On November 3rd, 2015, Toronto City Council adopted recommendations to support the Arts in the Parks pilot program by creating a “Music in Parks” permit category that will specifically authorize musicians to play live performances in parks around the city.
The Arts in the Parks initiative, created in partnership with the Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation, will bring music and other arts programming to parks and neighbourhoods outside the downtown core. These events will be open to the public, increase the vibrancy of the communities in which they take place, and help support the artists themselves.
A component of this initiative, the Toronto arts Council’s Animating Toronto Parks program will provide funding to professional artists, organizations, and collectives to support free arts programming in selected Toronto parks. Interested parties can find more details here.
Did you know the Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street) boasts an impressive collection of over 15,000 vinyl LPs?
On Thursday November 12 at 6:30 PM, pay a visit to the library’s Hinton Learning Theatre for Vinyl 101: Everything you ever wanted to know about records, where award winning producer DJ Agile will breakdown the basics of vinyl appreciation and sample the collection with special guests DJ Arcee and Planet of Sound‘s Evan Doyle.
If you can’t attend the event, the vinyl collection is available every day on the 5th floor of the Toronto Reference Library with listening stations available for your listening pleasure.
The City of Toronto has announced the scheduling for the 2015 Cavalcade Of Lights presented by Great Gulf, an annual tradition marking the official start of the holiday season with the first illumination of Toronto’s official Christmas Tree at Nathan Phillips Square.
The 49th annual Cavalcade Of Lights will take place Saturday November 28, 2015 and feature a headlining concert from Canadian alt-rock heroes Sloan, as well as performances by Crystal Shawanda, Beverley Mahood, Sean Jones and the evening’s Music Director, Sekou Lumumba.
The free, family-friendly event will also feature a Frozen-themed skating party, aerial acrobatics and many more activities.
Singer/songwriter Natalie Merchant will be in attendance Monday night at the Bloor Cinema for the Canadian premiere of her new documentary film Paradise Is There. The former 10,000 Maniacs singer will introduce the film and participate in a Q&A following the screening. The film features rare archival footage and new recordings of songs from her 1995 debut album Tigerlily, which is certified Gold in Canada.
The screening begins at 6:30 PM and tickets are still available. View the trailer for Paradise Is There below:
In January 2016, the City of Toronto, with support from TD, will launch the Live From City Hall showcase series, featuring local artists performing in the first-floor rotunda of one of Toronto’s most iconic buildings.
Torontonians will get a sneak preview of the series on Thursday October 29, 2015, with Cameron House favourites Big Tobacco & The Pickers (5 PM) & Ferraro (6 PM) playing a free show in the rotunda. Both bands are also featured on the City of Toronto’s Fall 2015 Music 311 playlist, a new initiative that brings the music of Toronto artists to the 311 phone system.
Stay tuned to 4479 for details on the official launch in January!
