About Nuit Blanche
MAYORAL MESSAGE
In my first term as Mayor, I championed Toronto's cultural renaissance by launching Scotiabank Nuit
Blanche, a sunset-to-sunrise celebration of contemporary art, which attracted more than 425,000 visitors.
Toronto was alive with culture and buzzing with excitement all night long.
The inaugural Scotiabank Nuit Blanche was a transformative celebration of creativity where a new audience
was introduced to contemporary art. It was a pivotal event for Toronto, unlike any event ever produced
in North America.
In 2007, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche returns with 195 projects created by more than 500 artists, including
125 galleries, museums, art institutions and neighbourhoods. This tremendous participation is a testament
to how Toronto's artistic community has embraced this event.
Scotiabank Nuit Blanche allows our artists to showcase the cultural energy that sets our city apart
from any other place in the world and bolsters Toronto's status as a city that honours its artists and
creative communities.
Thank you to Scotiabank and all our sponsors and partners for providing the support necessary to make
this "free all-night contemporary art thing" happen.
I invite everyone to join me for one sleepless night on September 29 and be part of this unprecedented
celebration that recognizes the very best of our city.
Mayor David Miller
SCOTIABANK MESSAGE
 The first Scotiabank Nuit Blanche in September 2006 was an overwhelming success, and Scotiabank is proud to return for a second year as the presenting sponsor of this innovative celebration of contemporary arts and culture in Toronto.
At Scotiabank we work to help our customers build a richer life by helping them become better off financially. We also support important initiatives across Canada and around the world that provide opportunities for our customers and communities to experience the richness that life has to offer. We're very proud of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche and the contribution that this event makes to the community.
This city is fortunate to enjoy an abundance of artistic and cultural riches. Enjoy this evening as you discover and experience some of them for yourself!
Rick Waugh, President and CEO Scotiabank
EVENT HISTORY
Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2006
Throughout the night on Saturday, September 30, 2006, and into the early pre-dawn hours, an estimated 425,000 revellers left behind the comfort of their beds for the premiere edition of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, a free all-night exploration of Toronto through contemporary art. Unlike any event ever produced in North America, Toronto's Scotiabank Nuit Blanche was completely distinctive and a transformative celebration of creativity. The overwhelmingly positive post-event response from the public, media, art community, attractions, government and corporate Canada was unprecedented.
Scotiabank Nuit Blanche was a uniquely Toronto adaptation of the highly successful Paris event first created by the City of Paris in 2002. Paris organizers contacted the City of Toronto's Special Events office with an invitation to join the ranks of approximately six other international cities producing similar all-night events. The international success of Nuit Blanche continues to build each year, with celebrations now held in Paris, Rome, Brussels, Naples, Riga, Malta, Montreal, Madrid and, of course, Toronto.
In 2006, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche was positioned as a major event of Toronto's Live With Culture campaign, a 16-month celebration of Toronto's arts and cultural communities. Scotiabank Nuit Blanche brought together a wide range of sectors and the exceptional talents of more than 400 artists and curators, 300 onsite logistical staff, 200 docents and volunteers, 87 galleries, museums and art institutions, and 13 corporate sponsors and media partners.
As remarkable and distinctive as the art was, the magic came from the audience response and interaction. A sense of excitement spread across the city and buzzed right through to the wee hours. Most importantly, through this event, a new audience was introduced to contemporary art by making it fun, engaging and accessible.
Within hours of the sun rising on October 1, hundreds of enthusiastic e-mails, letters and phone calls poured in from artists, participants, volunteers, councillors and event attendees. The inaugural edition of this event received widespread acclaim and accolades.
Toronto's Mayor David Miller recognized the importance of bringing this event back as an annual celebration and included it in his political platform when running for a successful re-election.
Last year's Scotiabank Nuit Blanche was an incredible event that served to showcase Toronto's vibrant arts scene and this city's cultural communities," said Mayor David Miller. "Our artists, curators and artistic institutions are the real stars of this remarkable event that was enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people in its inaugural year. I'm thrilled that Scotiabank Nuit Blanche is returning, and I'm committed to making it an annual event for the City of Toronto."
In honour of the 2006 event, a legacy project was created by the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art - The Canadian Art Database Project, where the full event is archived and celebrated.
URBAN LEADERSHIP AWARD
The Canadian Urban Institute awarded Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2006 with the prestigious Urban Leadership Award (City Initiatives category). The Urban Leadership Awards program honours those who have made a profound and lasting impact on the quality of urban life.
|
