A Message from the Board of Directors
I am writing to share my perspective on recent comments about the direction of Factory Theatre.
As the Chair of Board of Directors at Factory Theatre, please be assured that we care deeply about the future of the theatre in Toronto and ensuring Factory builds on its legacy providing a stage for Canadian playwrights, performers, and the many skilled professionals who bring new works to new audiences. Our Board is made up of eleven diverse volunteers with backgrounds in the arts, law, accounting, finance, architecture, and fundraising. These skill sets are all necessary to provide good governance and oversight for Factory Theatre as a cultural institution and a physical asset. The board works hard, providing hundreds of unpaid hours each year in stewardship of the art, the property, and fundraising. The Board keeps its major government funding organizations and local politicians fully informed of its plans, which include the redevelopment or acquisition of a new physical structure for the theatre.
The theatre is over 100 years old. It has never had a major refurbishment. It is expensive to maintain given its age and outdated heating and cooling systems. On many occasions it has made it an uncomfortable environment. The goal is for a new or major redevelopment of the existing structure. A sale of the property has never been the preferred option because we have not found any other home for Factory that provides the proximity to downtown Toronto and public transit. Government assistance in the form of a capital investment has not been forthcoming. We had a plan that would have seen Factory turn over its front open square to the city to create a park with cash proceeds returning to Factory to rebuild the existing theatre complex, but the parks department turned down the plan. Factory has spent considerable time with private developers and plans that would result in the ownership of a rebuilt theatre on our current site along side of apartments or condominium units. We have come close to getting a deal done but could not close due to the lack of potential density and the added costs of preserving our heritage structures. If we were to ever reach an agreement, the community at large would of course be notified for consultation. It has been disappointing, and the current real estate environment appears to have placed a pause on any activity. We continue to operate in our existing building and management along with the Board work hard to manage all the additional expense it brings. The creation of art and stories has not been held back.
We are extremely proud of what was accomplished over the last decade under Nina Lee Aquino’s leadership. She brought us new plays from a diverse group of creators and to a new diverse audience base. Our new artistic director, Mel Hague, is building on that success despite having to navigate one of the most stressful periods that Canadian Theatre has experienced in recent memory. In the post-covid environment costs have escalated beyond any inflation index measure and audiences have not returned to pre-covid levels. The entire Canadian theatre community is feeling the stress but we have remained financially strong. Despite a trying year and management having to make some difficult decisions, Factory Theatre will shortly report a small surplus. As plans are formulated for the future, I can assure you Mel Hague has been absolutely focused on the further development of Canadian plays and continuing the Factory legacy.
I want to personally thank the management, staff, artists, government agencies, theatre patrons, all stakeholders, and our board of directors for their continued support of Factory Theatre. We all contribute because we love theatre.
Len Racioppo
Chair of the Board, Factory Theatre