As the fifth edition of Toronto’s Scotiabank Nuit Blanche approaches, it’s clear that what began as a new concept for a free, all-night “contemporary art thing” has become one of the most important and anticipated contemporary art events in Canada.
It all began at dusk on a rainy September evening in 2006, when the first Scotiabank Nuit Blanche was unleashed on an unsuspecting city. Since then, the event has been a platform for more than 600 official art installations by nearly 2,000 artists, representing more than 15 countries worldwide, and resulting in a total of $38 million in economic gain for our city – impressive statistics for a free event lasting only 12 short hours.
This five-year milestone offers a great opportunity to not only look back and celebrate the successes of the first four years, but also look forward – to critically engage in opportunities for growth and further celebrate Toronto’s incredibly diverse and dynamic artistic community.
Visitors are encourage to view the retrospective exhibition at Scotia Plaza, featuring photos, videos and installations from the past four years. Also on offer are a series of five engaging panel discussions at five important cultural venues that shed a deeper light on the inner workings of the event and provide an opportunity for the community to help shape the direction of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche for years to come.
Join in to celebrate Toronto’s fifth annual sleepless night on October 2, 2010, and become a part of this artistic legacy that celebrates contemporary art and creativity in Toronto and beyond.
Discover more than 130 free and accessible contemporary art projects within three zones. Each zone features a mixture of Exhibition Projects and Independent Projects. 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.
Exhibition Projects
Under the direction of four curators, 40 temporary public art projects by local, national and international artists have been commissioned within four outdoor exhibitions. To encourage involvement by a wide range of Toronto artists – established and emerging – each exhibition includes projects selected by the curators through an Open Call process. Some works encourage an intimate, evocative encounter with the art, while others will wow you with large-scale interactive spectacle.
Independent Projects
Toronto artists, cultural and educational institutions, museums, galleries, and neighbourhoods open their doors all night long for this one evening. Admission is free and many Independent Projects are unique collaborations that offer one-of-a-kind experiences.
For more information and maps for Zones A, B and C, please visit www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca.