Toronto's mayor unveils fifth anniversary retrospective exhibition to kick off 2010 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche

Scotiabank Nuit Blanche celebrated its past and kicked off its fifth year today with the unveiling of Some Enchanted Evenings, a fifth anniversary retrospective exhibition presented by Scotiabank featuring photos, videos and previously mounted works from the 2006-2009 editions of the free all-night contemporary art event. The exhibition runs until October 3 at Scotia Plaza, 40 King St. W.



To enhance the event experience and expand the festivities beyond one night, the City of Toronto is also hosting a series of lectures entitled Nuit Talks - five evenings covering five topics over five days starting September 28. The talks will encourage dialogues that explore the boundaries of contemporary art in public space and critically engage in future plans for the event.



"This retrospective exhibition offers a great opportunity to look back and celebrate the successes and magical moments of the first four years," said Rita Davies, Executive Director of Cultural Services at the City of Toronto. "So far, the event has been a platform for more than 600 official art installations by nearly 2,000 artists representing more than 15 countries worldwide, resulting in a total of $38 million in economic gain for our city - not bad for a completely free event lasting only 12 short hours."



“For the past five years, we’ve witnessed Scotiabank Nuit Blanche become a very special tradition in this city - a celebration of the amazing creative cultures here in Toronto,” said Duncan Hannay, Scotiabank Senior Vice-President, Marketing. “We’re very fortunate to have such a wealth of talent in this city, to showcase it, and to attract so many wonderful artists to join us for a magical evening. Year after year, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche reminds us of the incredible richness that art brings into our lives and we are proud to be a part of that.”



With 130 projects by nearly 500 artists featured at the 2010 edition of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, it will be impossible for the public to experience it all in one night, and event-goers are advised to plan ahead. The City of Toronto announced key event information and navigational tools that will make getting around the event easier and safer.



Finding information

• Centrally located Scotiabank Information Centres are a great place for the public to start their night. Event-goers can pick up a guidebook or map, chat with Volunteer Information Ambassadors, vote for Scotiabank People's Choice.

• Full program details, including project descriptions, images and links to artists’ websites can be found at http://www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca

• Program brochures are now available at independent project venues and Scotiabank locations.

• The public is also encouraged to become a fan of the event on Facebook (www.facebook.com/sbnuitblancheTO) and follow @sbnuitblancheTO on Twitter for

the latest behind-the-scenes information and event tips leading up to, and on, event night.



Getting around

• The souvenir edition of the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche branded TTC Day Pass is now on sale at subway ticket counters and will be valid from 9 a.m. on October 2 until 9 a.m. on October 3 at a cost of $10. The TTC will continue to run all-night service on portions of both subway lines.

• Exhibition projects have been placed closer together, and predominantly on the Yonge-University subway line, making it easier to see more installations and encourage simple navigation.

• Yonge Street will be entirely closed to car traffic from Bloor Street South to Front Street, and portions of Bloor Street, Bay Street and Queen Street will also be car-free, creating safe and accessible pedestrian routes through large portions of the downtown core.



Navigational Tools

• The Mobile-optimized web content at www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca will adapt to any handheld and allow participants to access all event details and vote for Scotiabank People’s Choice while they are out and about on event night.

• The My Night itinerary planner on the website allows audience members to create their own personal list of must-sees, print it, view it from a hand-held device and share it with friends.

• The second edition of Night Navigator App will be available to iPhone, Blackberry and Android users on September 30. It utilizes GPS to help users navigate the event, find the closest projects, vote for Scotiabank People's Choice, join the conversation and view or upload event photos in real time.

• New for 2010 is Share Your Night - an online platform that aggregates tweets, comments, texts, photos and more from event-goers, in real time. The stream is on the website, on Night Navigator, and will be featured on specially designated screens found at the Scotiabank Information Centres on event night.



Scotiabank Nuit Blanche is Toronto’s annual all-night celebration of contemporary art, produced by the City of Toronto in collaboration with Toronto’s arts community.



Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2009 the Bank provided about $39 million in sponsorships and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. For more information the public can visit www.scotiabank.com.



Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto's government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents. For information about non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.