Luminato Festival June 10 - 19: Ten Days of Free Creativity

Screenshot: Free Creativity: Luminato Free Event Preview
For 10 extraordinary days in June, Toronto's stages, streets and public spaces are illuminated.
Luminato June 10 - 19, 2011: View all free Festival events
Credit: @Luminato

Luminato 2011 celebrates 10 days and nights of free creativity. There are just some events from the category: Check this out, Not to be missed!

June 10-19 / 12:00 PM
Lunchtime Conversations (daily series)

Chapters John & Richmond
142 John Street, Toronto, ON M5V 2E4

Gain enlightening insights into Luminato events, direct from the artists themselves during each of this series' Conversations (held daily at 12:00 PM).
June 10: Festival Overview
Join Luminato Artistic Director Chris Lorway and other members of the programming team for an inside look at the 2011 Festival: how it came together and what threads and connections can be traced in the program as a whole.

June 10 / 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
National Bank First Night @ The Festival Stage
The Joel Plaskett Emergency w/Beast

David Pecaut Square (entrance off King Street, just west of Roy Thomson Hall)
55 John Street, Toronto, ON M5V 3C9

Celebrate the opening of Luminato 2011 at a free outdoor concert featuring stellar performers from Canada's indie-rock scene: The Joel Plaskett Emergency & Beast.
Hosted by Anne-Marie Mediwake and Dwight Drummond, co-hosts of CBC News Toronto.

Jun. 12 / 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Homayun Sakhi w/Alim Qasimov Ensemble (Sunday Afternoon @ The Festival Stage)

David Pecaut Square (entrance off King Street, just west of Roy Thomson Hall)
55 John Street, Toronto, ON M5V 3C9

A free celebration of music from the Middle East and around the world.
Hosted by the Nana Aba Duncan, producer of CBC Radio One 99's Big City, Small World.


June 17 / 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
k.d. lang and The Siss Boom Bang w/The Belle Brigade (Friday @ The Festival Stage)
[367 likes]
David Pecaut Square (entrance off King Street, just west of Roy Thomson Hall)
55 John Street, Toronto, ON M5V 3C9

Don’t miss rare chance to see "the best singer of her generation" for free, as k.d. lang comes to Luminato for the Canadian launch of her latest North American tour. With special guests The Belle Brigade.
Hosted by the CBC's Denise Donlon.

Saturday, June 18 / 12 - 9:00 PM
Sunday, June 19 / 12 - 6:00 PM
President's Choice® 1000 Tastes of Toronto™

John Street (between Adelaide Street West and Wellington Street West)
100, rue John, Toronto, ON M5H 1Y2

Treat your taste buds to a trip around the world, with gourmet street food prepared by some of the city's leading restaurateurs. Free to attend. All food items $5 each.

I spotted the Delight Chocolate as one of the participants in this year's event. Also Poutini’s House of Poutine will be on Stage at 5:00 pm on Saturday. Their 2nd Anniversary [gluten-free] poutine party with 2-for-1 special is on on June 12th from noon-9pm! Om nom nom nom!

June 19 / 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Nitin Sawhney w/ Tasa (Sunday @ The Festival Stage)

David Pecaut Square (entrance off King Street, just west of Roy Thomson Hall)
55 John Street, Toronto, ON M5V 3C9

Join Nitin Sawhney and friends for Luminato's spectacular free closing day concert: a modern take on east meets west.
Hosted by Zaib Shaikh, actor, writer, and director known for his role as Amaar Rashid on CBC's Little Mosque on the Prairie.

And much, much more about Luminato, Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity: http://www.luminato.com/ + @luminato (I'm a Luminatic) + facebook: Luminato Festival + youtube: LuminatoEvents's Channel

Junction "Local News" and Other Events @ Annette PL

Posters: Annette Street Public Library Author Readings in June 2011
Glen Downie "Local News" and Terry Fallis "The Best Laid Plans"
Credit: torontopubliclibrary.ca

Glen Downie reading from his new book "Local News"

Mon Jun 06, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

City of Toronto and One Book Award winner, Glen Downie reads from his new book "Local News". Set in the Junction, this prose collection is full of local flavour.

