About W2

W2 is a globally networked community media arts centre in Vancouver's DTES (Downtown Eastside). W2's permanent home will open in September 2010 with 8,800 sq ft in the Woodward's heritage building at Abbott and Hastings. Here we will operate a 200-capacity networked broadcasting studio, community TV station, community FM radio station, social enterprise café, media lab, creative technology incubator, letterpress studio, telepresence and mobile media programs, and more.

W2 was initiated in 2004, and has been growing with the support of a Board of Directors and staff team towards our goal of opening Canada's first crossmedia centre. While our permanent home at Woodward's is one year behind schedule, it is now rapidly being finished by our partner the City of Vancouver, architect Gregory Henriquez (and his team at Henriquez Partners), W2's architectural consultant Hazen Sise of Walter Francl Architects, and an interior design team from False Creek Design Group.

In the six years of leadup since our conception in 2004, W2 has been incubated at Gallery Gachet, operated out of several temporary offices, and buildings on the 100 block of West Hastings, including the Flack Block. W2 operated the W2 Culture+Media House during the 2010 Olympics at the Perel Buiding (112 West Hastings). The 15,000 sq ft facility was a hub for independent journalists and Vancouver's diverse arts communities with 30 cultural events, broadcasting, and media centre operations. This was an exciting opportunity for W2 to build our organizational capacity, create volunteer teams, and boost the city-wide and international profile of W2's unique mandate.

Following the Olympics, from April 2010, W2 is operating the W2 Summer in the City at Storyeum, a series of conferences and exhibitions at the 31,000 sf facility at 151 W Cordova, located across the street from Woodward's. Again, W2 will grow and expand it's volunteer and staff expertise working on major media and culture projects as we prepare the final stages for opening at Woodward's.