EMBASSY CULTURAL HOUSE
Established in 1983, the Embassy Cultural House was a community-driven gallery and hosted interdisciplinary programs. It closed its physical doors in 1990. In 2020, the Embassy Cultural House was re-envisioned as a virtual artist-run space and community website.
A not-for-profit initiative, the ECH delivers its projects through a dedicated team of volunteers, partners, community contributors and angel investors. Occasional funding through project arts grants also supports the ECH to honour the principle of payment of fees to contributors.
A not-for-profit initiative, the ECH delivers its projects through a dedicated team of volunteers, partners, community contributors and angel investors. Occasional funding through project arts grants also supports the ECH to honour the principle of payment of fees to contributors.
CURRENT PROJECTS
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Queer Cinema for Palestine 2025: No Pride in Genocide
Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 7-9:30 PM London Public Library, Lawson Room, 251 Dundas Street, London, ON Special Guest: Award-winning Filmmaker John Greyson FREE Queer Cinema for Palestine “No Pride in Genocide,” is a single program of stellar new short films, to be presented by groups/partners in 50+ cities globally during Pride June 2025. The Embassy Cultural House, based in London, ON, will host a QCP screening event on June 14, 2025 at London’s Central Public Library. Queer Cinema for Palestine began as a film festival in 2021, offering a hybrid ten-day program in thirteen cities around the world, celebrating Palestinian voices and queer solidarity with Palestinians and their liberation struggle. This is QCP’s 3rd year and Embassy Cultural House has programmed with QCP since the inaugural program in 2021. QCP supports the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, in particular the call by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) to boycott the Israeli government-sponsored LGBTQ film festival, TLVFest. For more information, please visit QCP's website. The Embassy Cultural House would also like to thank Antler River Media for partnering with us to host this event. |
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Embassy Cultural House, Annual Tabloid, February 2025
The Embassy Cultural House, February 2025 tabloid documents the ECH’s programming from January 2024 to January 2025, in addition to works, writings, and news from the local arts community in London, ON, and the ECH community abroad. This issue was launched at the Rock, Paper, Scissors Book+Print Fair co-hosted by PS Guelph, Art Gallery of Guelph, and Musagetes on February 23, 2024. This edition includes a preview for ECH's upcoming online exhibition Not/For The Money, feature articles by Dr. Qanita Lilla and Sarah Kendzior, an interview by Jessica Irene Joyce with artists Michelle Wilson and Mikaila Stevens, a lentil stew recipe, and more. Locations where you may or may not find the tabloid include Museum London, Colour by Schubert, Brown and Dickson Bookstore, Jill's Table, Western University's Visual Arts Department, Locomotive Espresso (Pall Mall location), The Bag Lady, Covent Garden Market, and The Framing and Art Centre. While quantities last! To order a copy of this tabloid, please contact [email protected] |
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Ana Falastini Screening at Western University, May 25, 2025
On Sunday, May 25, Ana Falastini, a documentary about Palestinians in Vancouver, will be shown from 4PM to 7PM at UC3110, Conron Hall, Western University. Come join us as we welcome Palestinian Canadian filmmakers Dalia Al Ahmad & Rawan Ramini for a Q&A following the screening. This event is organized by the Embassy Cultural House, People for Peace London, IJV London, the Western Film Department, the Canadian Palestinian Social Association London, and possibly more! Join us!
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An Alternative Cultural History of London, Ontario: Art and Activism
Edited by Jamelie Hassan and Ron Benner and designed by Olivia Mossuto Published by the Embassy Cultural House, September 2024 240 pages, 6 " x 9" full colour offset printing An Alternative Cultural History of London, Ontario: Art and Activism is the Embassy Cultural House’s 9th printed publication since 2020. This anthology reveals the vibrant yet often overlooked cultures of London, Ontario. The history of collective action within the city is narrated through essays, conversations, poetry, and archival images. It includes texts and images by 36 contributors: Lillian Allen | Robin Cary Askew | Blessy Augustine | Christina Battle | Ron Benner | Carl Cadogan | Tom Cull | Greg Curnoe | Stan Denniston | Omar El Akkad | Robert Fréchette | Wyn Geleynse | John Greyson | Janice Gurney | Jamelie Hassan | Salah D. Hassan | Tariq Hassan Gordon | Iraboty Kazi | David Neil Lee | Tarek Loubani | Miriam Love | Michael Lynk | Olivia Mossuto | Shelley Niro | Kim Ondaatje | Andy Patton | James Stewart Reaney | Christopher Régimbal | Judith M. Rodger | Jenna Rose Sands | John Scully | Ruth Skinner | Dan Smoke | Mary Lou Smoke | Diana Tamblyn | Don Vincent Their writings and accompanying images add to the previous histories written about London, Ontario. The emphasis in this anthology is on art and activism and presents a historical perspective beginning in the 1950s through to the present. To purchase the publication, please email [email protected] |
Visit the Hiding in Plain Sight Virtual Tour
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Embassy Cultural House catalogue now online It is with great pleasure that we are sharing an online version of the now out-of-print The Embassy Cultural House, 1983 to 1990 catalogue. This catalogue was published in 2012 to accompany the survey exhibit “The Embassy Cultural House, 1983 to 1990" presented at Museum London. The late Robert (Bob) McKaskell curated the survey exhibit, and the catalogue was edited by the late Melanie Townsend. The catalogue also includes essays by historical curator Michael Baker and Toronto-based artist, educator, and activist Rebecca Deiderichs. The Museum London public program included a sold-out concert of an improvizational jazz performance by Eric Stach and local musicians. With special thanks to Museum London, the estates of both Bob McKaskell and Melanie Townsend, all the contributors and supporters of the catalogue, and Colour by Schubert for making this publication available online to a broader public. Click here to read the catalogue online. |
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In memory of curator and writer Bob McKaskell, 1943–2020
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In Memory of Bob McKaskell It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news that our good friend Bob McKaskell, independent curator and writer, died on June 30, 2020, from cancer. He divided his time between Port Dover, Ontario, and Oaxaca, Mexico. While in Oaxaca, he decided to study Spanish, and he had just initiated a program of curating exhibits of Oaxacan artists in his apartment located in the centro historico of Oaxaca. He was a great cook, an excellent gardener, and his pursuit of knowledge was startlingly wide reaching. Anyone who knew Bob understood that his sometimes stubborn nature contributed to his ability to intensely focus in a very particular and detailed way to whatever subjects grabbed his interest. Bob taught contemporary art history for many years at Western University. He was a huge supporter of both Canadian and international artists and had a commitment to challenging art practices, including conceptual art, performance works, and independent artists' projects. While in London, he was involved in programming at the Embassy Cultural House, the Forest City Gallery, Museum London and the McIntosh Gallery. He later became curator at the Art Gallery of Windsor, the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, where he built strong friendships and made contributions to the arts community across Canada. We have so many fond memories of Bob. Especially close to our hearts is the survey exhibition he curated Embassy Cultural House: 1983 - 1990 at Museum London in 2012. |
