TAS Presents Makers' Market this Saturday at The Planet

TAS invites you to to support local artists & makers of all kinds and visit their Makers’ Market is this Saturday, Aug 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Planet at 1655 Dupont St. There will be something for everyone.

 TAS is a community-focused, mixed-use developer that is deeply committed to building resilient urban villages founded on sustainable connections to food, family and future. TAS cultivates long-term relationships with communities to ensure their positive impact extends well beyond the footprint of their buildings.

You are also invited to TAS’ Block Party on Sunday, September 8 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate the end of an exciting summer at The Planet. There will be a POP-UP Adventure Playground by EarthPLAY, a colouring mural & local food vendors—fun for the whole family!

Please RSVP here, hope to see you there!

Free Summer Programming at the Gardiner Museum

Community Arts Space: What we long for

July 9 to September 4

The Gardiner Museum presents a full summer of free programming, including community exhibitions, hands-on workshops, talks, and a podcast series co-presented with Hyperallergic. Inspired by the transformative possibilities of clay, the Community Arts Space is a platform for local artists, youth, curators, and community organizers.

How can we take care of ourselves, as well as each other?

This year’s Community Arts Space is inspired by the theme “What we long for”, and features four public projects that engage with community healing, survival tools, transformative justice, the gaps between community and institutional memory, and how craft creates opportunities for acknowledgment and action.

Visit gardinermuseum.com/whatwelongfor for the full schedule and to register for free events.

Shary Boyle, Triumph of the Will, 2010, Gardiner Museum, Gift of Sarah and Tom Milroy. Photo: Brian Boyle.

The Projects: Art Movements

July 9 – August 20
Co-presented with Hyperallergic

Hosted by Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Hyperallergic, this limited-run podcast inspired by the Gardiner’s collection invites prominent artists like Kent Monkman and Shary Boyle to explore the social history of ceramics and its multifaceted role in our culture. Through personal anecdotes, art historical reflection, and archival recordings, this four-part series explores issues at the intersection of contemporary ceramics and museums.

Learn more here: https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/event/art-movements/

Intimate Encounters - Animate Histories

August 1 – 15
Co-presented with The 519, Salon Noir, and YYZ Artists Outlet

Inspired by the ‘cruising’ histories of nearby Queen’s Park, artist Abdi Osman and curator Ellyn Walker consider the diverse ways in which culturally-specific experiences of desire, physical expression, and social connection take up space across Toronto. Intimate Encounters ~ Animate Histories makes visible the dignity, love, and generative practices embedded in local Black, Trans, and Queer histories through community art-making workshops, talks, and an exhibition.

Learn more here: https://bit.ly/2ZPESQM

Reading Room: Queen’s Park Oral History Transcriptions
August 14 & September 12, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Join us for a collective reading and discussion of anonymous transcripts from artist Abdi Osman’s oral history research around cruising encounters in Queen’s Park.

The Sin Fronteras Monarch Butterfly Project – A Flight Path Without Borders

August 22 – September 4
Co-presented with Akin and Canada Nos Une Multicultural Organization

Coinciding with the arrival of the monarch butterflies in Canada and their departure to Mexico, the Davenport Perth Community Ministry, alongside Canada Nos Une Multicultural Organization, held a series of clay butterfly-making workshops facilitates by artists Lourdes (Lumy) Fuentes and Tina Conlon. These ceramic butterflies, installed in the Gardiner’s Exhibition Hall and Ancient Americas Gallery, are intended to mobilize conversation and action surrounding both the decline of the monarch and the migrant crisis.

Learn more here: https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/event/sin-fronteras-monarch-butterfly-project/

The Sin Fronteras Monarch Butterfly Project – A Flight Path Without Borders Project Launch
August 22, 6 – 8 pm
All are welcome to attend the public opening of The Sin Fronteras Monarch Butterfly Project, featuring a butterfly dance performed by seniors of the Davenport-Perth Community, music, refreshments, and more.

Family Sunday: Spread Your Wings
August 25, 11 am – 3 pm
Just before the monarch butterflies begin their annual migration to Mexico, join us for a special ceramic butterfly-making workshop in English and Spanish.

