The City of Toronto-produced Nuit Blanche Toronto returns on Saturday, September 30. While the lineup of art projects, artists and curators is the focus of Nuit Blanche Toronto each year, the outstanding network of funders, partners and collaborators is the foundation that makes the event possible.
The 2017 event is supported by the Government of Ontario and Tourism Toronto, program sponsors H&M and Shiplake Properties, on-site sponsors Hendrick’s Gin, Netflix and Subaru Canada as well as arts patron sponsor, Toronto Real Estate Board.
“For the past 11 years as we have experienced the magic of Nuit Blanche Toronto, the production of this unique event and its continued success has been achieved thanks to many private and public partnerships,” said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the City’s Economic Development Committee. “The commitment of returning sponsors such as H&M and Shiplake Properties allows talented artists to showcase their work during this year’s event to Toronto residents and visitors alike.”
This year, Nuit Blanche Toronto furthers its position as one of North America’s premier cultural events, as it is expected to attract more than one million local enthusiasts and out-of-town visitors. In 2016, the event generated an economic impact of $43 million for Toronto.
“The success of Nuit Blanche Toronto is one of the reasons why our government continues to support major cultural events in the province,” said Eleanor McMahon, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “Festivals and events play a vital role in Ontario’s economic and cultural prosperity, which is especially important as we celebrate Ontario’s 150th anniversary year.”
This year’s all-night celebration of contemporary art is made up of four distinct City-produced exhibitions curated under the event-wide theme, “Many Possible Futures.” Ninety art projects, including 39 Exhibition Projects, 39 partner-produced Independent Projects, 10 Major Institutions Projects and two sponsor-produced Special Projects from H&M and Shiplake Properties, will be featured at the event.
H&M presents “TRUTH,” a project from contemporary graffiti artist, Brian Leitch aka “KWEST.” Using recycled clothing and textiles from H&M’s garment collecting initiative, TRUTH reinterprets discarded garments transforming them into a work of art. The project argues the potential of something or someone that might otherwise be rejected or thrown away. It invites participants to consider the word and go on an experiential quest to discover their own personal truths from the moment they enter the project.
“We are thrilled to support Nuit Blanche Toronto for the fifth year and are so excited to be able to highlight H&M’s garment collecting initiative in such a cool way. TRUTH reimagines unwanted textiles, explores ideas of truth and consciousness, and invites viewers to reflect,” said Samara D’Auria, Communications and Press, H&M Canada. “As a brand, H&M promotes diversity and inclusiveness and we are proud to be part of an event that provides public access to contemporary art on such a large scale.”
Shiplake Properties, a third-year Program Sponsor of the event offers “Extracurricular Activity Projective Reconstruction #1 (A Domestic Scene)” from artist Mike Kelley. A photo found in a high school yearbook, a still from a school play depicting two young men in a shabby apartment, inspires the re-staged ‘Domestic Scene’, the protagonists’ unnerving, histrionic, relationship.
The self-funded, partner-produced Independent Projects, which celebrate the diversity of Toronto’s art communities, support the City-produced commissioned projects. For the second year, Nuit Blanche Toronto continues its successful Major Institutions program in association with 401 Richmond, Aga Khan Museum, Aga Khan Park, Ismaili Centre Toronto, Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Artscape Youngplace, Bata Shoe Museum, EDIT: Expo for Design, Innovation & Technology, The Gladstone Hotel, OCAD University, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and Ryerson Image Centre.
The City of Toronto extends its thanks to transportation partner Toronto Transit Commission for accommodating the Nuit Blanche Toronto audiences with all-night and increased service to and from the event. Thanks to the event’s media sponsors City, OMNI, Toronto Star and Boom 97.3 for their ongoing promotion of the event. Nuit Blanche would not be possible without the on-the-ground efforts of more than 1,000 volunteers who donate their time each year.
Pride Toronto, in collaboration with Nuit Blanche Toronto, is hosting a “DRAG + PARTY!” event kicking-off the Nuit Blanche Toronto weekend on September 29. The ticketed event celebrates the intersection of art and queer culture and features cutting-edge contemporary culture from Nuit Blanche Toronto.
About Nuit Blanche Toronto
Nuit Blanche Toronto is the city’s annual all-night celebration of contemporary art, produced by the City of Toronto in collaboration with Toronto’s arts community and funded by the Government of Ontario and Tourism Toronto. Since 2006, this award-winning event has featured almost 1,400 art installations by approximately 4,900 artists and has generated over $311 million in economic impact for Toronto. Information and updates are available at http://www.nbto.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/nuitblancheTO, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nuitblancheTO and on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/nuitblancheTO/. The event hashtag is #nbTO17.
This news release is also available on the City of Toronto website at http://ow.ly/k5UP30fjhUP.
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