming newcomer students to school for the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario

7. Housekeeping!

We’ll be in our new studio by December 1! You can reach us at the same phone number and email addresses, but be sure to direct all mail to our new address: 58 Lansdowne Avenue, Toronto, ON M6K 2V9.

The studio will be closed for the holidays from December 19 to January 3, but we’ll be back Wednesday, January 4.