Symposium: Path of Possibilities - June 21 at the AGO

On National Indigenous Day, Art Starts invites emerging, youth, and/or newcomer artists and people from different ethnographic communities across the city to come together and learn about the 7 Grandfather Teachings, 4 Sacred Medicines, residential schools, the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action and much more. This free event is in partnership with the Art Gallery of Ontario. Lunch is included.

There are only 60 spots available for this event. You must register to attend.

THE BIG DRAW Create-a-Thon this weekend at The Distillery District

Calling all creatives! Do you write, sketch, paint, draw, or sculpt? Make your way down to The Distillery District for THE BIG DRAW Create-A-Thon this weekend.

This is free, all ages, family event welcoming both amateur and professional artists. Join fellow creatives June 15th & 16th in capturing the charm of The Distillery District, or anything else your heart tells you to in your sketch, painting, drawing, or  creative writing.

Rules and Guidelines:

1. Bring your creativity
2. Bring your materials
3. Bring your friends and family
4. HAVE FUN!

All artist participants will receive a FREE BBQ lunch!  

Making a Living Making Art - Free Project Development Consultation on June 15

Neighborhood Arts Network presents ‘Making A Living Making Art’, a free professional development workshop series for creative entrepreneurs. The series provides opportunities for artists to gain valuable information, skills and insights on creating and sustaining a creative practice. The next workshop in the series is on Project Development  and is happening Saturday, June 15th, 2019 from  10 AM-4 P at East End Arts, 450 Broadview Ave

Participants will get a 30 minute 1-on-1 session with 1 of 3 experienced project development consultants. Make sure to sign up ahead of time to guarantee your 1-on-1 session, as spots are limited and given on a first come, first serve basis. Please bring a project you've already begun working on to maximize your time with the consultant. The more specific the project, the better! Refreshments will be provided while you wait. Consultations with consultant Chris Gehman and an ASL Interpreter are provided from 10-11AM and 11AM-12PM. 

About the Consultants:

Melissa Foster, North York Arts

Melissa has over 10 years working in various roles throughout the public sector. In her career, she has collaborated on several community arts projects and facilitated arts programs both abroad and within Toronto. Melissa is the Program and Outreach Director for North York Art where she oversees the programming vision and creative design, as well as the management and administration of both on-going and special projects. Her primary focus is on the development and implementation of professional support services for artists; looking towards creating sector-wide collaborations and community-driven, participatory arts-based programming. Outside of her role at North York Arts Melissa continues to create and facilitate community programs that incorporate her experiences in both the social service sector and the arts. Most recently, she co-facilitated a workshop, Reclaiming Tkaronto/Toronto: Transforming Lenses Around Mental Wellness for the Myseum Intersections Festival. Melissa holds a BA (hons) in Theatre Studies as well as a Community Arts Practice Certificate from York University. She also holds a post-degree diploma in Arts Management from Western University. 

Julian Carvajal, Art Starts

Julian is a colourful Colombo-Canadian Media Artist, Arts Manager, Producer and Arts & Culture Promoter. He has over 15 years of experience in managing and delivering large scale arts festivals, coordinating personnel, producing shows, marketing, budgeting, managing staff, and building community and media relations. 

Chris Gehman, VTape

Chris Gehman is a filmmaker, curator, educator and critic. He is familiar with many funding systems for individual artists and arts organizations, particularly in media and visual arts. His films have screened at festivals and other venues around world; his film Dark Adaptation (2016) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and screened at the 2017 Berlinale. Chris was Artistic Director of the Images Festival from 2000 to 2004, and has also worked as a programmer for Cinematheque Ontario and TIFF. Currently, he is Finance Manager at Vtape, Canada's leading non-profit distributor of artists' videos. As an independent programmer, he has organized screenings for venues including Experimenta (Bangalore), Image Forum (Tokyo), Lago Film Fest (Italy), and the Ann Arbor Film Festival (USA). Chris was editor of Explosion in the Movie Machine: Essays and Documents on Toronto Artists’ Film and Video (LIFT & Images Festival, 2013) and co-editor, with Steve Reinke, of The Sharpest Point: Animation at the End of Cinema (YYZ Books, 2005); his writings on experimental media have appeared in critical anthologies, and in periodicals such as Millennium Film Journal, Cinema Scope and Take One. He has served on the boards of directors of a number of arts organizations including the Hand Eye Society (2015-19); Images Festival (2006-09); Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (President, 1999-2001); and Pleasure Dome (1994-97).

