Help OpenConcepts Hit the Road After Eviction

Story

Hi everyone, I’m a longtime collaborator and supporter of Khary, founder of OpenConcepts, and I’m helping organize this fundraiser on behalf of him and the creative community he’s built. For over 6 years, OpenConcepts has been a weekly open-format art party and open mic in Toronto. It’s a space where artists of all kinds — musicians, poets, dancers, filmmakers — share their work alongside food vendors, local businesses, and DJs. It’s raw, real, and radically accessible. For those who may not know us personally, OpenConcepts is more than an event. It’s part of a growing network of grassroots spaces keeping the arts alive in cities across Canada. In a time when venues are closing, support is scarce, and creative voices are being pushed out, this tour is a statement: art still matters, and community can’t be evicted. Why Now? Khary and the team were recently hit with an unjust eviction from their Toronto space. Rather than pause, they chose to push forward by taking OpenConcepts on the road. This summer, OpenConcepts is going on tour. From August through September, they’ll be hosting pop-up events in: • Vancouver • Montreal • Ottawa • Toronto (Homecoming) Why We’re Asking for Your Support The tour is happening with or without funding. But your support allows us to do it sustainably, safely, and with community care at the core. Your donations will help: • Rent venues and sound equipment • Document the tour (photos, video, recap zine) • Offer small stipends to featured artists, vendors and crew • Seed a new home base in Toronto for OpenConcepts post-tour We’ll share a full breakdown of spending and release a free digital recap at the end of the tour to show the impact you made possible. What This Tour Makes Possible • 100+ emerging artists showcased • 10+ local vendors and grassroots businesses supported • A recap zine and public digital archive • A new Toronto venue space for OpenConcepts to grow again How You Can Help • Donate — every contribution counts, even $5 • Share this campaign with your network • Show up if we visit your city This isn’t just about a tour. It’s about refusing to let grassroots art disappear. It’s about reclaiming space. And it’s about showing that creative communities still matter. Thank you for helping keep this movement alive. ❤️ ⸻ Optional Support Tiers If you’d like to contribute a little more, we’ll thank you in the following ways: • $25+ — Personal thank-you note • $50+ — Name credit in our digital tour recap zine • $100+ — Free download of the zine plus all of the above Everyone who gives will be acknowledged in some way. We see you, and we’re grateful.