TAIS The Art of Independent Animation

Welcome to TAIS – Toronto Animated Image Society from TAIS on Vimeo.

Artistic Context

TAIS is dedicated to the art of independent animation.

As a non-profit, charitable, artist-run production centre, TAIS is dedicated to exploring and promoting the art of independent animation through production, screenings, workshops, and exhibitions. Founded in 1984, today TAIS’ artistic vision is shaped by support for the ever-broadening multidisciplinary and global context of the animated arts. Annually, TAIS programming seeks to prioritize diverse, intersectional, and progressive artistic and community-based interests that maintain support for the traditions of the discipline while also reflecting an evolving, expanded definition of animation.

Our membership continues to expand to include contemporary multi-disciplinary artists, media artists, and 3D and VR animators who join the classical, digital hand-drawn, and stop motion animators that have long standing relationships with TAIS. Our members work in narrative and experimental styles, installation and web-based forms, and also explore animation as craft.

Annually, our public programming presents animation to audiences via screenings, exhibition, web, and through artist talks and studio visits with guest artists. We regularly partner with other groups and organizations to connect with new audiences and to inspire artists to explore animation in their artistic practice. We provide affordable access to studios and equipment for artists making animated work, and we hold regular community-based and educational workshop programs for those just starting out or seeking to add skills in animation to their artistic practice.

Guiding Objectives

• Support creation and research in animation production via artistic and technical experimentation.

• Offer 5 specialized animation studios, available 24/7, complete with production equipment, at affordable rates.

• Invite local, national, and international guest animation artists to lead workshops, present talks, and disseminate their work as means to support animators at all stages of development.

• Present animation to local, provincial, national, and international audiences through partnerships and touring programs.

• Coordinate community engagement projects and ongoing outreach via skills-building workshops delivered within the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, to communities in Southeastern Ontario.

Our Values

• Exclusive support for the production and presentation of independent animation.

• Prioritization of diverse, intersectional, and progressive artistic and community-based interests via TAIS operations, programming, and partnerships

• Inclusive, financially accessible services, programs, and resources

• Reflecting an evolving, expanded definition of animation, while maintaining support for the traditions of the discipline

Artist Networks

TAIS is a proud member organization of MANO/RAMO (Media Arts Net­work of Ontario/Réseau des arts médi­a­tiques de l’Ontario), and IMAA (The Independent Media Arts Alliance).

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For more information on upcoming programs, visit our Program Calendar.