TO Live

TO Live (formerly Civic Theatres Toronto) is a City agency which manages and operates the City’s three major civic theatres – the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Meridian Arts Centre (formerly Toronto Centre for the Arts) and Meridian Hall (formerly Sony Centre for the Performing Arts).

The mandate of TO Live is to provide quality performance and event facilities and to promote its contribution to the artistic, cultural and social vitality of Toronto and its communities.

The three City-owned major civic theatres provide a broad range of performing arts, theatrical and concert events.

• Meridian Hall is located at 1 Front Street East and is the largest soft-seat theatre in Canada. The Sony Centre serves as a cultural hub that presents and promotes local, national and international performances and events.
• The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts is located at 27 Front Street East. The Centre houses two theatres and serves as a home to several Toronto-based not-for-profit theatre and music companies.
• Meridian Arts Centre is located at 5040 Yonge Street and has four theatres that host a wide range of live performance events including theatrical productions, orchestral performances and community events.

View the City’s Budget for TO Live for detailed budget information on service activities.

Governance

TO Live was established by City Council under the authority of the City of Toronto Act, 2006.

TO Live was created through the consolidation of the governance and operations of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, the Sony Centre, and Toronto Centre for the Arts into one organization.

Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 23, Civic Theatres sets out the mandate and governance structure of TO Live including the delegated authorities, responsibilities and composition of TO Live’s Board of Directors. The TO Live Board is responsible for supervising the management of the business and operations of the civic theatres.

The TO Live Board consists of 13 members appointed by City Council. It comprises 10 public members appointed through the City’s Public Appointments process and three City Council members, one of whom is the Mayor or Council member-designate. The Board Chair is appointed by City Council and the Vice-Chair is appointed by the Board from among its members.

Find out about opportunities to serve on the TO Live Board and its current membership.

Key Council Decisions

• City Council adopted EX22.10 Enacting an Updated TO Live Procedures By-law (April 2021)
• City Council adopted EX12.6 St. Lawrence Centre Redevelopment (January 2020)
• City Council adopted EX1.9: Changing the Legal Name of Civic Theatres Toronto to TO Live (January 2019)
• City Council adopted CC1.1: Recalibrating City Council’s Governance System for 26 Members (December 2018)
• City Council adopted EX29.8: Finalizing the Consolidation of Civic Theatres Toronto (December 2017)
• City Council adopted EX7.15: Report on the Future of the Civic Theatres (July 2015)
• City Council adopted AU15.3: Review of the Redevelopment of the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts (June 2014)

Search for other City Council decisions about TO Live.