OUR STORY

MANDATE

Forest City Gallery (FCG) is an artist-run centre founded on artistic autonomy with a commitment to excellence in programming exhibitions and events that reflect and address recent developments in cultural production. FCG serves to foster and support contemporary art, promoting dialogue among local, regional, and international arts communities. FCG represents artists of all disciplines and career levels with a focus on emerging artists and practices.  

VISION STATEMENT

A thriving artist-run culture. 

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MISSION STATEMENT

An artist-run center that fosters and supports contemporary art, promoting dialogue among local, regional, and international arts communities. 

VALUE STATEMENTS

FCG strives to be an alternative exhibition and artist venue through providing diverse programming and educational skills training for artists, administrators, educators, and advocates. In order to remain inclusive, FCG emphasizes community engagement through facilitating both open access and ongoing dialogue with community members and partners. 

FCG proves itself to be resilient through remaining adaptive to the challenges and struggles of the changing climate in the arts. We provide a support system for artistic agency that fosters growth and criticality. FCG commits to be a formative platform for artists. 

BRIEF HISTORY

FCG was founded in 1973 by a nationally recognized group of London artists and musicians. As one of Canada’s first artist-run centres, FCG became a catalyst for the development of artist-run culture, contributing to the conception of ARCCO (Artist-Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario) and CARFAC (Canadian Artists’ Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens). FCG is committed to paying all exhibiting artists and lecturing artists in accordance to CARFAC rates. In doing so, FCG promotes and facilitates the professionalization of visual artists. As the only artist-run centre in London, FCG is an important venue for introducing contemporary artistic practices to Londoners. 

For FCG's current Strategic Plan click here.

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Forest City Gallery is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Lenape, Huron-Wendat and Attawandaron peoples, which has been a site of human activity for over 10,000 years. The local First Nation communities of this area include Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Munsee Delaware Nation. In the region, there are eleven First Nations communities and a growing Indigenous urban population. Forest City Gallery acknowledges the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers, and we acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples endure in Canada.

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This territory is protected by the Dish With One Spoon wampum agreement between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas, Haudenosaunee, and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and peoples, as well as settlers, have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect.

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To acknowledge this traditional territory is to recognize its longer history, one predating the establishment of the earliest European colonies. We also acknowledge the colonial frameworks within which Forest City Gallery operates and the need to identify and remove barriers on an ongoing basis.

Teresa Carlesimo - Gallery Director

Hailey Edge - President 

Alex Jaworiwsky - Ex Officio

Hannah Elias Goldberg - Treasurer

Michelle Beckett - Secretary

Anahi Gonzalez Teran - Programming Chair

Alexia Hlynialuk - Hear Here Chair

Anna Carroll - Volunteer Coordinator

Julie Dring - Fundraising Chair

Meg Spindler - Media Chair

Sara Mai Chitty - Community Engagement Coordinator 

Alex Bast - Director at Large