Local author Glen Downie, who is a previous winner of Toronto Public Library's One Book and also the City of Toronto Book Award for his book Loyalty Management, will be here Monday June 6, 7pm to speak and read from his new book Local News. This collection is set in The Junction and you will recognize many of the places he writes about.

Author reading from award-winning novelist Terry Fallis - "The Best Laid Plans"

Mon Jun 13, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Novelist Terry Fallis won the Stephen Leacock medal for humour in 2008 for his novel "The Best Laid Plans". In February 2011, this book won the Canada Reads Book Award as an essential Canadian book. Come meet Terry and hear about his path to publication and his humorous books, including his new book "The High Road".

There is also a Medicine Wheel teaching, special programs for Seniors, and a 2-part Personal Finance workshop.

Check out your local library!

Opening of the Four Villages New Dundas Site: May 31

Poster: Official Opening of The Four Villages
Community Health Centre's new Dundas Site
3446 Dundas Street West, Toronto, May 31, 2011
Credit: www.4villageschc.ca

You’re invited!

Join The Four Villages Community Health Centre
in celebrating the Official Opening of our new Dundas Site
and 20 years of service in the neighbourhood!

When: Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Time: 4:00 - 6:30 pm

The Four Villages Community
Health Centre - Dundas Site
3446 Dundas Street West, Unit 2, Toronto, ON M6S 2S1

Light refreshments will be served.

Special guests:
The Honourable Deb Matthews,
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
Angela Ferrante,
Board Chair, Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network
Adrianna Tetley,
Executive Director, Association of Ontario Health Centres

Everyone is welcome!

links:
The Junction Residents Association: The Four Villages Community Heath Centre – Official Opening May 31, 2011
By admin, on May 16th, 2011

The Four Villages Website: Working Together for Whole Health

The Four Villages Community Health Centre: The Journeys to Health Digital Storytelling Project
The project is a part of Ontario Arts Council (OAC)’s new initiative supporting artist residencies within health care settings to connect wellness and creativity.

CONTACT Photography in the Junction Photos

Collage: Contact Photography in the Junction
2011 @ artjunction.blogspot.com

flickr: CONTACT 2011 Photography in the Junction: Figure + Ground

Opening Night Gala & Film Screening

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Function in the Junction Photos

Photo-Collage: Function in the Junction II
2011 @ artjunction + flickr

Fundraiser was a great success! Here are a few photos from the event, please take a look at the flickr's slideshow of the Function in the Junction II.

Plus, click to read a feature article on the Inside Toronto.com website - Function in the Junction nets nearly $12K: Funds to help people with severe burns by Lisa Rainford.

Screenshot: Inside Toronto Article:
Function in the Junction nets nearly $12K
Photo/GRAHAM PAINE.

Award-winning Documentary Vodka Factory at Toronto's Hot Docs

Poster: Vodka Factory by Jerzy Sladkowski, Hysteria Film AB, Sweden, 2010
A co-presentation of KinoArt Festival and Hot Docs
Canadian International Documentary Festival, 28 Apr - 8 May 2011, Toronto
Photography by Wojciech Staron
Credit: hotdocs.ca + hysteriafilm.se + kinoartfestival.com

Please mark your calendar for the next two weeks: April 28 - May 8, 2011. Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, North America's largest documentary festival, conference, and market, presenting over 200 films from more than 43 countries and welcoming hundreds of international filmmakers and industry delegates to Toronto for its 18th annual edition from April 28 to May 8, 2011.

This year the Hot Docs teams up with local festivals and organizations to present select screenings of award-winners from film festivals around the globe. One of those high profile special presentations include a Swedish documentary Vodka Factory, which won the grand prize - the Golden Dove Award at the DOK Leipzig festival and Grand Jury Special Mention at the One World Documentary Film Festival.

