The ArQuives
The ArQuives is a Canadian nonprofit founded in 1973 that operates the world's largest independent 2SLGBTQIA+ archives. It acquires, preserves, and provides digital and in-person access to Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ documentary heritage for researchers, educators, and community members.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The ArQuives does
The ArQuives is a Canadian nonprofit organization founded in 1973 that operates the world's largest independent 2SLGBTQIA+ archives and is the only such archive in Canada with a national mandate. Headquartered at 34 Isabella Street in Toronto, the organization acquires, organizes, and preserves materials in any medium by and about 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada, while providing public programming and access to information to promote awareness of 2SLGBTQIA+ histories and scholarship. Its three primary collections are the main archival holdings (textual records, audio-visual materials, posters, photographs, and artifacts), the James Fraser Reference Library (fiction/nonfiction, serials, zines, and academic materials), and the Art and Artifact Collections including the National Portrait Collection, T-Shirt, Button, and Matchbook collections. The ArQuives serves researchers, educators (Grade 9-12), community members, and partner organizations across Canada and internationally.
The ArQuives delivers its collection and programming through two proprietary digital platforms: the Online Collections Portal at collections.arquives.ca (a searchable database serving 10,000+ researchers annually from around the world) and the Digital Exhibitions platform at digitalexhibitions.arquives.ca (which attracted 27,000+ visitors in 2025). In-person access is provided through a reading room by appointment at the Toronto location. Programming spans annual exhibitions, the biennial From Marginalization to Visibility (FMV) conference, Grade 9-12 education resources, house and historical walking tours, presentations, and workshops. The organization also runs the Community Ties: Our Future Together nationwide consultation initiative funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada, and the Every Story, Everywhere digital infrastructure fundraising campaign.
The ArQuives operates a diversified nonprofit revenue model in which 100% of the operational budget is supported by the community. Revenue streams include donations (the largest source), an annual membership program with tiers from $15 to $7,500 (Guardian Level D), e-commerce store merchandise sales ($5-$400), paid research services ($50/hour remote consultation, $60 document retrieval fee), and conference revenue. Project-specific grants are sourced from government and institutional funders including Women and Gender Equality Canada and Library and Archives Canada ($36,545 in 2025). Strategic leadership is provided by Executive Director Raegan Swanson (in role since 2016) and a Board of Directors chaired by Lisa Freedman, with the operational team including specialists across archival, digital, curatorial, development, communications, and community outreach functions.
The ArQuives firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The ArQuives
- Legal name
- The ArQuives
- Website
- https://arquives.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The ArQuives is a Canadian nonprofit founded in 1973 that operates the world's largest independent 2SLGBTQIA+ archives. It acquires, preserves, and provides digital and in-person access to Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ documentary heritage for researchers, educators, and community members.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The ArQuives industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Cultural Archives
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Digital Archives, Libraries & Institutional Access Platforms (MPAJAMAJ)
Keywords
Where The ArQuives is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The ArQuives business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership: Annual membership with voting rights at AGM and engagement in strategic planning. Tiers from $15 basic to $7,500 Guardian Level D with various benefits including tours, publications, and educational experiences.
- Store/ Merchandise: E-commerce store selling merchandise including books (Out North), tote bags, carabiners, tour tickets, and conference tickets ranging from $5-$400
- Donations: Financial donations from individuals supporting acquisition and preservation of 2SLGBTQIA+ information. 100% of operational budget supported by community.
- Research Services: Remote researcher service at $50/hour for speaking with reference archivist and selecting materials to be looked at. Document retrieval fee of $60 for off-site materials.
