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VIVO Media Arts Centre urgently needs your support. We are facing a rent affordability crisis that threatens our ability to serve artists and the community at the level we have sustained for five decades. The City of Vancouver has increased our rent by 30% and imposed annual hikes that far outpace our funding sources. That 30% increase represented all of the operating revenue we received from the City, leaving us with nothing to support staff or programming. These costs put immediate pressure on our operations and jeopardize our ability to keep space, equipment, and training affordable for artists. Unless we raise critical funds, VIVO will be forced to pause programming, reduce access to our production and archive facilities, and risk the stability of our home at a time when media artists rely on us most. This crisis is not only about rent — it is about protecting jobs for local artists, safeguarding cultural infrastructure, and ensuring Vancouver does not lose one of its longest-standing artist-run centres. Without intervention, the impact will ripple across the city’s cultural sector, affecting thousands of artists, organizations, and students who rely on VIVO to ensure art making is affordable and accessible, as well as community members and organizations who depend on VIVO’s resources, mentorship, and archival access.
For over 50 years, VIVO Media Arts has been a key part of Vancouver's cultural scene, supporting experimental media practices and independent voices. We’ve helped thousands of artists gain affordable access to equipment, workshops, studio space, and mentorship, opening doors for both new and established creators. We are committed to paying artist fees and a living wage to our employees. Beyond production support, VIVO brings people together through exhibitions, screenings, residencies, and artist talks, creating a space where ideas, technologies, and communities meet. Our Crista Dahl Media Library & Archive, one of Canada’s most significant artist-run archives, preserves the histories of media art, activism, and community organizing from 1973 to the present. During the pandemic, when isolation threatened cultural life, we kept artists connected by offering ongoing access to resources and training. In a time of rapid technological change and growing access gaps, VIVO’s role as a public-facing, artist-run centre is more important than ever. We are one of the few places where artists, archivists, and communities can explore new media, access vital resources, and preserve cultural histories that might otherwise be lost.
VIVO needs to raise $50,000 to pay rent, stabilize operations, and retain as many jobs as possible while continuing to support media arts and artists. If you've ever accessed our low-barrier space and equipment, attended a free event, or benefited from our archival services, we invite you to make a donation today.
Your donation will:
Every contribution makes an impact. Please consider donating today to help VIVO continue to be a home for Vancouver’s media arts community. If donations aren’t possible at this time, we would greatly appreciate it if you could share this message with your community and on your platforms.
You can donate via the link below, send an e-transfer to admin@vivomediaarts.com, or mail a cheque payable to Satellite Video Exchange Society.
Every donation over $20 is eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
Thank you for standing with us at this urgent time. With your support, VIVO will continue to be a vital space for creation, preservation, and community for decades to come.
Banner: ARRAY by Eric Cheung, Opening Reception, VIVO Media Arts, June 19, 2025
Photo by: Rachel Topham Photography