Scarborough Arts
Scarborough Arts is a registered Canadian charity and one of six Toronto Local Arts Service Organizations delivering free and low-cost arts programming — including workshops, exhibitions, youth programs, and public events — to diverse communities across the Scarborough region of Toronto, Ontario.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersScarborough, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Scarborough Arts does
Scarborough Arts is a registered Canadian charity (Charity Number: 1326 89704 RR0001) and nonprofit arts service organization founded in 1978, originally as Arts Scarborough. It operates as one of six Local Arts Service Organizations (LASOs) mandated by the City of Toronto to deliver arts and cultural programming exclusively to the Scarborough region. The organization is headquartered at 793 Pharmacy Ave, Unit 312, with a secondary gallery space at the city-owned 1859 Kingston Road property on the Scarborough Bluffs. It serves children, youth, adults, seniors, and families — with explicit prioritization of equity-seeking groups including 2SLGBTQ+ youth, Black communities, and Indigenous communities — across Scarborough's diverse neighborhoods.
The organization delivers a portfolio of free and low-cost programs organized into three layers: recurring core programs (COMMUNITY+Connects seasonal workshop series, Healthy Arts for Seniors, EAST H.E.A.R.T. for 2SLGBTQ+ Black youth, and the Annual Juried Exhibition now in its 40th edition); targeted partnership programs (Workman Arts satellite programs funded by the Alan Slaight Family Foundation, Foodie Artist Residency, Food & Art Tours with Eat More Scarborough, Cultural Hotspots: KGO & Poetry as Gathering with Tender Possibilities, Archiving Memories of Malvern with TAIBU Community Health Centre, and The Neighbours Project with UTSC and BGC West Scarborough); and large-scale public events (The World in a Block Party, delivered across two weekends in partnership with Eat More Scarborough, Scarborough Town Centre, RISE Edutainment, SoundLife Scarborough, and Borough FC).
The business model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack rather than a commercial revenue model. Funding sources include municipal, provincial, and federal government grants (City of Toronto via the Community Celebration Support Fund, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, Government of Canada), corporate sponsorships (Delta Bingo & Gaming, Alan Slaight Family Foundation), individual donations accepted via the organization's website and the CanadaHelps platform, and co-funded partnership programming. All programs are offered free or at minimal cost to participants, and pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization has 1-10 employees and a board-governed structure, and as of November 2024 was conducting an Executive Director search indicating leadership transition.
Scarborough Arts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Scarborough Arts
- Legal name
- Scarborough Arts
- Website
- https://scarborougharts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Scarborough Arts is a registered Canadian charity and one of six Toronto Local Arts Service Organizations delivering free and low-cost arts programming — including workshops, exhibitions, youth programs, and public events — to diverse communities across the Scarborough region of Toronto, Ontario.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Scarborough Arts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Arts Services
- NAICS
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ)
Keywords
Where Scarborough Arts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scarborough
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Scarborough Arts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered charity (1326 89704 RR0001), Scarborough Arts receives donations from individual supporters, with options to donate via their website or CanadaHelps platform. Donations support local artists, free and low-barrier programming, and community arts opportunities.
- Government and Institutional Grants: Scarborough Arts receives funding from multiple government sources including City of Toronto, Ontario Arts Council, and Government of Canada, as well as corporate funders such as Delta Bingo & Gaming and the Alan Slaight Family Foundation.
- Partnership Collaborations: The organization partners with other organizations for co-funded programming initiatives, such as Destination Scarborough with Eat More Scarborough, and special programming with Workman Arts and various community partners.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Scarborough Arts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Scarborough Arts is a registered charity and one of Toronto's six Local Arts Service Organizations (LASOs) that delivers inclusive, low-barrier, community-driven arts and cultural programming to the Scarborough region. It provides free and low-cost workshops, exhibitions, mentorship programs, public art projects, and large-scale community events for residents of all ages, including equity-seeking groups. Programs span visual arts, performing arts, writing, multimedia, and food/art crossover experiences, supported through a network of community, municipal, provincial, federal, and corporate partners.
