Purchase of Units at Youngplace Building Preserves Arts and Cultural Spaces
Media Release – Download the PDF version
TORONTO, February 19, 2025 — Inspirit Foundation and the Community & Cultural Spaces Trust (CCST) are proud to announce a unique partnership to preserve affordable cultural spaces in Toronto.
This February, Inspirit Foundation—with the help of the City of Toronto—purchased two units at the Youngplace building at 180 Shaw Street. This purchase allows long-term tenants in creative production to remain in the building. Inspirit is now in the process of transferring the units to the Community & Cultural Spaces Trust for community use. This is the first acquisition by a cultural land trust in Canada.
“This is a first for the Foundation. It is important for us to use our resources to support new models of financing and ownership in media, arts and culture,” said Sadia Zaman, CEO, Inspirit Foundation. “None of this would have possible without the commitment of the Community and Cultural Spaces Trust, and their long track record of protecting community spaces.”
There is a lack of affordable space for arts and cultural groups in Toronto. This partnership helps combat the further loss of affordable space in the sector. It also ensures broader representation of the arts in the Youngplace building.
“Thank you to the Inspirit Foundation for trusting the CCST to steward these properties. We are grateful to Inspirit for their willingness to structure the deal for the express purpose of maintaining the affordability of the units,” said Hannah Fleisher, Chair, CCST Board of Directors. “This is an extension of the CCST’s mission to preserve property in Ward 9. Many years of community organizing allowed us to be in a governance position to operate these units.”
Inspirit Foundation and CCST are proud to work together to continue to push for equitable and inclusive development, and to champion creative solutions to combat the affordability crisis.
ABOUT INSPIRIT FOUNDATION
Inspirit Foundation advances racial, social and economic justice by investing our assets and funding media and arts for change. To learn more, visit inspiritfoundation.org and follow Inspirit on Instagram and LinkedIn.
ABOUT COMMUNITY & CULTURAL SPACES TRUST
The Community and Cultural Spaces Trust (CCST) is dedicated to the long-term preservation of affordable space and land for arts, culture, and community activities. Building on the successes of the community land trust movement and other alternative community ownership models, our goal is to mitigate the current displacement of arts and community organizations. To learn more and support our work, visit our website and follow CCST on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jozef Agtarap
Communications and Outreach Manager, Inspirit Foundation
jagtarap@inspiritfoundation.org
416-644-3600 ext. 107
Julia Culpeper
Communications Lead, Community & Cultural Spaces Trust
board@communityculturalspacestrust.ca
