2011 Nuit Blanche: Planning Tips, Transformation of Historic Sites & Road Closures

This is an update to my previous blog You’re Invited: 2011 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche October 1, 6:59 p.m. to Sunrise.

Thanks to the following Toronto’s tips for planning ahead, getting there and getting around Scotiabank Nuit Blanche – from sunset at 6:59 p.m. on Saturday, October 1 to sunrise on Sunday, October 2 – you can make this contemporary art affair an unforgettable “Wow, What a Night!” celebration:

• You can plan ahead and personalize your Scotiabank Nuit Blanche experience and share it with others as follows:
  •  “My Night” itinerary planner:
    • Create your own list of must see projects and take it with you, and share it with others on your mobile devices.;
    • Registration for the planner is required.
    • Register and find out more information about My Night at http://scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/visitors/login.shtml.
  •  “Night Navigator App” is a FREE mobile application now available for iPhone and BlackBerry users.
    • This app is the ultimate navigational tool utilizing GPS to help users get around the event, find projects and TTC transportation details.
    • App download instructions can be found at http://www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/connect.shtml.

• During the night, look for updates on:
  • Facebook at facebook.com/sbnuitblancheTO and on
  • Twitter at @sbnuitblanche, #snbTO.

• due to downtown road closures for the event, people are advised to explore the event by foot and by using the TTC.
  •  TTC and GO Transit will have special services running throughout the night.
  • More information about how to get to the event and how to get around is available at http://scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/gettingAround.shtml.

• In addition to the regular all-night Blue Night Network service, the TTC is expanding its all-night service to a portion of the subway until 7 a.m.
  • Bloor-Danforth Subway will run from Keele to Woodbine stations.
  • Yonge-University Subway will run all night from St Clair West to Eglinton stations.

• FREE all-night parking at TTC Commuter Parking Lots:
  • A Spadina Subway shuttle bus will run frequently from St. Clair West Station, stopping at TTC commuter parking lots located at or near Eglinton West, Wilson and Downsview stations.

• TTC is offering a Scotiabank Nuit Blanche special event pass that is now on sale at TTC collector booths for $10:
  • It is valid for travel from the start of service Saturday October 1 until 9 a.m. on Sunday, October 2.
  • The pass must have at least one adult, maximum two adults; and can include children/youths (19 years of age or under).
  • Total persons cannot exceed six.
  • Day passes cannot be used at automatic entrances.

• GO Transit will run two extra late-night homebound trips along the Lakeshore lines in the early hours of October 2:
  • Lakeshore West trains will depart Union Station at 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., making all stops to Aldershot GO Station.
  • Lakeshore East trains will depart Exhibition GO Station at 1:20 a.m. and 3:20 a.m., making all stops to Oshawa GO Station.
  • For those passengers staying all night, the first train trips out of Union Station on Sunday morning are the 6:43 a.m. westbound to Aldershot and the 7:13 a.m. eastbound to Oshawa.
  • More details: http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/updates/schedulechanges.aspx

• Road closures prior to and during Nuit Blanche are listed here:
  • Yonge Street will be closed from Front to Bloor Streets.
  • Bay Street from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West will be closed.
  • Queen Street West from Yonge Street to University Avenue will also be closed.
  • For more information, visit http://scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/gettingAround.shtml.

Please click here for more planning tips and info about accessibility for the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche event .

The following three Toronto historic sites will be temporarily transformed by four independent Canadian art projects as part of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche on October 1, so that you can experience these sites in new ways:

• “Fort York National Historic Site will host the following two independent projects that welcome exploration and interaction:
  • SMILE (Socially Motivated Interactive Lightscaping Environment),
    • by Dashing Collective in collaboration with Aesthetec Studio,
    • is a lighting installation of interactive cubes of light arranged in a honeycomb pattern – Zone C exhibit 22;
    • visitors can carry the cubes of light that will intensify and pulsate as their interaction with the space and others within it changes.
  • Shed
    • created by _iterative;
    • explores the idea of a laboratory and incubation space that depicts how cities and homes evolve – Zone C exhibit 21;
    • the exterior composition will surprise visitors with an upside-down structure;
    • the interior unveils an immersive experience assembled from everyday building materials such as gypsum, rigid blue foam insulation and lumber.