Product overview
Scarborough Arts is a community arts organization and registered charity that operates as one of Toronto's six Local Arts Service Organizations (LASOs). The organization offers a diverse portfolio of programs including core programs (COMMUNITY+Connects workshops, Healthy Arts for Seniors, EAST H.E.A.R.T. for 2SLGBTQ+ youth, and the Annual Juried Exhibition), special programs and partnerships (Foodie Artist Residency, Workman Arts Satellite Programs, Food & Art Tours), and community events (The World in a Block Party, The Neighbours Project). The programs are free or low-cost and provide artistic and creative industry development for Scarborough residents of all ages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- COMMUNITY+Connects A yearly creative and professional development workshop series providing free arts-based instruction from Scarborough and GTA-based creative professionals, offered as seasonal sessions (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) and including satellite programs in partnership with Workman Arts. Aimed at Scarborough residents seeking accessible arts education.
- Healthy Arts for Seniors Arts programming designed for seniors, providing creative engagement and community connection for older adults in Scarborough.
- EAST H.E.A.R.T. A 2SLGBTQ+ Youth Program (Health, Education, Art, Resilience, Together) offering workshops for Black Scarborough youth to engage with Black history through art, curated by Shamika Pierre.
- Annual Juried Exhibition A yearly showcase of visual artworks created by artists in response to a unique yearly theme, with pieces selected by a panel of jurors based on quality, technical execution, conceptual strength, originality, and impact. The 40th edition is titled 'error 404: Work in Process'.
- Foodie Artist Residency A residency program pairing food and art, featuring a Foodie Artist in Residence who creates work exploring the intersection of culinary and visual arts.
- Workman Arts Satellite Programs Specialized arts programming delivered in partnership with Workman Arts, offering dynamic arts programs that build social connections and mental health benefits through arts facilitation.
- Scarborough Arts x Eat More Scarborough: Food & Art Tours Collaborative food and art tour experiences showcasing Scarborough's multicultural food scene combined with arts programming, part of the Destination Scarborough initiative.
- The Neighbours Project Free multi-arts drop-in workshops welcoming children, youth, adults, seniors, and neighbours, featuring rotating activities including portrait printmaking, storytelling, music learning, and BGC West Scarborough programming.
- Cultural Hotspots: KGO & Poetry as Gathering A mentorship opportunity in collaboration with Tender Possibilities, pairing poet and facilitator Farhia Tato with two artist mentees to shape and deliver a community-based poetry program in the Kingston-Galloway/Orton Park neighbourhood.
- Archiving Memories of Malvern A 5-week workshop series on street photography as a tool to document the stories and lives of Malvern, exploring the history of the community and teaching participants to tell their own stories.
- The World in a Block Party Large-scale, free public events celebrating Scarborough's arts, cultural, and food identity, transforming public spaces into multi-day block party experiences with artist-led activations, food tastings, live music, and performance.
- Scarborough Arena Gardens Mural A collaborative mural project at Scarborough Arena Gardens completed with artist team Wandy Cheng, Sagal Duale, and Just J Art, in partnership with Mural Routes and support from East End Arts.
Companies that use Scarborough Arts
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Scarborough Arts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Scarborough Arts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Scarborough Town Centre (STC)coreSTC presents The World in a Block Party Weekend Two event at the former Hudson's Bay parking lot outside Gate 3, partnering on community celebration.
- RISE EdutainmentcoreCollaboration for live stage programming at The World in a Block Party events, curating performances and community entertainment.
- SoundLife ScarboroughcorePartner for live music programming and sound art workshops, supporting community activities at block party events.
- Borough FCminorCommunity activities support at The World in a Block Party Weekend One, including soccer activations at Birchmount Community Centre.
- Eat More ScarboroughcoreCollaboration on Destination Scarborough initiative showcasing Scarborough's vibrant restaurants, arts scene, businesses, and cultural institutions. Jointly presents The World in a Block Party and food & art tours.
- City of TorontocoreFunding through Community Celebration Support Fund; collaborative support for public space programming and community events.
- Mural RoutescoreCollaborative partner for Scarborough Arena Gardens mural project, working with mural artists and community engagement.
- East End ArtsminorSupport provided for Scarborough Arena Gardens mural project.
- Workman ArtscorePartnership for COMMUNITY+Connects Satellite Programs funded by Alan Slaight Family Foundation, delivering arts programming with mental health focus.
- University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC)corePartner in The Neighbours Project and various community programming initiatives.
