Vancouver charity behind world's largest solar-powered tricycle seeking new space to create large-scale metal artwork

Daisy, the world's largest solar-powered tricycle, is pictures in a handout photo from eatART Foundation. The charity is currently seeking a new studio space, after learning the lease of its home for the past five years on Great Northern Way will be ending at the end of April.

The Vancouver charity behind the world's largest solar-powered tricyle is adding its name to the growing list of arts organizations struggling to find affordable space in the city.

The eatART Foundation announced over the weekend that its lease at 577 Great Northern Way is ending, meaning the charity has to leave by the end of this month—right as it's gearing up to host its largest fundraiser to date in the form of a circus-inspired play.

“We are asking for any information about potential spaces or organizations that would be interested in partnering for space that could accommodate our needs,” Curtis Perrin, the director of eatART, wrote in an email to the community on Saturday.

The acronym of the non-profit stands for Energy Awareness Through Art—which is what the organization has sought to promote since launching in 2007. It provides studio space, free tools and education to up-and-coming artists and engineers interested in large-scale works.

Speaking to CTV News, Perrin explained that Blackbird Interactive, a local video game development company who holds the non-profit's lease, decided to end the contract after this month.

“The building we’re in is slated for demolition in a few years,” Perrin said, adding he’s grateful for the company’s support to date.

EatART has been operating at the Emily Carr campus since 2018, paying $30,000 a month in rent for a 9,000-square-foot studio, but Perrin says only a third of the space gets used.

Now, the charity is seeking to scale down to a facility that can still accommodate large-scale metal work and be easily accessed by transit in Vancouver, all while preparing for a two-day fundraiser scheduled later this month at the Vancouver Playhouse.

“Rise – A Circus-Inspired Play,” is described online as a combination of mechanical artwork, dance, music and circus “to bring you an experience to transform your reality,” with tickets ranging from $16.50 to $91.50 each.

“Despite the added co-ordination required, we are committed to making the event a success and hope that the community will come together to support our efforts,” reads the email to eatART’s supporters. Perrin says the fundraiser has been in the works for two full years.

“It couldn’t come at a more critical time for us to be out and engaging with the community and raising the money we’re going to need to relocate and continue doing what we do moving forward,” Perrin told CTV News.

The timing of eatART’s lease ending coincides with the construction of the Broadway SkyTrain expansion project right beside the Emily Carr campus, creating additional hurdles in the moving process.

“While the (Broadway SkyTrain project) is being as accommodating as could possibly be hoped for, it is still a very large infrastructure project located right outside the only vehicle door accessing our space,” eatART said in a news release.

Perrin says that unless the charity can find a suitable partner or location, all of their equipment at Great Northern Way will have to be put into containers and stored.

“I’m hoping this can be a bit of a rallying cry to see where the organization goes next,” said Perrin. “If you don’t have a space to build your ideas, then a lot less creative and innovative things can get made and the city ultimately suffers from not having that element of culture.”