The City of Toronto has just announced an important change for Nuit Blanche Toronto – for the first time in its 12-year history the all-night celebration of contemporary art will extend to Scarborough in 2018 and 2019. Other details released today include the 2018 event-wide theme, curators, Open Call Project and Independent Project submission information, as well as economic impact and audience attendance for the 2017 event.
In addition to the downtown exhibition sites, on September 30, 2018 art enthusiasts will be able to experience artworks from local, national and international artists in a dedicated City-produced Nuit Blanche Toronto exhibition at Scarborough Civic Centre, Scarborough Town Centre and neighbouring institutions within the community.
The extension of Nuit Blanche into Scarborough is part of the City’s mandate to ensure cultural opportunities are offered to all communities in the city. This new model for Nuit Blanche will highlight Scarborough’s cultural vibrancy and provide residents an opportunity to explore their community through contemporary art over a two-year cycle.
“Scarborough has an incredibly active and vibrant arts scene. It is rich and robust in artists, art venues and art lovers. I’m proud that Nuit Blanche Toronto 2018 will put a spotlight on Scarborough’s creative community,” said Mayor John Tory. “Arts are the heart and soul of a great city, a universal creative language that brings people together. Arts bridge languages, generations and cultures, and by doing so, they create a real sense of community.”
“It’s great to see one of the City’s most popular cultural events expanding into Scarborough,” said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic Development Committee. “From Scarborough Arts, The Guild and RISE Edutainment, to the Doris McCarthy Gallery at University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus and many libraries, museums and galleries, our community’s uniquely diverse cultural vibe has a great deal to contribute to the Nuit Blanche experience.”
Since its inception, Nuit Blanche Toronto’s unpreceded network of funders, partners and collaborators has been the foundation that makes the event possible each year.
The City is currently seeking partnerships to support the extension of Nuit Blanche into Scarborough and is pleased to have the Scarborough Town Centre lead the way and support this expansion.
“Scarborough Town Centre is proud to support Nuit Blanche Toronto’s expansion into Scarborough and we’re thrilled to help spotlight the unbelievable talents and creative culture of this neighbourhood,” said Robert Horst, Director and General Manager of Scarborough Town Centre. “We call on others in the community to join us in making this all-night art phenomenon known as Nuit Blanche accessible to everyone in Scarborough and our surrounding community.”
“Scarborough is a beautifully cultured place that deserves more than it gets,” said RISE Edutainment. “Bringing Nuit Blanche to Scarborough is dear to our hearts because it will give the city an opportunity to see us in the bright lights. Scarborough is cultured, diverse, brilliant and resilient.”
“At its core, Nuit Blanche Toronto’s mandate is to make contemporary art accessible to a large audience while inspiring dialogue and engaging the public to examine its significance on public space,” said Dr. Sara Diamond, President and Vice Chancellor, OCAD University. “The Nuit Blanche Toronto Artistic Advisory Committee is delighted that the event will continue to fulfill its ethos in downtown Toronto and beyond in Scarborough, providing established and emerging local artists and arts organizations in the community a larger platform to be seen and appreciated by residents from across the city.”
The City will hold the following information sessions for community participation in the Independent Project and Open Call Project programs:
• January 9, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Scarborough Civic Centre, Committee Room 2, 150 Borough Dr.
• January 10, 1 to 3 p.m.
Scarborough Civic Centre, Committee Room 2, 150 Borough Dr.
• January 12, 6 to 8 p.m.
Toronto City Hall, Committee Room 2, 100 Queen St. W.
City-produced exhibitions
For 2018, Nuit Blanche Toronto will feature three City-produced exhibitions. Curators were selected by the Nuit Blanche Toronto Artistic Advisory Committee and are working with artists to develop their exhibitions. The 2018 curators are Alyssa Fearon (Toronto), Karen Alexander (UK), and Tairone Bastien (Toronto).
All curators will respond to one event-wide theme of You are Here focusing on Toronto as a city of change and a city of progress with artists and curators inviting the public to join them to unfold, reinterpret, disrupt, question, listen, and to see Toronto and our places in it through new eyes.
Artists who would like to participate in the 2018 event can submit their project ideas in two ways: through the Open Call Project program or the Independent Project program. Key deadlines are fast approaching.
Open Call Project program
The Open Call Project program will give up to four artists the opportunity to be part of one City-produced exhibition. In consultation with the City of Toronto, Scarborough Curator Alyssa Fearon will select up to four submissions that will be offered funding and production support. Applications are now being accepted for the Open Call Project program. Details and forms are available at http://www.toronto.ca/nbto. The submission deadline is Monday, January 22.
Independent Project program
Each year Nuit Blanche Toronto features self-funded installations presented by galleries, schools, neighbourhoods, community organizations and individual artists. Applications are now being accepted for the Independent Project program. Details and forms are available at http://www.toronto.ca/nbto. The Independent Project program submission deadline is Monday, February 5.
Based on a recent Ipsos Reid survey, the 2017 edition of the event attracted an estimated attendance of more than one million people and generated an economic impact of $43.5 million for 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 1,490 art installations by approximately 5,200 artists and has generated over $355 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://www.twitter.com/nuitblancheTO, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/nuitblancheTO. The event hashtag is #nbTO18.
This news release is also available on the City’s website: http://ow.ly/1DDD30h1FZF.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities. In 2017, Toronto is honouring Canada’s 150th birthday with “TO Canada with Love,” a year-long program of celebrations, commemorations and exhibitions. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorontoComms and on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto.
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