- West Scarborough Neighbourhood Community CentrecoreHost venue for The Neighbours Project and other COMMUNITY+Connects programming.
- BGC West ScarboroughminorPartner for youth programming through The Neighbours Project.
- Choice PropertiesminorPowers The Neighbours Project as programming partner.
- TAIBU Community Health CentreminorHost venue for Archiving Memories of Malvern workshops, supporting community health and arts programming.
- Tender PossibilitiesminorCollaboration for Cultural Hotspots: KGO & Poetry as Gathering mentorship program in Kingston-Galloway/Orton Park.
- Sister LASO OrganizationsminorCollaboration with Arts Etobicoke, East End Arts, Lakeshore Arts, North York Arts, and UrbanArts as part of Toronto's LASO network.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Scarborough Arts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- East End Arts: Sister LASO serving Toronto's east end with the same municipal mandate, funding model, and community-arts focus. Already collaborates with Scarborough Arts on the Scarborough Arena Gardens mural project.
- North York Arts: Sister LASO serving North York, delivering comparable community arts programming, grants administration, and partnerships under the same municipal framework.
- Arts Etobicoke: Sister Local Arts Service Organization in Toronto, also mandated by the City of Toronto to deliver community arts programming in Etobicoke. Operates an almost identical funding and program model, including grants, workshops, and exhibitions.
- Mural Routes: Toronto-based nonprofit dedicated to mural arts and public art production. Active partner on the Scarborough Arena Gardens mural project, with a comparable community-mural and artist-development mandate.
- UrbanArts: Sister LASO serving the Weston/Mount Dennis/Jane-Finch area, focused on community-engaged arts by and for equity-seeking groups — overlapping strongly with Scarborough Arts' equity-focused programming.
- Lakeshore Arts: Sister LASO serving Toronto's Lakeshore area, sharing the same City of Toronto mandate, governance structure, and community-arts delivery model as Scarborough Arts.
Emerging players
- Art Starts: Toronto community arts charity focused on newcomer and equity-seeking communities through arts-based programming. Shares the community-led, equity-first model used by Scarborough Arts' EAST H.E.A.R.T. and Cultural Hotspots programs.
- Workman Arts: Toronto-based arts and mental health nonprofit partnering with Scarborough Arts on the COMMUNITY+Connects satellite programs. Overlaps in arts programming for marginalized communities but is focused specifically on mental health.
Others
- Toronto Arts Council: Municipal arts funder that channels operating and project grants to Scarborough Arts and its LASO peers. Not a direct peer but the key upstream funder that shapes program design and operating constraints across the LASO network.
Broad incumbents
- Artscape: Larger Toronto nonprofit operating creative hubs, artist residencies, and community arts space — broader portfolio but overlapping artist-development and community-arts focus relevant to Scarborough Arts' mandate.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Scarborough Arts social profiles
Digital presenceScarborough Arts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Scarborough Arts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Scarborough Arts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Scarborough Arts 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 Scarborough Arts
What does Scarborough Arts do?
Scarborough Arts is a registered charity and one of Toronto's six Local Arts Service Organizations (LASOs) that delivers inclusive, low-barrier, community-driven arts and cultural programming to the Scarborough region. It provides free and low-cost workshops, exhibitions, mentorship programs, public art projects, and large-scale community events for residents of all ages, including equity-seeking groups. Programs span visual arts, performing arts, writing, multimedia, and food/art crossover experiences, supported through a network of community, municipal, provincial, federal, and corporate partners.
Is Scarborough Arts a public or private company?
Scarborough Arts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Scarborough Arts founded?
Scarborough Arts was founded in 1978. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Scarborough Arts based?
Scarborough Arts is headquartered in Scarborough, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Scarborough Arts make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are government and Institutional Grants and partnership Collaborations.
Who are Scarborough Arts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are East End Arts, North York Arts, Arts Etobicoke, Mural Routes, UrbanArts and Lakeshore Arts. Emerging players are Art Starts and Workman Arts. Toronto Arts Council is listed as an others. Artscape is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Scarborough Arts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Scarborough Arts.
What industry is Scarborough Arts in?
Scarborough Arts's product category is Community Arts Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAC, Arts Education & Community Arts Programs, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAH, Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs. Its NAICS code is 71 and its SIC code is 7900.