Neighbourhood Arts Network Launches Successfully
On January 27 over 200 local artists, residents, political representatives, arts organizations, nonprofits, community groups and businesses gathered to celebrate the official launch of the Neighbourhood Arts Network. “Community-based arts help invigorate and animate the city,” said Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Chan, “The Neighbourhood Arts Network represents a way to capitalize on the potential of the local arts scene to build more vibrant, liveable communities — communities where people want to live and work and businesses want to invest.”
Claire Hopkinson, Executive Director of Toronto Arts Foundation commented “Up until now, our community artists have been doing great work with modest support, and in isolation from each other. At the Toronto Arts Council, where we invest in community arts, and Toronto Arts Foundation, we’ve been wrestling with this conundrum for many years. Just how do we capitalize on the creative wealth buried in the neighbourhoods of our city? This new Network is one giant step forward.”
Hosted by Scarborough MC Dan-E-O and Lisa Marie DiLiberto, the event reflected the vibrancy of community-engaged art. Performances by the Samba Kidz and Clay and Paper Theatre’s Cyclops Squad were complemented by participatory art stations from Arts Starts and Sketch. The launch night also featured the first public screening of Toronto Arts Foundation’s Best Buzz series, short films showcasing community-engaged arts projects funded by the Toronto Arts Council.
The Foundation has worked closely with Art Starts Neighbourhood Cultural Centre on this important initiative. Art Starts, one of many of Toronto’s professional community-engaged arts organizations, has run countless programs and projects across the city since 1992. The Neighbourhood Arts Network is made possible by support from the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, and by the many Friends of the Foundation.
Membership is free in 2010 and open to artists, individuals and organizations that develop, program or facilitate community-engaged arts such as libraries, community centres, social service providers, and business improvement associations. Membership benefits include access to members-only section of the website, bulletins, advance notice of events and special offers. Members are required to maintain a current profile and to actively participate in the Network.
For more information or to become a member call 416-392-6802 ext 212 or visit:
