FREE Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Toronto
Enjoy, experience and discover 2011 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche for one night only – all night long:
- the city transformed by hundreds of artists for Toronto’s sixth annual sunset-to-sunrise celebration of contemporary art;
- art in galleries, museums and
- unexpected places from a streetcar, alleyways and storefronts to churches, ponds and parks;
- more than 130 destinations for your choosing, and chart your own path.
Please click here for info on more than 130 FREE and accessible contemporary art projects within three zones (A , B, and C) of Toronto (Downtown North, Downtown Central / East, and Downtown South / West respectively) wherein you can:
- get a mixture of Exhibition Projects (more than 40 temporary public art projects commissioned within three outdoor exhibitions) and Independent Projects (more than 80 community-produced, one-of-a-kind experiences);
- scan through all projects by zone,
- click through the zone maps,
- review the alphabetical index of all projects, or
- take a look at the artist index, and
- join in the conversation via the “Nuit Talks” series of FREE three talks on
- September 26 – 27, and October 1;
- the role of new media and technology in artistic practice;
- how protest and politically engaged works play a role in contemporary art; and
- the creative vision and a behind-the-scenes look at the art and artists.
Also, as a centrepiece to 2011 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, the City of Toronto has produced Flightpath Toronto at Toronto City Hall, which is a soaring installation by Usman Haque and Natalie Jeremijenko.
You can even plan ahead and build your list of must-see projects via My Night personal planner.
For the curious, here is a video explaining everything you need to know to apply for participation in the 2011 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche:
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
News Release
August 15, 2011
City of Toronto’s Scotiabank Nuit Blanche announces full program for 2011
The City of Toronto today released the entire artistic program for the sixth edition of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, taking place Saturday, October 1 from 6:59 p.m. until sunrise. This year’s lineup includes 134 projects created by more than 500 local, national and international artists. For one sleepless night, the streets of the city will come alive with public art.
“Scotiabank Nuit Blanche is one of the most highly anticipated events in Toronto’s cultural calendar,” said Mayor Rob Ford, “This celebration of contemporary art is made possible through the outstanding partnerships with corporate sponsors, cultural agencies, arts organizations and the commitment of hundreds of volunteers. The organizers have assembled an exciting program of contemporary art and artists for Toronto to experience for one night only.”
“For the sixth year, Scotiabank is pleased to partner with the City of Toronto as title sponsor of this innovative event, and to help share the talents of some of the many gifted artists who live and work here,” said Duncan Hannay, Scotiabank Senior Vice-President, Canadian Marketing. “At Scotiabank, we believe that arts and culture enrich our lives, both individually and collectively. We are looking forward to the once-a-year opportunity to rediscover Toronto during a magical evening from an entirely new perspective.”
City-produced exhibition projects
The City-produced component of the event will feature three curated exhibitions and a total of 46 projects. The centrepiece of this year’s event is “Flightpath Toronto” at City Hall. Nathan Phillips Square will be transformed by artists Natalie Jeremijenko and Usman Haque. The public is invited to participate in the possibilities and wonder of urban flight above the square.
Exhibition Zone A (Downtown North)
Curator Candice Hopkins exhibition “Restaging the Encounter” attempts to capture the fleeting moment when the political becomes poetic.
Highlights include:
• “Erratic” by Germaine Koh re-enacts the geological processes that have shaped the region by rolling a section of boulder down Yonge Street.
• Step back 100 years in time at the MaRS building for Richard Purdy’s interactive “L’écho-l’eau” log run.
• AES+F’s work transforms a section of Queen’s Park into “The Feast of Trimalchio” through a video installation comprised of 70,000 luxurious still images.
• The interior of the Victoria Chapel at the University of Toronto is filled with the hum of Indigenous and non-Indigenous confessions in Postcommodity’s “Radiophonic Territory (Nocturne).”
Exhibition Zone B (Downtown Core)
Shirley Madill curates “The Future of the Present” exhibition featuring works embracing new technologies to form non-pictorial art that reflect the philosophies of Marshall McLuhan. Highlights include:
• “Ascension” by Isabelle Hayeur offer viewers a glimpse into infinity through site and sound. Ken Rinaldo’s “Paparazzi Bots” gives passers-by their 15 minutes of fame inside the Toronto Eaton Centre.
• “Intra Muros” by Rose Bond tells the story of an artist’s struggle with the creative process through an animated installation.
• Mischa Kuball’s work “public preposition No. 3/swing stage” alters a city skyscraper by echoing the act of cleaning a window.
• Christine Irving’s interactive fire sculpture “Heart Machine”, which premiered at Burning Man in 2010, makes its Canadian debut.
Exhibition Zone C (Downtown South)
Curated by Nicholas Brown, “You had to go looking for it” invites people to transform and occupy Toronto’s financial district.
Highlights include:
• “The Tie-break” by Tibi Tibi Neuspiel and Geoffrey Pugen recreates the legendary fourth-set tie-breaker from the 1980 Wimbledon Finals between Björn Borg and John McEnroe.
• In “Barricades”, Jeremy Jansen and Niall McClelland take objects traditionally used to block off spaces from the public and give them new contexts that undermine their original purposes.
• Jane Pollard and Iain Forsythe invite onlookers to experience an inexplicable encounter in “Soon”, a sight and sound installation.
• “City Mouse” by Julia Hepburn encourages viewers to reflect on the displacement, alienation and transformation of our environment.
Community-produced, independent projects
The community-produced portion of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2011 will feature 88 projects created by cultural and educational institutions, neighbourhoods and individual artists. The projects extend the boundaries of the event city-wide and showcase the diversity of Toronto’s arts community. Fort York, Gardiner Museum, OCAD University, Artscape Wychwood Barns and many more organizations are hosting important projects in their unique venues. Entire neighbourhoods including Parkdale, Queen West and the Distillery District will feature multiple installations by local artists.
Nuit Talks series
The “Nuit Talks” series of free talks takes place September 26 and 27 and October 1. The discussions explore the role of new media and technology in artistic practice and how protest and politically engaged works play a role in contemporary art. The Toronto Arts Council’s Will Huffman speaks on “What you didn’t know you knew about contemporary art.” This year’s curators will provide a sneak peek of the projects and artists they chose for this event. A full list of events, speakers, locations and times is available online.
Travel packages
Book a two-night stay with any Scotiabank Nuit Blanche hotel partner and be the first to experience “Flightpath Toronto” during a special free preview and reception the evening of Friday, September 30. Whether you’re an art enthusiast planning a weekend getaway or a student looking for a spot to recharge after a long night, 12 hotel partners offer rates and packages for any budget. Package details are available online.
Full programming details and information about travel packages are available at http://www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca.
The public can sign up for the e-newsletter on the site, follow @sbnuitblancheTO on Twitter or visit http://www.facebook.com/sbnuitblancheTO for behind-the-scenes information and updates as the event draws near.
Scotiabank Nuit Blanche is Toronto’s annual all-night celebration of contemporary art, produced by the City of Toronto in collaboration with Toronto’s arts community. Since 2006, the event has featured more than 600 official art installations created by nearly 2,500 artists and has generated more than $70 million in economic impact for Toronto.
Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program, ‘Bright Future.’ Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $44 million annually to community causes around the world over the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. Toronto’s government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.