Vtape (Canadian Cultural Workers Network)

Vtape is a distributor and information resource centre that makes the work of independent video artists visible and accessible. Born from a love of video art, and actively involved in fulfilling the needs of artists and audiences, Vtape makes its collection of more than 5,500 video artworks accessible to a client base of over 12,000 curators and programmers, festivals, galleries, libraries, scholars and diverse public audiences, making Vtape one of the largest not-for-profit video art distributors in the world. In addition to providing artist-centred distribution services, Vtape presents exhibitions of artists’ and curators’ work, and is working to establish video art preservation and exhibition standards. Vtape provides a milieu for both established and emerging artists, and strives to support hybrid practices in an increasingly diverse technical landscape. 

Vtape is dedicated to providing learning opportunities for young cultural workers to gain essential experience with media arts discourse and artists’ practices, and to increasing the awareness of Aboriginal media arts production. Financial and organizational responsibility and balance are crucial to our operation, allowing us to operate a unique facility with up-to-date equipment and experienced staff. Vtape believes in the value of collaboration, and works frequently with other media arts and visual arts organizations. Vtape insists on the value of artistic merit and the right to freedom of expression, and is dedicated to improving the socioeconomic realities for Canadian video artists.