| NEWS 06.06.08 12:14 PM |
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| Sponsors Drive Free Programming at Luminato Festival |
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Makeup demonstrations, dance classes, light shows, and performances by the likes of the Barra MacNeils and Ashley MacIsaac are just some of the free events being presented as part of the second annual Luminato Festival of Arts and Creativity, which starts Friday and runs through June 15. And, with more than 80 percent of the programming being offered at no cost to the public, sponsorships are critical to the event's success, festival president and C.E.O. Janice Price said in an interview.
“I think last year we were extremely grateful that [the inaugural festival came] off and that people embraced it so well … but we did all of that with only about seven months of planning," Price said. "The luxury of having a year of planning time means that we’ve really been able to leverage the desire of our corporate sponsors to make the connection with the programming. It’s allowed us to be a lot more creative with our partners." She added, “I think the really optimum blend of public-sector, individual, and private sponsorship makes [our sponsors] feel comfortable they’re working with an organization that has brought everybody to the table."
Major partners like Telus are presenting several programs throughout the fesitval, including "Slow Dancing," an outdoor moving portrait installation by David Michalek, featuring dancers from various styles and using high-definition slow-motion technology. The screen will be on display after dark at Hart House field on the University of Toronto campus throughout the festival. The telecommunications company is also presenting a Scottish music festival at Yonge-Dundas Square—during the opening weekend—highlighting the influence that Scotland's music has had on Canadian artists like the Barra MacNeils. Traditional Scottish square dancing lessons are also planned.
Yonge-Dundas Square will also be the sight of an eye-catching light display—sponsored by KPMB Architects—featuring 250 lit balloons tethered to more than 10,000 feet of rope suspended above the square. The lights within each balloon are designed to respond visually to the sounds in the open-air dance hall as Telus presents "Light on Your Feet"—six nights of live music and dance lessons from June 6 to 11.
Cinco, an event management company, is working with title sponsor L'Oréal to produce a series of events throughout the 10 days, including consultations and makeovers at "Get Ready to Go with L'Oréal Paris", a public event being held in a tent at Yonge-Dundas Square; the invite-only Ford Model Search V.I.P. Fashion Show at the distillery district on June 13; and "Colours of New York," hair and makeup consultations in a New York loft setting at the Fermenting Cellar on June 14 and 15.
“It’s always just such a wonderful jigsaw puzzle to put this program together," said Price, who noted that a recent $15 million grant from the province will enable Luminato to continue planning for years to come. “In our case, it’s not going to a capital project or to retire a deficit," Price said of the grant. “It’s really to ensure our status and to give us the opportunity to program into the future."
Festival sponsors include L'Oréal, the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, Telus, CTV, The Globe and Mail, Tourism Toronto, Cineplex Media, St. Joseph Communications, BMO Financial Group, OLG, National Bank, Manulife Financial, The Toronto Star, Scotiabank Group, Toronto Life, Waterfront Toronto, and the Weather Network.
—Susan O'Neill
RELATED TOPICS
L'Oréal, Government of Ontario, Government of Canada, Telus, CTV, The Globe and Mail, Tourism Toronto, Cineplex Media, St. Joseph Communications, BMO Financial Group, OLG, National Bank, Manulife Financial, Toronto Star, Scotiabank Group, Toronto Life, Waterfront Toronto, The Weather Network
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