• Spadina Museum:
  • interiors will be alive with patterns and forms inspired by its garden and forested grounds – Zone A exhibit 21;
  • the Inside Out exhibition will stretch visitor expectations through an artistic exploration of the genesis of life and matter, and animal communications;
  • Inside Out’s nine artists will animate the estate grounds with illuminated installations in varied media, including projections, ceramic and textile sculptures, a mobile, an optical drawing machine and several large painted banners
  • also, video performance pieces by the Four Humours – blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm.

• Todmorden Mills Heritage Site:
  • Cloudscape, by Xiaojing Yan,
  • is an elaborate sculpture installation constructed of reed and paper forms that float and soar through space – Zone A exhibit 31;
  • the work references traditional Chinese landscape painting, where natural forms are re-interpreted under the lens of culture;
  • Yan’s decorative motifs present a convoluted representation of nature by depicting water transforming into cloud.”

Contact Info:

City of Toronto

News Release

September 26, 2011

Scotiabank Nuit Blanche – planning ahead, getting there and getting around

From sunset at 6:59 p.m. on Saturday, October 1 to sunrise on Sunday, October 2, Toronto’s playful overnight celebration of contemporary art once again takes over the streets for one night only.

Visitors can plan ahead using the “My Night” itinerary planner and the “Night Navigator App” to personalize their Scotiabank Nuit Blanche experience and share it with others.

My Night planner:
My Night itinerary planner allows visitors to create their own list of must see projects and take it with them, and share it with others, on their mobile devices. Registration for the planner is required. Register and find out more information about My Night at http://scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/visitors/login.shtml.

Night Navigator App:
This free mobile application is now available for iPhone and BlackBerry users. The app is the ultimate navigational tool utilizing GPS to help users get around the event, find projects and TTC transportation details. App download instructions can be found at http://www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/connect.shtml.

During the night, look for updates on Facebook at facebook.com/sbnuitblancheTO and on Twitter at @sbnuitblanche, #snbTO.

Getting there and getting around:
There will be a number of downtown road closures for the event and people are advised to explore the event by foot and by using the TTC. The TTC and GO Transit will have special services running throughout the night. More information about how to get to the event and how to get around is available at http://scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/gettingAround.shtml.

Special TTC services:
In addition to the regular all-night Blue Night Network service, the TTC is expanding its all-night service to a portion of the subway until 7 a.m. The Bloor-Danforth Subway will run from Keele to Woodbine stations and the Yonge-University Subway will run all night from St Clair West to Eglinton stations.

There will also be free all-night parking at TTC Commuter Parking Lots. A Spadina Subway shuttle bus will run frequently from St. Clair West Station, stopping at TTC commuter parking lots located at or near Eglinton West, Wilson and Downsview stations.

The TTC is offering a Scotiabank Nuit Blanche special event pass that is now on sale at TTC collector booths for $10. It is valid for travel from the start of service Saturday October 1 until 9 a.m. on Sunday, October 2. The pass must have at least one adult, maximum two adults; and can include children/youths (19 years of age or under). Total persons cannot exceed six. Day passes cannot be used at automatic entrances.

Special GO Transit Services:
To accommodate those attending Nuit Blanche, GO Transit will run two extra late-night homebound trips along the Lakeshore lines in the early hours of October 2. Lakeshore West trains will depart Union Station at 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., making all stops to Aldershot GO Station.  Lakeshore East trains will depart Exhibition GO Station at 1:20 a.m. and 3:20 a.m., making all stops to Oshawa GO Station.

For those passengers staying all night, the first train trips out of Union Station on Sunday morning are the 6:43 a.m. westbound to Aldershot and the 7:13 a.m. eastbound to Oshawa. More details: http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/updates/schedulechanges.aspx

Road closures:
There will be a number of road closures prior to and during Nuit Blanche. During the event, Yonge Street will be closed from Front to Bloor Streets. Bay Street from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West will be closed. Queen Street West from Yonge Street to University Avenue will also be closed. For more information, visit http://scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/gettingAround.shtml.

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. Since 2006, the event has featured more than 600 official art installations created by nearly 2,500 artists and has generated more than $70 million in economic impact for Toronto. For more event information, visit http://www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. Toronto’s government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

——————————-

You might also like:

• You’re Invited: 2011 Nuit Talks on Technology, Protest and Contemporary Art

• You’re Invited: 2011 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche October 1, 6:59 p.m. to Sunrise