Arts organizations have largely vacated the Distillery after the 20-year Artscape lease on a privately owned building expired a couple of years ago. The rents have reverted to commercial after Artscape and none of the 70 artists and organizations could afford to stay. Sculptors Society of Canada, I was told in an informal chat with the person manning the desk there today, is also packing up in a month.
The two commercial galleries left are toughing it out: Arta, and the Thompson Landry Gallery. Both are on the Gristmill Lane which stretches diagonally from the corner of Parliament and Mill (you will spot the instagrammable Big Heart) to the main Distillery square and both rent themselves out for events. Daniel Faria Gallery, once on this square, left ages ago for the westernmost reaches of Toronto gallery going, the MOCA-Lansdowne area.
The TLG has two spaces but is considering closing one of them, I heard today, and keeping only the large, rentable location. The Cooperage Building space is a gorgeous, exposed brick, original plaster, dimmed lights gallery with nooks and private corners with sofas, perfect to bring a date to - or have a 30-odd reception. And the paintings (they specialize in contemporary artists from Quebec) currently on display are explosions of colour and light.
Jean-Pierre Lafrance (above and below) is always good company