- Conference Revenue: From Marginalization to Visibility 2026 conference in-person tickets $50-$400, online tickets $50-$150, exhibitor tables available
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Basic Membership - $15/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Guardian Level A - $1,500/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Guardian Level B - $3,500/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Guardian Level C - $7,500/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Guardian Level D - $7,500/year |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time | FMV Conference In-Person - $50-$400 |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time | FMV Conference Online - $50-$150 |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Remote Research Service - $50/hour |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Document Retrieval Fee - $60 |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Store Items - $5-$30 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The ArQuives product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The ArQuives is Canada's only national 2SLGBTQIA+ archives, operating since 1973 to acquire, organize, and preserve materials (in any medium) by and about 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada. It provides public access to these holdings through an Online Collections Portal and Digital Exhibitions platform, in-person research visits, remote archivist-assisted research services, education resources for K-12 classrooms, historical tours, exhibitions, and an annual/hybrid conference. Revenue is generated through membership tiers, donations, research fees, store merchandise, and conference registrations.
Product overview
The ArQuives operates as a unified archive institution offering multiple interconnected services centered on preserving and providing access to Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ histories. The core offering is the Collection itself, comprising archival records, the James Fraser Reference Library, and Art and Artifact Collections. Access is delivered through the Online Collection Portal (searchable database) and Digital Exhibitions (themed online exhibits). Programming includes Education Resources for Grade 9-12 curricula, Tours (house and moving historical tours), Presentations, and Workshops. The organization also operates a Store for merchandise and memberships, hosts the From Marginalization to Visibility biennial conference, and runs the Community Ties strategic consultation initiative. Research Services provide in-person and remote access to materials. All offerings work together to fulfill The ArQuives' mandate of acquiring, preserving, and providing public access to 2SLGBTQIA+ documentary heritage in Canada.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The ArQuives Collection (Archival Holdings) Core archival holdings containing personal and organizational records in any medium (textual, photographic, audio-visual, posters, artifacts, and artworks) by and about 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada.
- James Fraser Reference Library Specialized library collection of fiction/nonfiction monographs, academic articles, pamphlets, annual reports, and 2SLGBTQIA+ serials (zines, newsletters, calendars, magazines, recurring publications).
- Online Collection Portal Searchable online platform at collections.arquives.ca allowing researchers to search collections by keyword, collection, organization, person, media, and artifact type, with 10,000+ annual visitors worldwide.
- Digital Exhibitions Themed online exhibitions highlighting resources from The ArQuives' collection, designed for public and educational use.
- Education Resources for Schools Curricula and downloadable mini-exhibition packages for Grade 9-12 English and History teachers, including Becoming 2SLGBTQIA+ Literate guides, 2SLGBTQIA+ Stories mini-unit plans, School Advocacy policy resources, and mini-exhibition kits featuring the National Portrait Collection, Button Collection, and Student & Youth LGBTQ2+ Activism materials.
- Research Services (In-Person and Remote) Archivist-assisted research support for individual researchers, academics, students, and writers. In-person reading room access is available by appointment (Mon, Tue, Fri 11am-4:30pm; Wed 5-8pm), and remote research consultations with a reference archivist are available at $50/hour. Off-site document retrieval is $60.
- Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ History Tours Guided tours including House Tours of the archive at 34 Isabella Street and Moving Tours: Church-Wellesley Village Tour (2SLGBTQIA+ history after WWII), Downtown Tour (early to mid-20th century), and University of Toronto St. George Campus Tour.
- Presentations and Workshops Educational presentations (ArQuives overview, Gay Liberation 1969-1990s, History of the Purge, Pride in Canada) and pay-what-you-can workshops including Activating Queer History in the Classroom, Button Workshop, Storytelling Workshop, Stitch N' Bitch Textile Workshop, and Zine Workshop.
- Exhibitions (Curatorial Committee) On-site rotating exhibitions including at least one from the Curatorial Committee annually, focusing on 2SLGBTQIA+ storytelling and history.
- Special Events Community programming including book and zine launches, community film screenings, talks and panels, and Queer Trivia Nights hosted by the Community Engagement Committee.
- Online Store (Merchandise and Tickets) E-commerce store offering merchandise (Out North book $30, Keeping Our Stories Alive Tote Bag $10, Carabiner $5), Village Tour tickets, FMV Conference tickets, and Membership options.
- Community Ties: Our Future Together A national community consultation and strategic planning initiative that gathers input from 2SLGBTQIA+ communities across Canada to inform the organization's future direction.
