Vtape is a vibrant distribution organization that represents an international collection of contemporary and historical video art and media works by artists. We make this collection accessible to curators and programmers, educators, scholars and public audiences worldwide. In addition to providing a distribution framework for established and emerging artists, Vtape is committed to establishing video art preservation and exhibition standards, and strives to support hybrid practices in an increasingly complex technical milieu.
In addition to single-channel, artist-created and -controlled, non-commercial video art, Vtape represents performance-based works, video art installations, conceptual art videos and new media, as well as social issue documentaries, human-rights-oriented, LGBTQ, and feminist works. We are particularly committed to increasing awareness of Aboriginal media arts production worldwide. Vtape also specializes in works that experiment with the medium of video and that locate themselves on the edge of the technological avant-garde.
Each year Vtape presents an impressive list of exhibitions, publications, and talks, making us a key contributor to the visibility of contemporary and historical media art in Canada. Vtape’s programming focuses primarily on presentations by single artists, selected thematic exhibitions, and the results of our residencies. Talks by artists and curators accompany the programming and further encourage public discussion and interest in the work and the field as a whole.
By providing training and learning opportunities for emerging artists and cultural workers, we offer essential experience with contemporary media artworks and historical artists’ practices and critical discourse. We are committed to maintaining financial and organizational balance, to providing a unique facility with contemporary equipment and experienced staff, and to encouraging collaborations and exchanges between artists, exhibitors, institutions, and funding agencies.
Vtape provides distribution information and consultation services to art galleries, museums, educational institutions, festivals, broadcasters, diverse community groups, the First Nations community, curators, scholars, students, and the general public. We offer the preview, rental, and sale of video artworks from our distribution collection for the purposes of exhibition, screening, and institutional and private acquisition.