Cultural Land Trust secures first property through Pinkerton bequest

Vancouver nonprofit 221A has announced the first property of its Cultural Land Trust: a 1920s wood-frame house located near Camosun Bog and Lord Byng Secondary School, gifted through the estate of the late SFU professor Evelyn Pinkerton.

Made possible through a partnership with the Co-operative Housing Federation of BC, the Pinkerton property will serve as community housing for the arts, though it will first require repairs and stabilization for safe occupancy and long-term use. With an assessed value of $2.77 million, it represents a significant start to the trust's ambitious vision.

221A conceived the Cultural Land Trust as a response to rising property costs across Vancouver's arts and cultural sector. The trust aims to acquire and steward real estate for creative communities, providing artists and cultural groups with predictable rental costs, secure long-term tenancy arrangements, and opportunities to build ownership over time. Similar models have proven effective in London, Seattle, and Austin.

The organization set an ambitious target of acquiring 30 properties across B.C. by 2050. That vision was spurred by a 2019 report from the Eastside Arts Society that revealed more than 400,000 square feet of artist workspaces, music venues, and gallery space had vanished from the Eastside Arts District in the preceding decade, with studio rents climbing 65 per cent over the same period. The loss has continued—the pandemic further intensified the squeeze.

"This meaningful donation will seed the growth of the CLT and actualize our goals of 30 buildings by 2050 for long-term cultural and housing stability," said Carmut Me, 221A's Head of Cultural Spaces R&D. "We are encouraged to see that the community is resonating with our vision."