Art Toronto Opening Night fundraises for the McMichael, Soulpepper’s the Bootleggers Ball supports training and education programs

Art Toronto Opening Night, Oct 29, Toronto

More than 100 national and international galleries brought their best for the latest edition of Art Toronto, Canada’s most important annual art fair, held over the last weekend of October. The evening saw art collectors and enthusiasts from across the city gather for an opening night preview, which once again served as a fundraiser for the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

In addition to supporting the gallery, which is currently closed for a major renovation, a portion of the proceeds went toward the acquisition of a handful of new works from the fair, now destined to join the permanent collection. Elaine Stocki’s Flock from Blouin Division, Peter Campbell’s Belle Coté Harbor from Corkin Gallery and a piece by Lee Henderson from Zalucky Contemporary are among those scooped up by the museum. Other institutions at the fair included the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, the National Gallery in Ottawa, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and the Yellowknife Artist Run Community Centre.

A number of large-scale installations were on offer, including Kathy Slade’s enormous tapestry Sinking in the West, presented by Mónica Reyes Gallery. Also showcased were works by Lynn Donoghue, Abraham Anghik Ruben and Douglas Scholes.

Among those out for opening night: Calgary Contemporary CEO David Leinster and Calgary-based gallerist Shannon Norberg of Norberg Hall; Sarah Milroy, the Frances and Tim Price executive director and chief curator of the McMichael; arts professional Michelle Koerner; AGO photography curator Sophie Hackett and photographers Edward Burtynsky and Christopher Sherman; artists June Clark and Natalka Husar; philanthropic duo Don Tapscott and Ana Lopes; architect Alexander Josephson; fashion designers Andrea Lenczner and Christie Smythe of the label Smythe; and Art Toronto director Emily-Jean Alexander.

Soulpepper’s the Bootleggers Ball, Oct 28, Toronto

On Oct. 28, Soulpepper Theatre hosted the third edition of the Bootleggers Ball, this year with the theme of Jazz Age Europe, a hat tip to the company’s coming production of Parfumerie. Guests entered the party through an alleyway at the side of the building, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the inner-workings of the theatre, which has been housed in Toronto’s historic Distillery District for more than 20 years. It was a winding path through backstage spaces, racks of costumes and set pieces; in one area, performers Divine Brown and Beau Dixon warmed up for the night’s festivities. Guests emerged stage left, and there to greet supporters was the company’s new artistic director, Paolo Santalucia.

Next stop was the lobby, which was abuzz with craps and poker tables (the house always won, and the funds went to the theatre), while offshoot studio spaces hosted a cabaret in full swing and a Prohibition-themed bar. The more casual set-up was a hit, with a handful of guests noting that the typical gala dinner tables were not missed. Later, attendees gathered in the Baillie Theatre for a teaser of Soulpepper’s coming works. Among those on stage were five Soulpepper Academy members and several past participants including Akosua Amo-Adem and Peter Fernandes (who presented a preview of Parfumerie), and Hailey Gillis who alongside Frank Cox-O’Connell performed a piece from their recent work Tiger Bride.

The night raised a record $440,000 that will support the company’s education and training programs, among other initiatives. Attendees included theatre advocate and producer Elly Barlin-Daniels and senior vice-president of Power Corporation of Canada Paul Genest, who served as co-chairs; fashion designer Kirk Pickersgill; philanthropic duo Stephen Smith and Diane Blake; Soulpepper board chair Dana Lafarga; and actors Damien Atkins and Nancy Palk.