Toronto = September 2023 The Bloor St. Culture Corridor
Happy September, arts and culture fans! Season-opening shows and back-to-school activities are happening all along the Bloor Street Culture Corridor. Special announcements, plus outstanding programming from all partners make for a wonderful September of arts and culture. So grab your favourite warm drink and explore with us!
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Bata Shoe Museum
Explore four impressive exhibitions that will inspire and delight visitors of all ages at Toronto’s favourite shoebox. Join them on September 2 or 9 from 1-3pm to learn how to crochet your own shoelaces with LEGIN Knits. Discover 4,500 years worth of footwear history, learn how society has become obsessed with shoes, or even how floral motifs hold a unique meaning and story to footwear designs. It’s your last month to see their FUTURE NOW exhibition before it closes on October 1, 2023. Don’t forget they offer FREE admission every Sunday! Plan your trip now by visiting their website.
Alliance Française de Toronto
Experience a September to remember! Cinema takes the spotlight with "Samba" and "Eiffel" on September 7 and 21. On September 16 at 8pm, don't miss Kora Flamenca II, a captivating fusion of Afro-Mandingo and flamenco music. From September 23 to October 21, their galleries host the Bulles exhibition, showcasing the dynamic works of 11 Toronto artists. Prepare to be immersed in a world of artistic expression that spans various styles and perspectives, offering a glimpse into the thriving art scene of the city. As the month draws to a close, a true musical sensation awaits you. The renowned Stéphane Wrembel graces our city with the much-anticipated Django Reinhardt Festival, making its debut in Toronto. Over the course of three enchanting evenings, you'll be treated to a trio of distinct programs, each featuring musical virtuosos who will transport you through a journey of sound and emotion. Visit their website for more details.
ROM
All ages are welcome to ROM this September. Families can enjoy WonderWorks; a reimagined play-based learning space that invites young children to experiment and connect in a playful, interactive, and fun museum environment. Join them for an exciting September 22 with a 19+ themed ROM After Dark featuring their latest exhibition, Being and Belonging. CLOSING SOON, Tusarnitut! Music Born of the Cold exhibition presents a variety of musical styles, from the earliest recorded forms of musical expressions to the remarkable work of contemporary artists who are reimagining these traditions for present-day audiences. And don’t miss the final weeks of the Canadian Modern exhibition. Inspired by everything from pop culture to Canada's natural landscape, Canadian innovation was embraced by global markets, putting the country's designs on the world stage, where many of them continue to hold a place — and function — today. Buy tickets and learn more at their website.
VEMU Estonian Museum Canada
On September 9, from 1-5pm, join VEMU and the Society of Estonian Artists in Toronto for the opening of their annual art exhibition at Papermill Gallery, Todmorden Mills. During the reception at 3pm will be a screening of the local documentary "Our Tartu", a film about the history of the Estonian communities' beloved Tartu College. On September 21 at 7pm, at the Princess Twin Cinemas in Waterloo, Ontario, there will be a premier screening of the film "Anne Kaljas. The Untold Story." The film explores the remarkable life of a passionate social justice advocate who came to Canada as a refugee from Estonia after WWII. On September 23 at 7pm, join VEMU at Tartu College for the opening of the exhibit "E-Estonia" from the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom. Speaking at the opening will be Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margus Tsahkna and Vabamu director Karen Jagodin. More information can be found at their website.
Women's Art Association of Canada
Dignam Gallery presents the 2022-2023 Artist-In-Residence Exhibition from September 7 to 26, Amber Smith-Quail: Nawemaa / To be related, an exhibition of beadwork, mixed-media pieces, and paintings addressing the forced disconnection of First People from the land. A member of Alderville First Nation, Amber is an Indigenous artist and educator based in Tkaronto and South Algonquin. She has contemplated how physical, mental, spiritual and emotional imbalance does not act in isolation. Ruth Upjohn Gallery presents solo exhibitions of WAAC member artists - Myra Evans from September 6 to 16; and Alex Hernandez from September 20 to 30. And the Artist's Voice Speakers Series returns on September 21 with Alice Teichert's "the double page," presenting her ongoing conversation and experience with the non-linear realm, the overall focus of her forty-year survey exhibition at the Art Gallery of Peterborough. For more information, please visit their website.
The Royal Conservatory
The Royal Conservatory's 2023.24 season starts with a sold-out performance by Grammy Award-winning banjo superstar, sublime vocalist, and critics’ darling, Rhiannon Giddens on September 20. A limited number of Rush Tickets will be available 3 hours prior to the concert. This will be followed by a sold-out special concert dedicated to the memory of violinist, RCM alumnus, and co-founder of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Geoff Nuttall on September 24, featuring pianists James Anagnoson and Leslie Kinton, violinist Livia Sohn, cellist Thomas Wiebe, and Henry From. On September 29, Indigenous artists will gather at Koerner Hall for a special Truth & Reconciliation Commemoration concert. The night will be hosted by spoken word artist Zoey Roy and includes testimony, traditional drum and dance, a world premiere by Juno Award nominated composer Andrew Balfour, and special guests Julian Taylor, Andrew McAnsh, and more. Head to their website to learn more.