- From Marginalization to Visibility Conference (FMV 2026)
- Membership Program (including Guardian Program) Annual membership with voting rights at the AGM and Guardian Program tiers ($1,500 Guardian A to $7,500 Guardian C/D) that include curator-led tours, invitations to special events, copies of new ArQuives publications, and in-depth educational experiences.
- Every Story, Everywhere Digital Fundraising Campaign A digital fundraising campaign to invest in infrastructure and software that increases digital access to The ArQuives' collections, including database development.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10,000+ researchers annually access collections through Online Collection Portal
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The ArQuives
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The ArQuives technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The ArQuives partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Archive/Counter-ArchivecoreA project dedicated to activating and remediating audiovisual archives created by Indigenous Peoples, Black community and People of Colour, women, LGBT2Q+ and immigrant communities. Supported by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
- Defining Moments Canada/ Moments Déterminants CanadacoreDigital heritage and education organization leading innovative educational engagement and commemoration of Canada's history using 21st-century tools and storytelling skills.
- Digital Transgender ArchivecoreBased at Northeastern University, an international collaboration among 60+ institutions providing online hub for digitized transgender historical materials. The ArQuives contributes Canadian trans history to this global resource.
- The Disability CollectiveminorToronto's only fully disability-led performing arts organization. Collaboration on accessibility and inclusion initiatives.
- EgalecoreCanada's leading organization for 2SLGBTQI people and issues. Works on research, education, awareness, and advocacy for human rights and equality.
- Inside Out Film FestivalcoreOver three decades bringing Toronto's 2SLGBTQ+ community together through annual festivals in Toronto and Ottawa, filmmaker initiatives, and year-round events.
- The Intergenerational LGBT Artist ResidencycoreFirst intergenerational artist-in-residency program for LGBTQ2+ visual artists in Canada, offering studio space, travel support, and free room and board.
- Juxtaposition Poetry CollectiveminorTrans and non-binary poetry community building through writing circles, Blabaloo Zine publication, and open mics. Partnership on workshops and programming.
- LGBTQ Oral History Digital CollaboratorycoreFounded in 2014, directed by Prof. Elspeth Brown at University of Toronto. Largest LGBTQ oral history project in North America, connecting archives across Canada and the U.S.
- Metropolitan Community Church of TorontominorSince 1973, a vibrant progressive church rooted in Christian tradition and the 2SLGBTQ+ community, committed to social justice and human rights.
- National Film Board of CanadacoreCanada's public producer and distributor of award-winning documentaries, animation, interactive stories, and participatory experiences related to 2SLGBTQ+ content.
- Pride at Work Canada / Fierté au travail CanadaminorEmpowers Canadian employers to build workplaces celebrating all employees regardless of gender expression, identity, or orientation through education and thought leadership.
- Queer Songbook Orchestraminor14-piece professional chamber pop ensemble dedicated to elevating 2SLGBTQ+ experience through story and song, providing mentorship to queer and trans youth.
- Storytelling TorontominorCreative centre for storytelling founded in 1979. Partnership on storytelling workshops preserving unique personal 2SLGBTQ+ stories for The ArQuives collection.
- University of TorontocorePublic research university collaboration including hosting LGBTQ Oral History Digital Collaboratory and various archival partnerships.
- Thinking Through the MuseumminorInternational collaboration among scholars, museum professionals, and community representatives from Canada, Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, and USA exploring alternative heritage practices.
- Toronto Queer Film FestivalminorSince 2016, showcasing film and video art of queer and trans creators, celebrating resistance and elevating Indigiqueer/Trans/2 Spirit filmmakers.
- Pink Triangle PressminorLong-standing community partner publishing 2SLGBTQ+ content in Canada.
- Queers in Your EarsminorToronto-based storytelling collective founded in 1996.
- Newfoundland and Labrador Queer Research InitiativeminorFacilitates preservation and commemoration of 2SLGBTQ+ histories of Newfoundland and Labrador through community empowerment and historical materials collection.
- FILE NOT FOUNDminorCollaborative project bringing together archivists, artists, and scholars to develop strategies for resilient, accessible, diverse archival practices as sites of resistance.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
The ArQuives competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Internet Archive: A US-based digital library preserving cultural artifacts in digital form. The ArQuives is a documented contributing partner. Comparable as an enabling digital-preservation infrastructure provider, not a direct competitor.
