Photo: zahrasaleki on Instagram 

Nuit Blanche returns to Toronto tomorrow night, and is set to transform the city’s downtown core into an artistic space, filled with contemporary art exhibits and live performances. From sunset to sunrise, Toronto’s streets will be covered in vibrant artwork that is created by Canadian and international artists. The event will feature large scale art projects in bustling public spaces across the city, such as Queen’s Park and Nathan Phillips Square.

For the first time ever, this year’s edition of Nuit Blanche will have an overall theme, dubbed “Many Possible Futures”. Marking the milestone of Canada’s 150th anniversary, this massive all-night art festival focuses on Canadian diversity in the arts. This year’s edition of Nuit Blanche claims to be inspired by relevant issues, such as social change and cultural endurance. 

With 90 projects created by over 350 artists, the free all-night event invites attendees to experience Toronto’s arts and culture scene. Most of the projects will be clustered in a walkable distance from one another, so local art enthusiasts can explore the city streets during the wee hours of Saturday night. For the 12th annual Nuit Blanche, for one night only, the city is slated to be lively up until dawn, featuring four notable exhibits. 

The Monument to the Century of Revolutions is curated by Nato Thompson, and can be found at Nathan Philips Square. With an assortment of shipping containers that represent revolutionary moments in history, the project is inspired by the 2003 Russian collective “Chto Delat”. Using art as a form of protest, local artists activist groups will be touching on timely issues, such as queer activism and justice for Indigenous peoples.

Located at Queen’s Park and University of Toronto, Barbara Fischer’s Taking to the Streets exhibit presents eight projects. She examines historical and contemporary methods of protest, gaining inspiration from the city streets, where there is no shortage of public expression.

Life on Neebahgeezis; A Luminous Engagement is curated by Maria Hupfield, and features five projects located on Bay Street, between Queen and King. Using theatrics, animation, audio and projection, this exhibits represents the resilience and solidarity of the Indigenous community. It is said to be an Anishinaabe interpretation of David Bowie’s song “Life on Mars”.

Between the Art Gallery of Ontario to Young-Dundas Square, local curator Clara Halpern features five projects in the Calculating Upon The Unforeseen exhibit. The exhibit brings together six artists as they use art to reflect on a variety of possible futures.