The Toronto Consort
Canoe, a two-act opera, is a tale of transformation revolving around the lives of twin sisters, Constance and Gladys, and the flood that consumes their world. Canoe blends Indigenous storytelling with the talents of four singers and historical instruments to create an operatic experience you won’t want to miss. This world-premiere is an Unsettled Scores production in collaboration with Native Earth Performing Arts, The Toronto Consort, and Theatre Passe Muraille.
Music by Spy Dénommé-Welch and Catherine Magowan. Libretto/Story by Spy Dénommé-Welch. Takes place September 15-16, with previews September 12-13. Learn more at their website.
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir
Join Tafelmusik as they kick off the 45th season with a sensational all-Beethoven blockbuster! Led by the renowned Bruno Weil, experience the brilliance of Symphony no. 4 and the iconic Symphony no. 5 like never before. Tafelmusik's trailblazing period performances reveal new dimensions in Beethoven's music, with gut strings, period winds, and natural brass adding fresh colours and urgency. Don't miss this powerful musical experience! Tickets start at $48 and are available at their website.
Toronto Reference Library
This fall, engage with local and international authors, thinkers and artists in discussion about their new books and big ideas. The library’s Salon Series has expanded to present free programs at two of TPL’s signature event spaces. At the Bram & Bluma Appel Salon, a literary and cultural programming space on the second floor of Toronto Reference Library, acclaimed artist and author Oliver Jeffers discusses his insightful illustrated book, “Begin Again,” on October 15, and award-winning writer Waubgeshig Rice talks about his gripping sequel, “Moon of the Turning Leaves,” on October 18. North York Central Library’s Concourse Event Space, TPL’s new premiere event space for cultural programming, presents award-winning writer Emma Donoghue on September 25 to discuss her new novel, “Learned By Heart”, and on October 24, bestselling author Jean Kwok discusses her book, “The Leftover Woman”. Explore the entire lineup of upcoming virtual and in-person events at tpl.ca/salonseries.
Istituto Italiano di Cultura
From September 18-29, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura will host an architectural exhibition by 4th-year architectural design students Department of Architectural Science at Toronto Metropolitan University who worked for a few weeks in Bari, Italy, in collaboration with the Bari Politecnico. Their final designs and projects looked at the intersection of housing, migration, and community. The students designed components of an affordable neighbourhood for recent immigrants and refugees to Apulia, choosing as their sites the historic but underpopulated 20th-century towns of Cervaro, Mezzanone, and Segezia. Central to their work are the considerations of affordable housing, a sense of community, education and training facilities, and places to worship and gather. The exhibition is open to the public. For more information, visit their website.
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
The Miles Nadal JCC offers experiential and inclusive Arts and Culture for all in the Annex this September! Come to their September 10 My Day at the J Free Activity Day for families featuring a Rosh Hashana Market, Drag Queen Story Time, Recreational Swim, Pickleball, Dance and a family short film program from ReelAbilities Film Festival Toronto. The deadline for playwrights from all cultures to submit their plays to the Canadian Jewish Playwriting Competition is September 5. Community Choir conducted by director Harriet Wichin starts on September 11. Suzuki strings program for all ages start September 26, as does their Ukulele for Beginners class. In their Gallery opening on September 7: Into the Orchard by Yaara Eshet. This series of forty illustrations encapsulates narratives from the bible, the Kabbalah, Jewish folklore and mysticism, modern Israeli poetry, and Yiddish verses. Adult Pottery classes in their ceramics studio start on September 11. All this and more at their website.
University of Toronto Faculty of Music
The University of Toronto Faculty of Music opens its 2023-2024 season September 18 at 7:30pm with NEXUS Celebration, a free concert marking the ensemble’s 52 years of music-making featuring works by Steve Reich, adaptations of traditional African music, and NEXUS’s famous ragtime xylophone arrangements. September 22 at 11am the Faculty of Music welcomes Canadian conductor Jordan de Souza to present the annual Riki Turofsky Master Class in Voice, the first in a tremendous lineup of visiting artists throughout the season. To close out the month, the Faculty offers a pair of noon-hour concerts in Walter Hall: on September 26 the I’ve Got U Under My Skin: AIDS and Classical Music concert features vocal works ahead of the new exhibition opening at U of T, and on September 28 accordionist Michael Bridge kicks off the Thursdays at Noon concert series. View Notes, the 2023-2024 Season of Events brochure, and full listings here.
