 Why
is There a Need For SpeakEasy?
SpeakEasy is a monthly gathering of Toronto's creative community.
It's an opportunity to network, share ideas, and keep in touch with
the pulse of Toronto's creative professionals. Since 1996 it has grown
from a get-together of a few friends to an event that now draws regular
crowds of up to 300. SpeakEasy takes place 6 times a year, on the first
Thursday of the month, at The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen W.)
The atmosphere at SpeakEasy is casual...conducive to innovation and
inspiration. Each month a selected group of artists from a different
creative discipline displays work for the crowd. Some of our most popular
shows have featured Photography (part of the city wide Contact Festival),
Illustration, Industrial Design, Multimedia, Graphic Design, Fine Arts,
and the SpeakEasy Craft Shows.
Why is there a need for SpeakEasy?
Many people in Toronto are working alone these days. At a venue like
SpeakEasy you can meet new friends and make new business contacts.
SpeakEasy allows people to see what is new and exciting in the industry,
and learn how other people tackle the day to day challenges of the
creative field. SpeakEasy is very informal. There are no annual fees
and no rules. The event is about creative people coming together
to share ideas, exchange knowledge, and learn from each other. There
are no other associations that are focused on helping creative individuals
to help themselves.
How Was SpeakEasy Started?
SpeakEasy began in 1996. At the time we didn’t have a name for it,
or even realize what we were starting. Here's a brief outline of how
it all began:
"I am a graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design. I graduated
in & 1992. After working for a few years in the art department of a large
toy company in Toronto, I decided to start my own design studio. It didn't
take me long to realize how isolating it can be when you are living and working
in a small studio space in the west end of Toronto. One day I decided to called
a few of my friends from college and suggested that we get together. It was
great to see my colleagues and find out what everyone was doing. We decided
to meet again every month, so we could keep in touch. Each time we would gather
after that, a few new faces would show up, and the conversations became more
involved.
A few months later I received a call from an illustrator friend of
mine who had just completed a series of drawings. He wanted some feedback.
I suggested he join me at that month's meeting. We hung Antonio's paintings
and everyone commented on how great it was to see some new work, make
a new contact, and get some fresh ideas. At the end of the night several
people came up to me and said 'That was just great! What are you doing
next month?' That was it, Speakeasy was born. I have been featuring
the work of selected artists ever since!" |
About Speakeasy 