Sign Up For Free Art Talks! →

The 57th edition of Toronto Outdoor Art Fair is almost upon us and this year's fair has an great programming line up, including the following free talks. Sign up for free in advance.

Building the Creative City

July 6th from 1:00-1:45PM

With Anahita Azrahimi (Executive & Creative Director, TOAF), Tammy Yiu (Creative + Community, Partial), and Lauren Pirie (Artist and Muralist).

Art Before Dishes With Tiffany Pratt

July 7th from 3:00-4:00PM

Warp, Weft and Resin

July 7th from 5:00-6:00PM

With Robert K. E. Mitchell (MDes. Assistant Professor, Material Design, OCAD University) and TOAF artists: Dan Driscoll, Tania Love, and Alicia Niles.

The Collector's Panel

July 8th from 3:00-4:00PM

With Alex McLeod (Visual Artist), Justin Broadbent (Director and Artist), Regina Sheung (Owner, Labour of Love). Moderated by Tammy Yiu (Creative + Community, Partial).

Sneak Peek of the Akin Studio Program at MOCA this weekend!

One weekend every year, Doors Open Toronto provides an opportunity to explore some of the most architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings across the city – many of which are not usually open to the public.

Akin would like to invite you to join us this weekend at 158 Sterling Road as the doors open to a sneak preview of the new home of the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA). Featuring all five floors of the museum. MOCA will be open 12pm-5pm Saturday and Sunday for Doors Open Toronto. Last entry will be at 4:30pm.

This preview of the building will highlight the architecture of the exhibition and programming spaces. Take the opportunity to join MOCA as a member and learn about upcoming exhibitions. An Akin staff member will be on site on Floor 4 to answers questions about Akin. 

Akin will facilitate the rental of artist studios on Floor 4 of the museum through the Akin Studio Program. Selected artists will be moving their studio into the museum for a term of one year and will share their practices with the museum’s visitors through programs such as open studio events.

Floor 4 of MOCA will integrate these studios, with residencies and a workshop space for educational programs. The studios will vary in size from approximately 50 to 250 square feet and will be designed by Akin to create a light and welcoming environment for artists to develop their work. Similar to Akin’s other seven locations, the space will foster a community atmosphere and the exchange of ideas.

For more information about the Akin Studio Program please visit akin.art/moca

Ceramics Show & Tell at the Gardiner Museum

Akin Projects is excited to present special ceramics edition of the ‘Show & Tell’ for artists at The Gardiner Museum led by artist and Akin Studio Manager, Erin Candela.

Informative, supportive and fun—this is a time for artists to show completed works or works in progress and get friendly feedback and answers from their peers in a casual (this time a museum!) setting. Feel free to bring art to share, bring a friend or two or just bring yourself. Come for the conversation about art, or just to meet other artists and makers.

Attendance is free, but please register to attend: 

This is a free program part of Ceramic Change: How to Make It, a one day workshop intensive for emerging artists and makers in the expanded field of ceramics in conjunction with the exhibition Steven Heinemann: Culture & Nature, This one-day workshop intensive will focus on the nuts and bolts of professional survival and enabling skilled connections. From building your own DIY wooden kiln to local clay harvesting, these presentations, workshops, and conversations will dig deep into what it means to pursue a sustainable maker practice in Toronto today.

About the Gardiner Museum:
The Gardiner Museum is Canada's national ceramics museum. It was founded by George and Helen Gardiner in 1984 to house their collection of ceramic art. Its permanent collection of over 2,900 pieces, includes works from the Ancient Americas, Italian Renaissance, English Delftware, Chinese and Japanese porcelain, European porcelain, and a contemporary gallery. In addition to the permanent collections, the museum mounts three temporary exhibitions per year as well as a variety of community programming. For more information visit www.gardinermuseum.on.ca

Getting There:
Subway/Bus: From Bloor-Danforth Line — St. George Station is the closest fully accessible stop to the Gardiner’s main entrance. Take elevators to street level at the Bloor Street and Bedford Road entrance. Go south on Bedford to Bloor. Then east along Bloor to Queen's Park. The Gardiner is just south of Bloor on the east side of Queen's Park. From Yonge-University Subway Line — Museum Station is the closest subway stop to the Gardiner's main entrance. This stop is not wheelchair accessible.

