Edmonton's Downtown is on the edge of losing another Arts Venue.

We are asking for the City to immediately terminate the eviction notice, in a show of support for CO*LAB’s health and sustainability.

CO*LAB urges the City to continue working with stakeholders towards supporting abundant, and thriving arts opportunities for the whole neighborhood. An eviction notice is not a good faith negotiation tactic with a valued partner.

A local arts initiative, QAS, has faced difficulties since its inception in 2013, two of the most challenging being a loss of physical space in the Boyle Street Plaza in 2016 and after CO*LAB’s opening July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, where operation costs mounted in a time when operations were simply not possible.

CO*LAB is currently - and has been since its opening - working with the City to get financials in good standing, address outstanding debts, provide diverse/accessible/unique arts programming and have been advocating for our communities complex needs along the way. Despite many setbacks, construction delays and the realities of a global pandemic delays, QAS worked with the City to open CO*LAB in July 2020. 

Despite these setbacks, QAS and CO*LAB have remained committed to their mission of animating and bringing community programming to a historically underserved Boyle Street and invigorating downtown Edmonton with vibrancy. In fact, QAS has been working with the City for four years, conducting community surveys, creating a business plan, and raising funds to create CO*LAB, a permanent home for diverse communities to come together in a safe, barrier-free environment. CO*LAB and our tenants are vital to supporting the community during these challenging times. Our partners offer a community meeting place, free suspended meals, outreach to neighbours, and monthly Giving Back to the Streets events.