Toronto - The Bloor St. Culture Corridor
November 2023
The Bloor St. Culture Corridor
Happy November! Our partners are in full swing with a diverse array of events open to the public - be sure to check them out! It's also holiday shopping season, and there are plenty of perfect gifts to be found along the Corridor - get your holiday planning early by visiting partner websites for gift certificates and more. And be sure not to miss the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto Indigenous Artisan Marketplace!
To make sure you get even more up-to-date notices, be sure to follow our social media channels - Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You never know what you'll discover next!
Soundstreams
Soundstreams presents The Bright Divide, a riveting new concert experience featuring Rothko Chapel by American composer Morton Feldman, and the world premiere of mark by Canadian composer Cecilia Livingston with original text by Duncan McFarlane. The Bright Divide is inspired by the work of two artistic masters: Mark Rothko, one of the most important painters of the 20th century and one of the finest artists of all time, whose richly colourful works continue to captivate viewers; and Feldman, a contemporary of Rothko, and a major figure in 20th-century classical music. Bringing the vision to life will be internationally celebrated stage director Tim Albery, with David Fallis as conductor and music director. Steven Dann is the featured soloist in both works on the program. The program also features Soundstreams Choir 21, Ryan Scott on percussion, and Gregory Oh on celesta, with lighting design by Siobhán Sleath and projections by Cameron Davis. Visit their website for more details.
Native Canadian Centre of Toronto
Celebrate Indigenous culture at the NCCT 2023 Toronto Indigenous Artisan Marketplace! Visit them at the Native Canadian Centre or tune in for live-stream artist interviews, and join their daily prize giveaways in person or on their Facebook Event Page every Friday, Saturday, & Sunday at noon. Discover authentic Indigenous arts and crafts, including jewelry, moccasins, paintings, beadwork, and more, all while supporting local talent. Shop for unique holiday gifts and immerse yourself in the richness of Indigenous heritage. Visit it online at their website.
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
The Miles Nadal JCC offers outstanding and diverse Arts and Culture opportunities this November. Sign up for Introduction to ASL (American Sign Language) - a four-week course that starts November 15. Skills taught by instructor Art Gunther will include vocabulary, finger-spelling and Deaf Culture studies. Attend a historical lecture series on November 16 and 23 given by Dr. Joseph Gilbert: Darwin, Evolution and the Judaic Response. Join set and lighting designer Phil Silver for a two-part series beginning on November 20: The Clothes that make the Mensch: Jewish Fashion Designers. Come to their book club on November 30 where we’ll discuss Alice Hoffman’s The World That We Knew. Be sure to check out their winter break camps, aquatics, early childhood education, accessible and inclusive programming and their state-of-the-art wellness centre at their website.
Bata Shoe Museum
Mark your calendars! The Bata Shoe Museum is excited to open their new exhibition Dressed to Impress: Footwear and Consumerism in the 1980s on November 1, 2023. The decade known for its bold fashions: bright colours, sharp silhouettes, cone heels, and high-status sneakers, this exhibition highlights the joyful nostalgia of the times, while exploring the rise of conservative politics, globalization, and technological innovation that influenced our consumer habits of today. Join them on November 4 & 5 for their Community Weekend where they will be offering FREE admission all weekend alongside special programming including tours of the new exhibition. Stay tuned as they release more information on their social media and website.There’s always something new at the BSM - keep up with them on their website.
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library
The Fisher’s current exhibition, A World of Fancies: The Toy Theatre and the Living Image, continues through November. The exhibition showcases how toy theatres bring stories to life, drawing places and characters off the stage and off the page, and creating a fanciful world of colour and motion. The exhibition runs until December 20. The Fisher will have a special Saturday opening on November 18, 10am-4pm, to view the exhibition. Also, on November 23, the library is offering a free workshop: “Canada in Print” will look at how diverse peoples visiting and living on the lands of Canada embraced print technologies to tell their stories. Visit the website for registration information.
VEMU Estonian Museum Canada
On November 1, join them for an introduction to the Korean martial art of taekwondo. Learn punches, kicks and blocks useful for self-defence from Thomas Käis-Prial who is a registered black-belt with World Taekwondo. They will also be continuing their "keelekohvik"/language café on November 8 and 22 where beginner speakers of Estonian can practice their skills in a welcoming environment. Join artist and writer Anne Remmel for a new series of writing workshops on November 15, 22, & 29, where she will guide writers to overcome common obstacles and find their style. VEMU will also be co-presenting a screening of the Estonian film "Kalev" (2022) on November 21 at 6pm with the EU Film Festival. More information can be found at their website.