- Library and Archives Canada: Canada's national library and archives. Comparable as an archival institution and a documented funding partner of The ArQuives ($36,545 in 2025); also a peer in archival practice, though operating at vastly larger scale with a federal mandate covering all of Canadian documentary heritage.
Direct peers
- Schwules Museum: Germany's national LGBTQ+ museum and archive in Berlin, with permanent and temporary exhibitions, research library, and educational programming. Directly comparable as an independent LGBTQ+ cultural-heritage institution with exhibitions, archive, and public programming.
- ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the USC Libraries: Housed at the University of Southern California, ONE is one of the largest LGBTQ+ archives in the world. Directly comparable in mission (LGBTQ+ archival preservation) and educational programming, though backed by a major US university rather than operating as an independent Canadian nonprofit.
- Lesbian Herstory Archives: Founded 1974 in Brooklyn, the Lesbian Herstory Archives is one of the world's oldest LGBTQ+ archives. Directly comparable as a community-founded, volunteer-supported archival institution preserving LGBTQ+ documentary heritage with similar mandate and operations.
- Queer Britain: The UK's national LGBTQ+ museum (opened 2022), focused on preserving and exhibiting LGBTQ+ history. Comparable as a national-scope LGBTQ+ cultural-heritage institution with museum and programming operations.
- Stonewall National Museum & Archives: Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Stonewall is a US LGBTQ+ museum and archive combining exhibitions, educational programming, and archival preservation. Highly comparable as a hybrid museum/archive with community education focus.
Emerging players
- Digital Transgender Archive: An international collaboration of 60+ institutions hosted at Northeastern University providing a digital hub for transgender historical materials. The ArQuives contributes Canadian trans history to this network. Comparable as a digital LGBTQ+ archival platform, though with a global rather than national scope.
- Queer Zine Archive Project: A volunteer-driven archive focused on LGBTQ+ zines, hosted at the Cornell University Library. Comparable as a smaller, specialized LGBTQ+ community archive with limited staff and a digitization mandate — overlapping with parts of The ArQuives' periodical and zine collections.
Broad incumbents
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights: Canada's national human rights museum in Winnipeg. Comparable as a major Canadian cultural/heritage institution with exhibitions, education resources, and national mandate — but broader in scope (all human rights, not specifically 2SLGBTQIA+).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The ArQuives social profiles
Digital presenceThe ArQuives financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The ArQuives leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles24 records
The ArQuives funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The ArQuives M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The ArQuives
What does The ArQuives do?
The ArQuives is Canada's only national 2SLGBTQIA+ archives, operating since 1973 to acquire, organize, and preserve materials (in any medium) by and about 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada. It provides public access to these holdings through an Online Collections Portal and Digital Exhibitions platform, in-person research visits, remote archivist-assisted research services, education resources for K-12 classrooms, historical tours, exhibitions, and an annual/hybrid conference. Revenue is generated through membership tiers, donations, research fees, store merchandise, and conference registrations.
Is The ArQuives a public or private company?
The ArQuives is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The ArQuives founded?
The ArQuives was founded in 1973. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The ArQuives based?
The ArQuives is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does The ArQuives make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership is the primary driver. The others are store/ Merchandise, donations, research Services and conference Revenue.
Who are The ArQuives's main competitors?
Others on record are Internet Archive and Library and Archives Canada. Direct peers are Schwules Museum, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the USC Libraries, Lesbian Herstory Archives, Queer Britain and Stonewall National Museum & Archives. Emerging players are Digital Transgender Archive and Queer Zine Archive Project. Canadian Museum for Human Rights is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The ArQuives have an API?
No public API is recorded for The ArQuives.
What industry is The ArQuives in?
The ArQuives's product category is Community Cultural Archives. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAF, Libraries, Archives & Special Collections, with a secondary code of EDAEAGAJ, Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation). Its NAICS code is 51921 and its SIC code is 8600.