Special Presentations: The North American Premiere

Vodka Factory

Director: Jerzy Sladkowski
Produced by: Hysteria Film AB
Sweden, 2010, 90 min
Language: Russian with English subtitles

Fantasies of big-city stardom cushion a single mother labouring on an assembly line from the brutal banalities of life in Russia’s backwoods in this award-winning, intimately filmed story of the high price of dreams.

Director's Biography
Jerzy Sladkowski, born in Poland, studied film and TV at the School of Journalism in Warsaw and worked for TVP in Poland before immigrating to Sweden in 1982. He has produced and directed over 40 films, mostly documentaries for television.

Screenings:
Wed, May 4 6:30 PM
TIFF Bell Lightbox 2

Thu, May 5 11:00 AM
The ROM Theatre

Sun, May 8 6:15 PM
Innis Town Hall

“I’m a silly person, but sensitive too,” declares Valya, the 22-year-old single mother who works in a local vodka factory and lives with her mother in the backwoods Russian town of Zhigulyovsk. There’s no future here: there’s nothing to do but drink and all the men are deadbeats. Ambivalent about caring for her son, the comely, heavily mascaraed Valya escapes the brutal banality of her reality by dreaming of becoming an actress in Moscow. But in realizing her dream, she would not only be abandoning her son, she’d be destroying her mother’s: Fifty-year-old Tatiana finally has a chance at love when an old flame re-enters her life. Filmed like fiction and imbued with the gorgeous melancholy of crushed dreams, award-winning Vodka Factory is a stunningly intimate reflection on the price of dreams.

Gisèle Gordon

Subjects : Women & Women's Issues, Families & Family Relationships, Labour & Working People, Russian Culture & Issues

Co-presented with KinoArt Festival.


Hot Docs documentary Box Office
131 Bloor Street West ***New Location****
(p) 416-637-5150
(e) boxoffice@hotdocs.ca

Hot Docs 2011 Trailers: VODKA FACTORY
4 min - 15 Mar 2011 - Uploaded by HotDocsFest

Maybe you could be interested in some other documentaries, please check it out at hotdocs.ca.

The Naked of Saint Petersburg
22 minutes | Denmark | Language: (Subtitled) Russian | North American Premiere
Director: Ada Bligaard Søby
International Spectrum

Bobby Fischer against the World
93 minutes | USA | Language: English | International Premiere |
Director: Liz Garbus
Special Presentations

Family Portrait in Black and White
99 minutes | Canada | Language: (Subtitled) Russian Ukrainian English | Canadian Premiere | Rating: PG
Director(s)
Julia Ivanova
Canadian Spectrum

Pit No. 8
95 minutes | Estonia | Language: (Subtitled) Russian | Canadian Premiere
Director: Marianna Kaat
Workers of the World!

After the Apocalypse
65 minutes | UK | Language: (Subtitled) Kazakh Russian | International Premiere
Director: Antony Butts
World Showcase

The Block
75 minutes | Germany | Language: (Subtitled) German
Directors: Stefan Kolbe, Chris Wright
Ripping Reality

Our Newspaper
58 minutes | Netherlands | Language: (Subtitled) Russian | Canadian Premiere | Rating: PG
Director: Eline Flipse
International Spectrum

Please mark your calendar and get ready for the best showcase of documentary films in Toronto this year!

Note: Free tickets for all screenings before 6 p.m. are available for seniors (60+) and students with valid photo I.D. at the venue box offices on the day of the screening (subject to availability).

links:
Toronto Film Scene: Festivals: Hot Docs 2011 is just around the corner!
By Pam Fossen, March 15, 2011

torontovka.com: VODKA FACTORY - Documentary

swedenabroad.com: 28 Apr - 8 May 2011: 7 Swedish Documentaries at HotDocs Film Festival in Toronto

10th docpoint: Helsinki Documentary Film Festival: Vodka Factory

10th docpoint: Jerzy Sladkowski, Vodka Factory @ Kinopalatsi
By Mikko Kauppinen, 01 February 2011

HubPages.com: Vodka Drinks: The Best Vodka Cocktails and Mixed Drinks
...Vodka As Culture