The Music Gallery
On November 25, join The Music Gallery in celebrating the 25th anniversary of protest music group, LAL. LAL, a treasure in Toronto’s experimental scene comprising of Nicholas Murray and Rosina Kazi, is not just a musical force but a community builder. Commemorating their 25th year, they release their new album SPECTACULAR on November 24 followed by a celebratory event on November 25 at The Music Gallery. The eight-track album, born during the challenges of the pandemic, explores radical love and transformation after heartbreak. Join them in honoring this quarter-century journey and experience the culmination of their artistic legacy. Find out more here.
ROM
With a new year of breathtaking photographs, Wildlife Photographer of the Year is on view at ROM November 25, 2023 through May 7, 2024. Each photograph is backlit, providing exquisite quality and depth. Experience our world in vivid detail and see some of the most extraordinary species in ways you never imagined. Through the camera's lens, viewers become witnesses to the lives animals live and the challenges they face. Calling all shutterbugs! ROM’s Wildlife Photo Contest also returns. Open to all Ontario residents in their Youth and Adult categories, submit your best nature images to receive amazing prizes including a Canon Camera Kit courtesy of Henry’s Camera. ROM After Dark takes you on a walk “On the Wild Side.” Get access November 24th to all exhibitions with 19+ themed after-hours experience unlike anything else in the city. Buy tickets and learn more at their website.
Women's Art Association of Canada
Dignam Gallery presents Taking Turns, WAAC members exhibition until November 4. Janet Read: High Arctic Light from November 8 to 18; Don Valley Art Club Holiday Show will be on view in the Dignam Gallery from November 22 to December 2. The Ruth Upjohn Gallery presents a Fundraising Boutique until November 11, and a solo exhibition of WAAC member artist Meral Altinbilek from November 22 to December 2. On November 16, the Artist's Voice FREE Speaker Series presents Andrew Benyei, From Clay to Bronze: Sculpture Secrets Revealed. Benyei explains the process, both creative and technical in creating his figurative works. The presentation will include sharing his challenges with dealing with clients on commissioned work. For more information, please visit their website.
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir
This November, experience a journey through time and music with Tafelmusik. Join them for Haus Musik: Mods & Rockers on November 7 and dive into the British music explosion from the 1960s onwards. Groove to hits by The Beatles, Bowie, Queen, and more, reimagined by Andrew Downing and sung by Alex Samaras. Tafelmusik musicians blend these tunes with 1600s melodies at the legendary El Mocambo for a night of classical music unbound. The following week, from November 17-19, Choir Director Ivars Taurins curates 17th- and 18th-century European choral gems, featuring Monteverdi's originality to Bach's brilliance in Choral Kaleidoscope. The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir's pristine clarity and Bach's "Jesu, meine Freude" take the stage. Tickets available at their website.
The Royal Conservatory
The Royal Conservatory's November concerts include two sold out shows featuring the Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Daniel Barenboim on November 25 and 26. The Danish String Quartet perform works by Haydn, Schubert, and more on November 3. Eight-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride leads an all-star quartet on November 4. The Django Festival Allstars perform the music of the legendary Django Reinhardt with jazz harp virtuoso Edmar Castañeda on November 10. Rising flamenco star Israel Fernández makes his Koerner Hall debut on October 27 alongside Arab/Andalusian ensemble Seffarine. Additional concerts this month include multiple Grammy Award-winning conductor JoAnn Falletta leading the Royal Conservatory Orchestra on November 24, the ARC Ensemble's 20th anniversary concert on November 29, and more. Head to their website to learn more.
Istituto Italiano di Cultura
This year's Italian selection presented at the European Union Film Festival on November 19 is the comedy The Spring of My Life by Italian film director Zavvo Nicolosi. Surprises are just around the corner as two long-lost friends meet again for a long journey and a daring race against time that will bring them to face their past to rebuild their friendship until a shocking revelation emerges. Italy's The Spring of My Life and the films of the other participating nations will be screened at the Spadina Theatre, located in the Alliance Française de Toronto. On November 30, the Istituto presents Italian folk group Birkin Tree in concert, who will be in Toronto to perform an evening filled with Christmas music with an Irish Flair at The Music Gallery located at 918 Bathurst Street. For more information on these and other events, click here to visit the Istituto website.
The Japan Foundation, Toronto
Want something fun and exciting to do indoors as the weather gets cooler? The Japan Foundation, Toronto is looking forward to wintery events in November, starting with Next Stop Japan from November 1-4: stop by Union Station to experience different aspects of Japanese culture. From November 3-5, catch a Canada-wide virtual screening of Restaurant in the Sky, a mouth-watering and delightful slice-of-life family film. The next JFT Hybrid Book Club on November 16 promises to be a cozy one, with the theme of holiday reads. Bring a book, ebook, manga, or audiobook of your choosing and share it with book club participants. JFT is recruiting 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.