Accessibility: 
The Gardiner Museum is fully wheelchair accessible. The wheelchair ramp is located on the south side of the entrance. Click here for more accessibility information.  Please let us know of any other accessibility needs so that we can assist you. Email michael@akincollective.comat least one week before the event and we will do our best to accommodate you. Thank you.

PUBLIC ART: Why should we care? A Conversation - This Wednesday!

Partners in Art in partnership with The Power Plant presents a free public event this Wednesday November 15, 6:30 pm

PUBLIC ART: Why should we care? A Conversation

Bring your curiosity. Bring friends. Bring your questions.
Public art is a powerful vehicle that stimulates conversation, changes perspectives, and can delight or provoke us. Join leading Toronto-based thinkers in an inspirational conversation about the possibilities of excellence in public art.

1 compelling idea + 4 unique thinkers = A Great Conversation

Rebecca Carbin, Public Art Program Manager, Waterfront Toronto
Elle Flanders, Filmmaker and Artist, Public Studio
An Te Liu, Artist
Marianne McKenna, Architect and Founding Partner, KPMB
Moderated by Gail Lord, President and Co-Founder, Lord Cultural Resources

Each speaker will present their personal views on the power of excellent public art. We will then have an open conversation on the myriad possibilities. RSVP REQUIRED! Please email events@partnersinart.ca to RSVP

6:30-7:15 - Reception
7:15-8:15 - Conversation
8:15-9:00 - Post-Talk Reception

Harbourfront Centre's Fleck Dance Theatre
207 Queens Quay West
3rd Floor, Queen's Quay Terminal
Venue is accessible

Akin Fall Gallery Crawl - Saturday September 16!

We're back! Akin Fall Gallery Crawl!

Akin Projects invites you to join us for free guided tours of the current exhibitions at some of Toronto's best and brightest galleries and artist run centres in the West End.

Come along as gallery directors and staff provide special walk throughs of their current shows, and answer your questions! 

*accessibility information about each venue at the bottom of this post.

1. Meet at Division Gallery at 1pm (45 Ernest Ave, Toronto) 

2. Visit Mercer Union, a centre for contemporary art

3. Visit Daniel Faria Gallery

4. Visit Clint Roenisch Gallery

5. Visit Gallery TPW

6. Visit XPACE Cultural Centre


Free to attend. All are welcome, open to the public. The more the merrier!

Accessibility Information:

1. Division Gallery has step free access to main entrance. If it is difficult to enter through the door there's a garage door. The door is not automated. All public areas are level. There is a ground level accessible washroom. There are no grab bars in bathroom. The toilet is not raised.

2. Daniel Faria Gallery has step free access to main entrance though there is a small lip. If it is difficult to enter through the door there's a garage door. The door is not automated. Almost all public areas are level. There is a ground level washroom. It is not designed for wheelchairs and may not be wide enough for some wheelchairs to turn around. There are no grab bars in bathroom. The toilet is not raised.

3. Clint Roesnisch has step free access to main entrance though there is a small lip. If it is difficult to enter through the door there's a garage door. The door is not automated. All public areas are level.

4. Gallery TPW has step free access and a ramp to the main entrance. The door is not automated but can propped open. All public areas are level, and there is a ground level accessible washroom with grab bars.

5. XPACE Cultural Centre has step free access to main entrance. The door is not automated. Almost all public areas are level. There is a ground level accessible washroom with a grab bar. The toilet is not raised.

Forge Professional Workshop Series: Financial Planning for Artists

A step-by-step beginner’s guide to making and spending money as an artist

Friday June 23 / 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. / Toronto City Hall, Committee Room 1 - 100 Queen St West / Pay-what-you-can ( suggested donation $10 ) / Please register to attend at www.universe.com/artmoney

Building is wheelchair accessible. Please let us know of any other accessibility needs so that we can assist you. Email michael@akincollective.com one week before the event and we will do our best to accommodate you. Thank you.

