Thousands of Torontonians took to the streets Saturday for the fifth annual Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, an all-night celebration of contemporary art presented by the City of Toronto, which has announced a further four-year funding commitment from lead sponsor Scotiabank. "Toronto is never so alive as it is during Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. The event has transformed Toronto—in the way we engage with contemporary art, with each other, and with our city," said Rita Davies, the city's executive director of culture. "With four more years to look forward to, I can only imagine the continued magic that will unfold."
The fifth edition of the free event featured more than 130 commissioned and independent exhibitions created by nearly 500 artists and displayed in three zones across the city, including a massive multimedia installation designed by musician Daniel Lanois. Dubbed "Later That Night at the Drive-In," Lanois's installation filled Nathan Phillips Square with live music and original scored video projections.
Other highlights included Philip Beesley's "Aurora," a light installation in the atrium at the Royal Conservatory of Music's Telus Centre for Performance and Learning, and "Dune," an interactive new media installation designed by Rotterdam-based artist Daan Roosegaarde and set up in the Lower Bay Station.
Participants could take advantage of two interactive tools, including the Night Navigator iPhone/Blackberry app and My Night itinerary (both of which debuted last year), to plan their evening. Organizers also launched Share Your Night, a new platform for streaming comments, texts, tweets, and photos shared by eventgoers on screens at Scotiabank Information Centres throughout the night.
The sixth edition of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche takes place on October 1, 2011.
