Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre Sets a New Stage for the Toronto Artistic Community
The newly launched arts facility and theatre, developed in partnership with Tapestry Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and St. Clare’s Housing Society, aims to support the city’s vibrant arts scene.
In the Performance Hall – L-R: Naz Afsahi, Managing Director, Nightwood Theatre Andrea Donaldson, Artistic Director, Nightwood Theatre Jaime Martino, Executive Director, Tapestry Opera Michael Hidetoshi Mori, Artistic and General Director, Tapestry Opera
Photo by Dahlia Katz
TORONTO, March 17, 2025 – The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre opens its doors today, introducing a much-needed accessible, affordable, and innovative arts venue to Toronto’s creative landscape.
The joint initiative between Tapestry Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and St. Clare’s Housing was designed to provide a new home for artists while strengthening the connection between the arts and the broader Toronto community. It’s an exciting and necessary addition to the city, as rising living costs and increasing scarcity of performance and rehearsal spaces have created significant challenges for young, emerging, and independent artists. Situated in the lower level of a St. Clare’s Housing building at 877 Yonge St., the Centre will become a vibrant and vital cultural hub, offering an inclusive, state-of-the-art facility and gathering place within walking distance of five diverse neighbourhoods and two central TTC subway stations.
The partnership between leading arts organizations Nightwood Theatre and Tapestry Opera began in 2002 when both companies moved into the new Artscape Distillery District Studios. As two of the first theatrical residents, both companies helped revitalize the Distillery District’s artistic impact and cement its status as a popular Toronto landmark.
After 20 years of growth and artistic achievement, Nightwood Theatre, Tapestry Opera, and over 70 artists and arts organizations were forced to vacate the Distillery space. This closure removed office space for both teams and three significant studio spaces from the performing arts community. Determined to find a solution, these two organizations partnered with St. Clare’s Housing to transform a social housing space into a dynamic cultural hub.
“Finding a home and a sense of belonging is vital in these challenging times, not only for Nightwood Theatre and Tapestry Opera but for the many artists and audiences that will walk through the doors at The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre,” says Andrea Donaldson, Artistic Director, Nightwood Theatre. “We need spaces in Toronto that intentionally reach out for people to gather, that allow for creative dreaming, bold action, and courageous expression.” “As tenants of St. Clare’s—Canada’s largest developer of supportive not-for-profit mixed-income housing—we share their belief that everyone deserves a home and, furthermore, that everyone deserves access to creativity and cultural experiences,” adds Nightwood’s Managing Director Naz Afsahi. “Nightwood, Tapestry, and St. Clare’s are proving that collaboration means we can achieve more together than on our own.”
Designed by Hilditch Architects, with guidance from Theatrical Project Manager Remington North, the Centre is a striking addition that revitalizes a central stretch of Yonge Street. The new facility incorporates state-of-the-art technology that dramatically reduces energy consumption, giving new life to under-used spaces at a fraction of the energy of a new build. Accessibility is a cornerstone of The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre’s mission, ensuring that as many people as possible can be welcomed into the space and community.
The Centre will host performances and programming from its resident companies, continuing Tapestry and Nightwood’s respective award-winning legacies of showcasing original, progressive works and supporting the next generation of talent. Artistic programming will include a variety of multidisciplinary performances, artist residencies, and workshops. Emerging and established artists will have opportunities to develop and showcase new work, while community members can engage through interactive programming, educational initiatives, and mentorship opportunities. The venue will serve as a home for diverse storytelling, featuring theatre, opera, dance, and interdisciplinary performances that push artistic boundaries. Residencies and artist-focused programs will be available, including a focus on equity-deserving artists, ensuring accessibility and representation within the space.
Beginning with a Launch Concert with Tapestry and Friends on March 22, the season will go on to include Where the Spirits Sit, a workshop production from Nightwood Theatre, running April 3 – 5 and featuring the songwriting and storytelling of multi-disciplinary artist Tamara Podemski; Sanctuary Song, a one-hour, all-ages original opera, running from May 9 – 25; Nightwood’s staging of Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs, a physical ensemble piece running from September 16 – October 5, and more. Tapestry Opera is also thrilled to announce inaugural residencies with Cultureland and Opera Q for 2025-2026, as well as the continuation of LIBLAB, an opera creation intensive from July 15 – 25.
“Creating new performing arts spaces that are affordable for artists and independent companies became a high priority for us,” says Tapestry Opera Artistic Director Michael Hidetoshi Mori, “and it is thrilling to see that dream realized. At the same time, we are thrilled to provide a new venue where locals and all Torontonians can experience some of Toronto’s most dynamic music, theatre, opera, and dance artists!” Jaime Martino, Executive Director, adds that the “partnership with Nightwood and St. Clare’s have made this ambitious venture possible, and proven the value of working together and thinking outside the box in these changing times.”
The new facility will provide a vital space for artists to create, collaborate, and inspire audiences for generations to come.
Learn more at jackmanperformance.ca. Images of the space can be found here for download.
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For all press inquiries, please contact:
Jaime Eisen
jaime@jaimeeisen.com
647.224.9674
ABOUT THE NANCY & ED JACKMAN PERFORMANCE CENTRE
The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre is a vibrant cultural arts centre formed through a unique partnership between Tapestry Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and St. Clare’s Housing. The organization creates common ground for deep relationships in performances, community gatherings, and events by bringing together tenants, neighbours, artists, and audiences. In the heart of Toronto, The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre provides an accessible and affordable space for independent creators while hosting transformative theatre, music, and opera performances. With a commitment to equity, sustainability, and inclusivity, the Centre supports emerging and equity-deserving artists through residency and subsidy programs, fosters deep community connections, and integrates state-of-the-art technology to reduce environmental impact. Learn more at jackmanperformance.ca and follow on social @jackmanperformance.
ABOUT TAPESTRY OPERA
Founded in 1979, Tapestry Opera is an award-winning Toronto-based company dedicated to creating, developing and performing original, progressive opera. We are passionate about timely, resonant stories told in innovative settings and interpreted by extraordinary artists. We create space to unite diverse art forms, creators, and communities to develop powerful, boundary-breaking opera that reflects and changes the world. We believe in embedding our values in everything we do, on and offstage, and work to create a flexible, adaptable, and accountable culture for our time and communities. Learn more at tapestryopera.com and follow on social @tapestryopera.
ABOUT NIGHTWOOD THEATRE
As Canada’s preeminent feminist theatre, Nightwood Theatre cultivates, creates, and produces extraordinary theatre by women and gender-expansive artists, liberating futures, one room at a time. Founded in 1979, Nightwood has launched and toured award-winning productions that have shaped Canada’s theatrical landscape, earning recognition from the Dora Mavor Moore, Chalmers, Trillium, and Governor General’s Awards. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Andrea Donaldson and Managing Director Naz Afsahi, Nightwood is celebrated for artistic excellence, developing emerging talent, and championing gender equity in the arts. With a commitment to bold storytelling, inclusivity, and care-centred creative spaces, Nightwood produces full-scale productions, the annual Groundswell Festival, and the acclaimed Write From The Hip playwrights program. Learn more at nightwoodtheatre.net and follow on social @nightwoodtheat.
ABOUT ST. CLARE’S HOUSING
St Clare’s is a social justice landlord and developer working in active partnerships to create sustainable, safe, affordable housing solutions. St Clare’s pursues a vision in which pragmatic, judgement-free approaches to housing are recognized as the best way to enhance neighbourhoods and create healthy communities for everyone by providing diverse and respectful environments in which once marginalized people have the opportunity to expand their agency and capacity. With over 800 units in its portfolio in seven different buildings, St. Clare’s provides deeply affordable housing with supports to thousands of people who have experienced chronic homelessness, and now have a place to call home. The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre opens its doors today, introducing a much-needed accessible, affordable, and innovative arts venue to Toronto’s creative landscape.