Vodka has definitely made it's impact on culture. It seems like every college musician has at least one song on the subject. There are both rock groups and songs named "Vodka" while searches online for "Vodka Factory" turn up an award winning documentary as well as a very popular viral video of a forklift driver going nuts and taking down an entire factory with the forklift (possibly under the influence of said vodka). ...
By Jerry G2

pedsovet.org: "Водочный завод"
Человек как воспитатель и воспитуемый
Психология и другие науки о человеке на службе педагогике
версия для печати 26.03.2011

Toronto: Easter Traditions Around the World

Collage: Poster Easter Around the World
Sunday, April 17th, 2011, Toronto City Hall
Community Folk Arts Council of Toronto
Credit: www.cfactoronto.com

The Community Folk Arts Council of Toronto presents

Easter Around the World

When: Sunday, April 17th, 2011
Time: 12 - 5pm
Where: Toronto City Hall Rotunda (inside)
Location: 100 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2N1
(North-west corner of Queen Street West and Bay Street)

Admission: Free

• Join the Community Folk Arts Council of Toronto for the 46th annual "Easter Around the World" celebrations.
• Experience and see how 15 different countries and communities celebrate Easter and their traditions.
• See live egg painting demonstrations.
• Buy foods and gifts from around the world.

For more info call: 416-368-8743
or go to: www.cfactoronto.com

It's a wonderful event and an excellent opportunity for children and families to learn about how different cultures celebrate Easter.

Happy Easter!

links:
Toronto.com Restaurants Word of Mouth: Experiencing Easter around the world
by Sheryl Kirby, March 25, 2011

Just Food Now: Information, Recipes, Religious Feasts: Easter Around The World
by J @ JFN, March 30, 2010

CONTACT 2011 Photography in the Junction: Figure & Ground

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival: Figure & Ground
Photography in the Junction, May 1 - 31, 2011, 21 Venues / 26 Artists
Opening Night Gala & Film Screening: Saturday, May 7th, 2011
Photo: Brahmin, Varanasi by Rina Singh
Credit: scotiabankcontactphoto.com + junctionbia.com

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival & the Junction BIA

Photography in the Junction

May 1 - 31, 2011
21 Venues / 26 Artists

Enjoy the work of 26 photographers in 21 locations along Dundas Street West from Quebec Avenue to Keele Street.

Opening Night Gala & Film Screening
Saturday, May 7, 2011

Opening Night Receptions: All Venues

Time: 6 - 9 pm

Location: Dundas Street West
[between Keele Street & Quebec Avenue]

Outdoor Film Screening:
The Many Faces of Arnaud Maggs
Directed & Produced by Annette Mangaard
Arnaud Maggs and Darcy Killeen, Executive Director of CONTACT will provide opening remarks.

Time: 9:30 pm

Location: on Pacific Avenue north of Dundas Street West

For more information contact:
The Junction BIA
416-767-9068
JunctionBIA2010@gmail.com
www.junctionbia.com

Facebook: CONTACT-Photography-Festival
Flickr: contactphotofestival
Twitter: @contactphoto
#contact2011
#junctionto

links:
The CONTACT 2011 Calendar Saturday, May 7

The CONTACT 2011 Exhibits + Photographers + Venues in the Junction

Bravo! Canada Photography Month

YouTube: The Many Faces of Arnaud Maggs
Uploaded by AnnetteM2010 on Mar 17, 2010

This documentary examines the life and work of Montreal-born Arnaud Maggs, an artist who gave up a successful commercial career to become a portrait photographer. Maggs has captured such Canadian notables as Leonard Cohen, Irving Layton and Karen Kain with his lens.

Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction: Discussing the idea of Heritage Conservation Districts

Poster: Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction
Monday, April 18, 2011 at 3049 Dundas Street West
Photo: 204 High Park (northwest corner of High Park & Humberside)
by photographer, John Huzil, 1995
Credit: JunctionRA.ca + WTJHS.ca

The Junction Residents Association and the West Toronto Junction Historical Society present

Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction

When: Monday, April 18, 2011
Time: 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Venue: West Toronto Baptist Church
Location: 3049 Dundas Street West, The Junction, Toronto, ON M6P 1Z7

Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction, Monday, April 18th from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Architect Catherine Nasmith and Ward 13 Councillor Sarah Doucette have been invited to discuss the idea of Heritage Conservation Districts.

There has been a great deal of interest expressed locally in establishing a Heritage Conservation District in the Junction, and public discussion of the idea will follow.

The presentation is at the West Toronto Baptist Church, 3049 Dundas Street West, refreshments will be provided.

Presented by the Junction Residents Association and the West Toronto Junction Historical Society.

The JRA is streaming this and all of their meetings live on their website, http://junctionra.ca/jra-tv/ for anyone who can't make the meeting.

links:
Junction Triangle: The Junction Residents Association: Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction, Monday, April 18th from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

meetup.com: Junction Toronto: Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction

Junction Toronto: Uniting West Toronto Junction residents, non-profit organizations and businesses: "Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction" presented by JRA & WTJHS

Junctioneer: Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction, Monday, April 18th from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Junction Parents: "Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction" presented by the JRA & WTJHS

toronto craigslist: events: Preserving Built Heritage in the Junction (3049 Dundas Street West, Toronto)

insidetoronto: events: Meeting on Heritage Conservation in the Junction

People That Matter: Jane Jacobs Prize Recipient: Catherine Nasmith
Protecting buildings, neighbourhoods and streetscapes: Jane Jacobs Prize Ceremony September 14, 2010

Heritage Toronto: a charitable organization that works with the citizens of Toronto to advocate for, preserve, and promote a greater appreciation for our city's rich heritage.

City of Toronto: Heritage conservation districts: Policies and Terms of Reference for Designating Heritage Conservation Districts (HCD) in Toronto

Yuri Gagarin, the First Man in Space - Tuesday, April 12, 1961

Yury Gagarin, the First Cosmonaut in the World:
A part of a painting from the Kennedy Space Center
The Dreamers, Doers, and Heroes: A Collective Portrait
from flickr.com

On April 12, 2011, Russia and the world will mark the 50th anniversary of the historic flight of Yury Gagarin, the first cosmonaut in the world. Around the world, it is celebrated as Yuri's Night and celebrated with parties. An annual International Day of Human Space Flight was declared by the General Assembly to be celebrated on 12 April, the date of the first manned space flight in 1961.

An Attic Room Production in association with Yuri's Night and YuriGagarin50 have partnered with YouTube to share First Orbit in a special global streaming event on the 12th April.

first orbit: a free film to download & share
created to celebrate the first 50 years of human spaceflight

First Orbit - Trailer I
"On 12th April 2011 it will be 50 years to the day since Yuri Gagarin climbed into his space ship and was launched into space. It took him just 108 minutes to orbit Earth and he returned as the World's very first space man.
To mark this historic flight we have teamed up with the astronauts on board the International Space Station to film a new view of what Yuri would have seen as he travelled around the planet.
Weaving these new views together with historic voice recordings from Yuri's flight and an original score by composer Philip Sheppard, we have created a spellbinding film to share with people around the World on this historic anniversary.
We have partnered with YouTube to host a special global premiere of the film on the 12th April."

Uploaded by firstorbit on Mar 9, 2011

Have a great Cosmonautics Day!

@firstorbit

#Gagarin

links:
680news.com: Canada joins global party to celebrate 50th anniversary of Gagarin space flight
"...Canada entered the space age when the Alouette-1 scientific satellite was launched on Sept. 29, 1962.
With that launch, Canada became the third nation after the Russian and American superpowers to design and build its own artificial Earth satellite."
by Peter Rakobowchuk, The Canadian Press Apr 07, 2011 15:16:43 PM

cbc.ca: Technology & Science: Manned space flight's 50th anniversary
CBC News Apr 12, 2011 5:04 AM ET

artjunction: Toronto International Sputnik Day 2007 Celebration