As we look ahead to our 50th anniversary in 2029, we are sharing an important update on our space, our history, and the future of Mercer Union.
Learn more about Mercer Union’s next chapter:
Dear Friends and Supporters of Mercer Union,
For nearly two decades, Mercer Union has leased space at 1286 Bloor Street West and contributed to the development of the Bloordale-Davenport neighbourhood in Toronto.
Prior to that, we helped catalyze the emergence of Queen West as a hub for boundary-breaking artists.
In fact, wherever Mercer Union has planted its roots over the course of its 47-year history—be it our original space on Mercer Street, our galleries on Lisgar, Adelaide, and King Streets, or our current address on Bloor—we have distinguished ourselves through a focus on commissioning and supporting the production of new and experimental work, often facilitating milestone exhibition opportunities for artists who are coming into prominence in a wider international sphere.
That has been at the heart of our identity.
And now, as we consider the exciting landmark of our 50th anniversary in Summer 2029, we are beginning to lay the groundwork for the next chapter of Mercer Union.
It’s a chapter that will honour the original impulse behind our work and propel us into the next era: developing major new projects and long-range collaborations with artists to articulate the stakes in their practice and support their ambitions and audiences.
Being so deeply anchored in our mission is invaluable, because it enables us to look back at where we’ve come from in order to see more clearly where we need to go next.
Last year, a new owner purchased our building and shared their plans for an extensive retrofit of the space. The resulting situation has provided an opportunity to thoughtfully consider what Mercer Union needs to best serve artists and audiences in the years ahead.
Just as we have over the last 47 years, we will continue to harness the generous support, extraordinary energy, and critical resources required to sustain Mercer Union as a crucial exhibition space for contemporary art in Toronto and one of Canada’s leading artist-run centres.
The constellation of artists, institutional partners, and government and philanthropic champions who make up our incredible community share in this mission. Together, we will write the next chapter of Mercer Union as an irreplaceable forum, a place where artists are seen first and where engagement with new, leading-edge practices generates powerful potential to reshape the future of contemporary art.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement with Mercer Union.
With gratitude,
Mercer Union, a centre for contemporary art
Last year, a new owner purchased our building. This new landlord is now preparing to undertake an extensive retrofit of 1286 Bloor Street West. At this moment, we are focused on channelling our energies into planning Mercer’s next chapter from a position of continued strength and vitality.
The details of the retrofit plans are the landlord's to speak to, but they are substantial. Our senior leadership and legal counsel worked closely with the landlord’s representatives to determine our options. We were patient, systematic, and comprehensive during this process. Ultimately we concluded that there wasn’t a workable path for Mercer Union to remain at 1286 Bloor Street West while also delivering on our missions and vision.
Mercer Union is not being kicked out. Our current lease runs through June 2028, and we have the right to extend for a further five-year period. However, given that there is no workable path towards a viable tenancy at 1286 Bloor Street West, our legal counsel is working diligently to reach an agreement that protects Mercer Union's interests with a view to early lease termination.
In parallel we are carefully evaluating the best long-term solution for the organization so that Mercer Union can continue to play its role as one of Canada’s leading artist-run centres and a place where artists are seen first.
We are assessing the best long-term facilities solution for the organization through the lens of Mercer Union’s mission, operational capacity, and long-term impact.
Any future facility must be financially sustainable over the long term, with an operating model that supports Mercer Union’s artistic mission for decades to come.
We are exploring options that include traditional lease, partnerships, shared infrastructure, and collaborative models. No decisions regarding relocation have been finalized at this stage.
No. We have artistic commitments with artists and partners over the next three years, and we're in close dialogue with each of them to find the right path forward for their exhibitions. Those conversations will be artist-led.
No. Our legal team is working to protect Mercer Union's financial interests, and financial sustainability is a core consideration in every option we're evaluating.
Yes, in fact, we view this as an opportunity to build toward our next chapter from a position of strength. Guided by our shared vision and commitment to Mercer Union, our Board and stakeholders are dedicated to ensuring that we have the resources and capacity to deliver its mission during and beyond its 50th anniversary in 2029.
To that end, we have been:
Help us spread the word that Mercer Union is looking for its next home. This isn't new territory for us; we've relocated four times before, always in service of our artists and our mission. Our focus will remain on our artists, commissions, and serving our audiences.
Should you have any questions or concerns about Mercer Union’s approach to this unanticipated challenge, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with us directly by email at [email protected] or by phone at 416.536.1519.
Share your Mercer Union story with us! Write to us about an exhibition that stayed with you, the friend you made at the gallery, the program that challenged your thinking about contemporary art, or anything Mercer Union at 1286 Bloor St W has been to you.