Alliance Française de Toronto
Join them this November as they welcome the European Union Film Festival at the Alliance Française! EUFF draws the best films from the European Union to Toronto, engaging 27 Consulates and Cultural Institutes in collaboration. In addition to the EUFF, on November 2, they will also offer French film “Novembre” based on the 2015 terrorist strikes in Paris and Quebecois film “Fuir” on November 25 which will be followed by a panel discussion which will mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Enjoy miniature dance performances Solos prêt-à-porter as they are projected onto your hands from November 20-25. Visit their website for more details.
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema premieres an exciting selection of new titles in November, including The Pigeon Tunnel, Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris's exploration of author John le Carré's extraordinary life; and The Stones and Brian Jones, filmmaker Nick Broomfield's attempt to unlock the key to the creative musical genius of the greatest rock'n'roll band in history. Hot Docs Festival 2023 Official Selections opening this month: Lebanese Burger Mafia, the meaty saga of a rogue fast-food chain with mysterious origins and a cult following; Total Trust, an eye-opening and disturbing story of surveillance technology in China; and Another Body, in which a college student searches for answers and justice after discovering deep-fake pornography of herself circulating online. Curious Minds Author Talks will welcome iconic news anchor and journalist Peter Mansbridge, celebrated poet and novelist Anne Michaels, and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sarah Polley. Visit the Hot Docs website to view their programming schedule.
University of Toronto Faculty of Music
The University of Toronto Faculty of Music kicks off November with a compelling lecture by Professor Nathan Holder, titled "Moving toward decoloniality in music teaching and learning," November 1 at 5:30pm. November 9-11, the Afrosonic Innovation Lab and partners present Hip-Hop Diaspora: Archiving & Celebrating 50 Years of the Culture, a multi-event symposium that considers the relationships between hip-hop street culture practices, archiving and preservation. Save the date November 19 at 2pm for a celebration of the life, music, and friendship of beloved professor Marietta Orlov. Wrapping up this eventful month, U of T Opera presents Il cappello di paglia di Firenze (The Florentine Straw Hat), featuring a lively, tuneful score by the celebrated film composer Nino Rota. Four performances will take place November 23-26 in MacMillan Theatre. Visit their website for details.
Toronto Reference Library
Toronto Reference Library presents a diverse range of free in-person and online literary and cultural events and conversations. On November 2, writer Jeannie Marshall discusses "All Things Move," a quietly sublime meditation on how art can change our lives (plus a pre-event screen-printing workshop.) On November 8, bestselling author Ken Dryden discusses his riveting new memoir, “The Class,” exploring the varied paths of his former high school classmates. Award-winning novelist and author Naomi Alderman discusses her new dystopian thriller on November 13, “The Future.” The winner of the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize joins CBC host Ryan B. Patrick on November 15 for an evening of celebration and conversation. And, on November 16, award-winning New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast joins them to discuss her new graphic narrative, “I Must be Dreaming.” Throughout November, the library’s intellectual freedom series continues with programs, installations and activations. Explore these and more programs at tpl.ca.
The Toronto Consort
The Toronto Consort presents Time Stands Still, November 3 & 4 at 8pm at Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, 427 Bloor St W. Travel back to the English Renaissance with the exquisite sounds of the 'broken consort'. Presenting music of the time for modern audiences comes with poignant questions about life during that time and its impacts today. Helping them reflect on the themes of the period are poets and spoken word performers Martin Gomes and Desiree Mckenzie. Tickets are available here.
Gardiner Museum
The landmark exhibition Magdalene Odundo: A Dialogue with Objects is on now at the Gardiner Museum! It marks the Canadian debut and largest ever North American exhibition of work by Dame Magdalene Odundo, the world’s most celebrated ceramic artist. Made entirely by hand and finished to a smooth, lustrous sheen, Odundo’s magisterial ceramic vessels are uniquely her own while synthesizing traditions of ceramics and other media from multiple global cultures. The artist works on a single vessel for months, slowly and rhythmically, pouring years of experimentation and technical mastery into each piece. Magdalene Odundo: A Dialogue with Objects brings together works spanning the artist’s career, including new pieces directly from her studio. These works are presented in conversation with art and artifacts from many time periods and cultures, drawn from the collections of the Gardiner Museum, Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Textile Museum of Canada, and more. Plan your visit to see it today at their website.
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. 11/1/2023 |
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