Meridian Arts Centre in the North York district of Toronto rents theatres, a rehearsal hall and two galleries for corporate events and private functions. The spaces hold between 120 and 998 guests, and the largest, the George Weston Recital Hall, seats 998. The centre stands at 5040 Yonge Street, in the Yonge and Sheppard neighborhood, and is operated by TO Live, which also runs Meridian Hall and the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts.
Seminars and company events
For a conference, an annual general meeting or a product presentation, the theatres offer fixed seating with a stage and professional sound. The George Weston Recital Hall seats 998 guests. It was created by the New York acoustician Russell Johnson, and its walls are insulated to remove almost all background noise. The Lyric Theatre seats 561. The Miriam Green Theatre seats 296. The Studio Theatre is a black box for 178 guests that can be set up in proscenium, in the round or cabaret-style dinner theatre formats. The Rehearsal Hall measures 62 by 46 feet and holds 120 people, which suits a workshop or a breakout session. TO Live states that its venues can be customized with a company's own branding.
Rooms and capacities
The centre lists seven spaces. The George Weston Recital Hall seats 998, the Lyric Theatre 561, the Miriam Green Theatre 296 and the Studio Theatre 178. The Rehearsal Hall holds 120. The two galleries, once home to the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, spread over two floors that link the upper and lower levels. The Upper Gallery fits 157 people and the Lower Gallery fits 169. TO Live describes its three venues as offering 19 spaces in total, for gatherings from about 100 to 3,000 people, so a larger program can be built across sites by asking the events team.
Catering
TO Live offers full-service food and beverage. Organisers can choose from a curated menu or work with executive chef Andrew Fong to build a menu to their preferences. The official pages do not say which of the seven spaces can be set for a seated meal, so ask this when you send your request.
History and setting
The building was designed by the Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler for musicals, theatre and other performing arts. It opened on October 16, 1993 as the North York Performing Arts Centre. In 1994 it became the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts, then the Toronto Centre for the Arts, and in 2019 it took the name Meridian Arts Centre. Today it is one of three City of Toronto theatres programmed and operated by TO Live. Because it is a working theatre with a public season of concerts and shows, available dates depend on the performance calendar.
Getting there
The centre is at 5040 Yonge Street, in the heart of North York, in the Yonge and Sheppard neighborhood in uptown Toronto. TO Live describes its other venues as being in downtown Toronto.
