Welcome to TAIS – Toronto Animated Image Society from TAIS on Vimeo.
Artistic Vision
TAIS is dedicated to the art of independent animation.
Our vision is shaped by our support for the ever-broadening multidisciplinary and global context of the animated arts. As the only centre of our kind in the city and province, TAIS’ artistic vision is decidedly community-driven.
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.
The focus of TAIS artistic vision is on offering artists at all stages of development the opportunity to show their work and access production resources so that they can contribute to the expanding boundaries of animation as a discipline through creation. The ongoing focus of our centre is to support innovation, experimentation, stylistic diversity and skills development in independent animation practices within a contemporary arts context.
Our Values
- Exclusive support for the production and presentation of independent animation.
- Prioritization of diverse, intersectional, and progressive artistic and community-based interests
- Inclusive, financially accessible services, programs, and resources
- Reflecting an evolving, expanded definition of animation, while maintaining support for the traditions of the discipline
Our Guiding Objectives
- Enable artistic and technical experimentation in animation production via research and creation, and skills development
- Provide access to specialized animation studios, available 24/7, at affordable rates, complete with well maintained professional production equipment
- Offer a Studio Production Support Program for low income individuals, students, and cultural workers to access studio space as drastically reduced rates.
- Coordinate community engagement projects and ongoing outreach via skills-building workshops delivered within Toronto, the GTA, and communities in Southeastern Ontario
- Offer a Community Access – Subsidy Program for low income individuals, students, and cultural workers to register in workshops at discounted rates
- Promote critical consideration of the animated arts through the presentation of curated projects and programmes
- Invite mid-career and established local, national, and international animation artists to lead workshops, present artist talks, and show their work to inspire animators at all stages of development
- Present animation by local, national and international artists with support of organizational partnerships to engage broader audiences and support public dissemination
TAIS receives funding support from our membership, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Ontario Arts Council. Annual programming is also funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council, as well as by private donors.
