Lease opportunity: City arts and culture administrative hub at 1157 Burrard Street

Information icon Dates and submission process are subject to change.

Our goal is to provide the cultural amenity space for a long-term lease at below-market rent.

The operator will be responsible for:

• Administrative, programming, operational, and associated facility costs
• Additional space improvements including specialized equipment
• Maintenance and minor repairs
• Start-up expenses

The cultural amenity space is expected to run on a cost-recovery basis that balances sustainability and affordability. 

Who is eligible

• Non-profit societies and co-operatives legally registered and in good standing with BC Registries and Services, including urban Indigenous non-profit organizations
• First Nations band councils on whose unceded traditional homelands Vancouver sits
• Registered charities with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)

Information icon Partnerships between non-profit arts and cultural organizations are eligible and encouraged, but it's not a requirement.

You must have:

• A clear arts or culture mandate
• A strong and active history of providing ongoing and equitable access to quality arts and cultural programming, services, or space provision within Vancouver, and related to the specific intended uses and goals outlined for the cultural amenity space 
• Been operational for at least 1 full year (and ideally 3 or more years)

Who is not eligible 

Organizations that:

• Do not have an active presence in Vancouver
• Have a primary purpose or activity providing health care, housing, social, childcare, educational, sport, recreational, or religious programs and services
• Are for profit

Information icon This opportunity is not open to individual artists who are looking to rent space or organizations seeking to rent a portion of the space (as a subtenant). Future sub-tenanting or bookings for subtenants will be managed by the selected non-profit operator.

Vison and need

• How does your proposal meet a current or future need and is rooted in the organization’s vision, mission, strategic plan, and long-term goals?
• How does your proposal contribute to Vancouver’s cultural ecology, reflecting the directions identified in Culture|Shift: Blanketing the City in Arts and Culture and Making Space for Arts and Culture PDF file (11 MB)?
• How does your proposal support the facility goals and intended use, including the provision of affordable, accessible, and safe cultural space?
• If your proposal involves partnerships, how is the proposal mutually beneficial and result in broader positive impact for the organizations and community?

Equity and Reconciliation

• How does your proposal demonstrate strategies to support Reconciliation with Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, and urban Indigenous communities and decolonization of cultural space?
• How does your proposal demonstrate principles of equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion? 

Readiness: Organization, financial, funding 

• Is the organization an established, stable, and sustainable non-profit arts and culture organization and is there a detailed, effective, and realistic project plan in place? 
• How does your proposal demonstrate fiscal responsibility, with realistic financial projections for the cultural amenity space operating budget, the capital maintenance budget, and a realistic funding plan?
• Does your organization demonstrate capacity to lead the project, including sufficient human resources?

When the submission process becomes available:

1. Provide a short online statement of intent form to confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements.  
2. If eligible, you will be invited to participate in a request for proposal process.
3. Arts, Culture, and Tourism staff will organize information sessions and answer questions to clarify any aspect of the request for proposal process prior to the submission deadline.

Information icon Submission requirements, process details, and key dates (including the launch date for the statement of intent form) will be posted when available, likely mid-to-late 2024. Process may be subject to change. 

Organizational information

Your organization's: 

• Mandate and mission
• Core programming
• Governance
• Staffing 
• Certificate of incorporation 
• Financial statements

Operating plan for the cultural amenity space

Provide your operating plan for the cultural amenity space, including but not limited to: 

• Alignment with key directions in Culture|Shift, Making Space for Arts and Culture PDF file (11 MB)
• Identify user of the space, processes to support users, and tenant selection process 
• Potential partners (and if partnerships are proposed, letters of agreement on the partnerships)
• Operational model and 5 year operating pro-forma
• Any improvements that may be required in the space to be operational (for example, equipment, additional fixtures, and fit out) and budget for improvements

• 1157 Burrard Street floor plans (coming soon)
• 1157 Burrard Street development permit application
• 1157 Burrard Street rezoning application
• Functional program (coming soon)