Many artists wonder if they can afford to do what they love. You can with a plan! Join us for an evening full of financial strategies that will help you make the most of your money, so you can make the most of your practice.

This workshop will cover:

Making Money:
- Creating Financial Goals
- Finding Income
- Saving

Spending Money:
- Tracking Expenses
- Making (and sticking to) a Budget/Spending Plan
- Reducing Debt

Putting It Together:
- The Plan

The workshop includes:
- Presentation with activities
- Short break
- Q&A period at the end
- Printed copy of the presentation
- Free worksheets and resources to take away and guide you through each step of your financial planning process

Participants should bring:
- Pen/pencil/device for note-taking if they wish
- Their creativity and questions!

About the instructor:
Diana Bahr is an OCAD U graduate in Drawing & Painting (2016), and former OCAD U staff from the Financial Aid department where she provided financial literacy and professional practice workshops to student artists and designers for five years. She has a master’s degree in education from the University of Toronto, and is an emerging multi-disciplinary artist based in the east end of the city. Diana has exhibited her work at various locations including a traveling show in New York, the Ontario Science Centre, the Brain Project in Toronto, and Mercedes Benz in Mississauga. She is currently co-organizing and participating in a six-month artist residency program, creating work for a show in the fall.

Give and Get: Making good ideas happen

Sheila Goldgrab & Joel Kumove in partnership with the School for Social Entrepreneurs Ontario invite you to Give and Get: making good ideas happen, a free monthly house event for people with projects.

Give and Get is a place to meet new people, eat a meal together,  and seek and offer ideas and support and make new connections in a fun and friendly environment. The event is suitable for anyone with an idea or project that would benefit from multiple perspectives or resources.

It could be a business project, a personal project, an art project, a charitable cause or a community project. Free and open to anyone who registers. The evening will be facilitated by a leadership career coach and mentors who want to help make your great ideas happen!

Here's what Give and Get believes in:
- An unexpected mix of great people can propel your project forward.
- Everyone has something to offer.

You will have an opportunity to tell the event coordinators about your project and your 'ask' of the group when you register. There are two upcoming summer dates for the event, July 18 and August 23. Click the links below to find out more or register:

July 18: http://bit.ly/2pY8EE2
August 23: http://bit.ly/2pYbh8T

Free Contemporary Art Bus Tour on April 30

Free Contemporary Art Bus Tour! The tour begins at 12 noon at the Koffler Gallery (Artscape Youngplace, 180 Shaw Street) and continues to the Doris McCarthy Gallery and the Art Gallery of York University, returning to the Koffler Gallery by 4:15 pm. Guided tours will be offered at each venue.

The bus tour is FREE, seats are limited. To reserve, contact the Koffler Gallery at 647.925.0643 x 221 or ssaad@kofflerarts.org

Please note that light snacks and refreshments will be provided throughout the tour; guests are welcome to pack their own lunches.

For more information about the specific exhibitions you will see during the tour click here.

Akin Gallery Crawl - March 4 starting at 2pm

Akin Projects invites you to join us for special tours of the current exhibitions at some of Toronto's best and brightest galleries in the West End.

1. Meet at Division Gallery at 2pm
2. Visit Mercer Union, a centre for contemporary art
3. Visit Scrap Metal Gallery
4. Visit Daniel Faria Gallery
5. Visit Robert Kananaj Gallery
6. Visit XPACE Cultural Centre

Free to attend. All are welcome, open to the public.

Artist's Health: Stress and Self Care - This Monday Evening at City Hall - Free!

Your health is important! Join us at City Hall for an engaging workshop focusing on your mental health and well-being.

Learn some self-care techniques and strategies to minimize the negative effects of stress, help you feel your best, and boost your self-esteem.

From dealing with stress, demanding schedules and other injuries artists put a lot of strain on their physical and mental well-being. Join Or Har-Gil, Art Therapist, and Fiona Seth from Workman Arts to learn tips to take care of your body and mind.

