Lede image: The newly opened Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre (left) stands as a beacon for Toronto’s arts scene. Pictured on the right: Andrea Donaldson, Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre, and Naz Afsahi, Managing Director of Nightwood Theatre, who helped bring the vision to life. (Courtesy: Dahlia Katz)
For Toronto’s independent artists, it’s become a difficult task to find an affordable, accessible space to rehearse, create and perform. But, a new venue is changing the game; The Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre has opened its doors downtown offering an accessible space, created with artists in mind.
The performance centre, located at 877 Yonge St., is tucked into the lower level of a St. Clare’s housing building and the centre isn’t just another performance venue – it’s a much-needed space for emerging, independent and equity-deserving artists navigating a city where creative real estate is hard to find.
The collaborative effort between Tapestry Opera, Nightwood Theatre, and St. Clare’s Housing was created not only to offer a stable home for artists but to foster deeper ties between the arts and Toronto’s broader communities.
With rents climbing and rehearsal spaces dwindling, the centre arrives at a perfect time for artists.