The Japan Foundation, Toronto
September means the beginning of a new semester of online Japanese Language Classes at JFT. Their starter classes are currently full, but spaces remain in Levels 2 and up. Starting on September 15, JFT will unveil a new exhibition on modern Netsuke, which are miniature, decorative carvings. Registration will soon open for an opportunity to see these intricate art pieces small enough to fit into one’s hand. Once again, JFT is collaborating with the Toronto International Festival of Authors to bring a Japanese guest to Canada. This year’s TIFA guest is the manga creator of Vinland Saga: YUKIMURA Makoto. On September 22, come meet YUKIMURA-sensei for a deep dive behind his creative process. JFT is looking for volunteers in various capacities. For more information about both in-person and virtual events, film screenings, classes, and gatherings at JFT, please visit their website.
Blackhurst Culture Centre
Experience an enriching September with the diverse lineup of events at the Blackhurst Cultural Centre. Immerse yourself in "The Colour of A.I.," a series that delves into a variety of physics topics through 3-4 interactive workshops. These workshops will cover subjects such as quantum computing, exoplanets, and the future of AI. Stay tuned for the announcement of specific dates, scheduled for late September. Also occurring in September, the Windows to Opportunity (WTO) program provides a platform for young talents aged 12-16 to shine. Explore the realms of Photography, Videography, 3D design, and Animation, igniting creativity in youth. Stay connected with the Centre's website for more updates as the institution prepares to offer a September full of opportunities for exploration and learning.
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema presents a dynamic lineup of doc premieres, popular series, and special tribute screenings in September. Dive deep into the history of YouTube and its consequences on our society in The YouTube Effect. Explore the life and work of culture-shifting writer Tom Wolfe (The Bonfire of the Vanities) in Radical Wolfe. In tribute to the late great Robbie Robertson, the Cinema will screen a 45th-anniversary restoration of the iconic Scorsese concert film The Last Waltz. The Cinema will also host tribute screenings honouring Czech-French novelist Milan Kundera and American actor and comedian Paul Reubens. Also new this month is Exhibition on Screen: Vermeer: The Greatest Exhibition, offering you the chance to experience the sold-out exhibition of the century on the big screen. Now on sale: new fall Curious Minds Courses exploring Italy's culinary delights, timeless Parisian style, the story of the Rolling Stones, and the history of the world's most famous paintings. Visit the Hot Docs website to view their programming schedule.
The Bloor St. Culture Corridor, Toronto's most diverse arts and culture district, is a true creative cluster, an arts and culture destination, and a collaboration between some of Toronto's most dynamic arts and culture organizations.
The Bloor St. Culture Corridor offers the public a wide variety of arts genres, from museum experiences to films, art exhibitions to music concerts, and opportunities to experience some of Toronto's cultural diversity, including Aboriginal, French, Jewish, Italian, Japanese, Estonian, African and Caribbean arts and culture.
All Bloor St. Culture Corridor organizations present arts and cultural events for the public year-round in destination venues located in a cluster along a vibrant stretch of Bloor Street West. Each year more than three million members of the public go to Bloor St. Culture Corridor arts and culture destinations, and attend exhibitions, performances, and events. Together, the Bloor St. Culture Corridor organizations employ more than 5,500 culture workers and generate more than $629,500,000 in economic impact each year. In 2016, The Bloor St. Culture Corridor was successful in working with the City of Toronto to have the Bloor St. Culture corridor section of Bloor St. West designated an official City of Toronto cultural corridor.
The Bloor St. Culture Corridor includes:
918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media and Education: 918 Bathurst St. 918bathurst.com
Alliance Française de Toronto: 24 Spadina Road alliance-francaise.ca
Bata Shoe Museum: 327 Bloor Street West batashoemuseum.ca
Blackhurst Cultural Centre: 777-779 Bathurst St. blackhurstcc.org
Gardiner Museum: 111 Queen's Park gardinermuseum.com
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema: 506 Bloor Street West hotdocscinema.ca
Istituto Italiano di Cultura: 496 Huron Street iictoronto.esteri.it
The Japan Foundation, Toronto: 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 300 jftor.org
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre: 750 Spadina Ave. mnjcc.org
The Music Gallery: 918 Bathurst St. musicgallery.org
Native Canadian Centre of Toronto: 16 Spadina Road ncct.on.ca
The Randolph Centre for the Arts: 736 Bathurst St. randolphcentreforthearts.com
The Royal Conservatory of Music / Koerner Hall: 273 Bloor Street West rcmusic.com/performance
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM): 100 Queen's Park (Entrance on Bloor St. W.) rom.on.ca
Soundstreams: various venues on the Bloor St. Culture Corridor soundstreams.ca
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra & Chamber Choir: 427 Bloor Street West tafelmusik.org
The Toronto Consort: 427 Bloor Street West torontoconsort.org
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library: 120 St. George St. fisher.library.utoronto.ca
Toronto Reference Library: 789 Yonge Street torontopubliclibrary.ca
University of Toronto Faculty of Music: 80 Queen's Park music.utoronto.ca
VEMU Estonian Museum Canada: 310 Bloor Street West vemu.ca
Women's Art Association of Canada: 23 Prince Arthur Ave. womensartofcanada.ca
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Sandra P. 9/1/2023 |
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