Space is Limited! Please register to attend at www.universe.com/arthealth
$10 Suggested Donation


About the instructors:
Or Har-Gil is an Art Therapist and Creative Workshop Facilitator who helps people re-ignite their creativity and use it in service of personal discovery and transformation. She facilitates workshops in organizational, healthcare and community settings on managing stress, adapting to change, thinking differently, and embracing imperfection. Or also works part-time at Sunnybrook, leading Art Therapy groups for patients and families at the Odette Cancer Centre. You can find her online at: www.orhargil.com / www.facebook.com/orhargilarttherapy / Instagram: @orhargil

About Workman Arts:
Workman Arts is the longest-running multidisciplinary arts and mental health organization in Canada. Guided by the principal that the creative process is integral to the quest for personal and spiritual development, Workman Arts aims to support artists who have received mental health services to achieve their professional arts goals, by offering multidisciplinary arts training, exhibition opportunities, and studio space to members.
www.workmanarts.com

AKIN X DRAKE: FREE FILM SCREENING NIGHT

Join the event on Facebook

May 12: 7:00-10:00pm
The Drake Hotel- 1150 Queen Street West
North Lounge

AKIN Collective and The Drake Hotel are pleased to present a free night of short films and documentaries!

Following each screening there will be a short Q&A with the directors and then stick around for drinks!

TRAILERS:

Simone Estrin's A Shift in the Landscape sheds light on the controversy surrounding the endangered Richard Serra sculpture in nearby King City, Ontario.https://vimeo.com/113177970

Caitlin Durlak's Persistence of Vision tells the collaborative story of experimental film maker Lorne Marin, who began to lose his sight.
https://vimeo.com/107265664

Matt Greenwood's stunning short, All Your Changes Have Been Lost explores multiple realities through manipulated Akira Kurosawa film footage.
http://wearepersonnel.com/ALL-YOUR-CHANGES-HAVE-BEEN-LOST

Randall Okita's Portrait as a Random Act of Violence reflects the varying dimensions of our own personalities.
http://www.brooklynfilmfestival.org/films/detail.asp?fid=1470

Mini MOCCA: Free Workshops for Children at MOCCA

MOCCA presents an engaging children's workshop series featuring exhibition-related arts, crafts, and play-based exploration   Workshops are led by professional artists and skilled arts educators from our local community Ages 4-12 Free (Suggested donation of $5) Drop-in (RSVP not required) Maximum 15-20 participants   *Participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the workshop For more information contact Michael Vickers mvickers@mocca.ca, 416-395-7436 Douglas Coupland-themed Mini MOCCA workshops March 1: 9:00am-11:00am Canada in Collage! What does Canada look like to you? Cut, tear, stick and paste together your own portrait of our nation. Using magazines such as Macleans, Canadian Living and more, participants will explore what our country looks like and create their own unique collages of that vision. What is Canada? What are some uniquely Canadian ‘secret handshakes?’ Participants will use a myriad of arts and crafts materials to explore what it means to be Canadian and make their own collage landscapes to take home. This workshop is led by artist Jacquelyn van Kampen and the Collage Collective. March 22: 9:00am-11:00am Colour Coupland: Make Your Own Sketchbook What is a sketchbook for? How is a sketchbook like a diary? Participants will discuss these ideas and make their own unique sketchbook before practicing using everything from crayons to ink to markers and more. Let their imaginations fill its fresh new pages and then take the book home to explore their creativity further! This session is led by crafter and artist Steph Hung. April 12: 9:00am-11:00am Mini Modern Houses: Prints and Inks Inspired by Coupland’s piece, 345 Modern Houses, participants will design the layout for their ideal room – whether it’s a kitchen, library, bedroom, or playroom – then turn it into an edition of handmade prints! Using printmaking materials and brightly coloured inks and papers, these floor plan prints will be traded amongst participants then arranged to explore and create possible configurations for a MOCCA Mini modern house. This workshop is led by artist Elizabeth Underhill. April 19: 9:00am-11:00am Utopian Tower Time After a special access tour of Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything, participants (and parents that secretly love lego) will look at famous buildings from across the country and then see how Coupland uses building blocks in his artwork. Then it’s time for participants to unleash their creativity and build their own dream constructions! Part architecture, part sculpture, part collaborative installation. Join the group as we create a complex and colourful utopian urban landscape! Mini MOCCA is generously supported by Special thanks to Action Potential Lab and Konrad Group.