It’s hard to believe it’s only been four months since Daniels Spectrum opened its doors as the new cultural hub in Regent Park. People from all over the city have flocked to the building for art exhibitions, film screenings, concerts, dance and poetry festivals, fundraisers, meetings, speaker series, conferences and private events. It seems like there’s always something going on!
We’ve put together a collection of some of the most popular events from Daniels Spectrum’s opening season. Check out photos, recaps and reviews from events like the Manifesto Festival, Ideas Worth Rhyming, Flash Forward, World Food Day and the Toronto Urban Dance Symposium and see which notable music and film personalities have stopped by to visit!
The Opening
Photo: Garrison | McArthur Photographers
A live broadcast of CBC Metro Morning, an official Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony, a vibrant and musical Opening Night Party and an Open House for the community: Daniels Spectrum’s jam-packed opening week festivities are documented in a full photo recap here.
Manifesto Festival Art Show & Launch Party
Photo: Phil Litevsky | Manifesto
Manifesto kicked off its 6th annual festival of urban arts and youth culture at Daniels Spectrum for theirofficial launch party and Fresh Arts 20 x Art Show on September 21. Imagine dance battles in Ada Slaight Hall, a packed exhibition space, live painting in the courtyard and cocktails in the Artscape Lounge. It was apretty rad party.
Photo: Justin Charles | Manifesto
CSI Regent Park Launch Party
The Centre for Social Innovation’s new space in Regent Park celebrated its launch on September 25. Its large co-working space on the third floor of Daniels Spectrum is a beautiful and sunny place to work on change-making projects.
Why Not Theatre Presents
Photo: Why Not Theatre
Daniels Spectrum welcomed the legendary Bollywood actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah forWhy Not Theatre’s duel productions of Dear Liar and Ismat Apa Ke Naam. The two totally sold-out shows drew huge crowds from Toronto’s South Asian community.
Nuit Blanche
Our Lights are On! was Daniels Spectrum’s contribution to Nuit Blanche, Toronto’s all-night art party. Highlights included the make-your-own-shadow-puppet installation meets live-band karaoke collaboration by ArtHeart and Regent Park School of Music, and COBA’s Lite de Flambeaux light parade which drew more than 200 people out of their homes and into the streets.
COBA’s Lite de Flambeaux
World Food Day Toronto
Photo: Food Forward
For World Food Day 2012, Films that Move and Food Forward partnered with the Centre for Social Innovation to host a free event at Daniels Spectrum which raised awareness for the challenges with hunger and the way we grow, buy and learn about the food we eat.
Photo: Food Forward
Guest speakers included Chef Michael Stadtlander (Eigensinn Farm), Chef Mark Cutrara (Cowbell), Laura Rainsborough (Not Far from the Tree), Suresh Doss (Food Truck Eats) and many more.
Ideas Worth Rhyming
Photo: SPEAKout Poetry
On October 21, SPEAKout Poetry hosted their inaugural Ideas Worth Rhyming festival and conference. The festival featured some of the region’s best poets alongside guest speakers who are community leaders in their field. “IWR turned out to be a high powered day, SPEAKout’s most inspired production yet,” says Rahma Shere in the organization’s recap for the event.
The Poets hanging out in the Green Room. Photo: SPEAKout Poetry.
The Hours That Remain
Photo: Native Earth Performing Arts
Native Earth Performing Arts launched their new space, the Aki Studio Theatre, with a run of The Hours That Remain from October 28-November 3 which received a “NNNN” review from NOW Magazine. The play, by playwright-in-residence Keith Barker, was inspired by the disappearance of numerous aboriginal women on British Columbia’s Highway Of Tears.
4th Annual Building Bridges Gala
Photo: 51 Division Community Liaison Committee
Building Bridges is the annual fundraising gala hosted by the Toronto Police’s 51 Division Community Liaison Committee. The event raises money to provide bridging scholarships for at-risk urban youth to attend George Brown College. This year’s theme was Prohibition and featured casino activities, a silent auction and a fashion show. Models included top cops from 51 Division and Yannick Bisson from Murdoch Mysteries.
A mounted officer arrives in style. Photo: 51 Division Community Liaison Committee
Regent Park Film Festival
Photo: Urbanology
In November, the Regent Park Film Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary with a fantastic line up of over 50 free films. Their Opening Night showcased films by youth aged 26 and under and featured a discussion with film luminaries like Atom Egoyan and Clement Virgo. Check out our previous story about the festival’sRegent Park homecoming.
Flash Forward 2012
Photo: Magenta Foundation
The Magenta Foundation hosted their 2012 Flash Forward book launch and exhibition at Daniels Spectrum, using temporary walls to convert Ada Slaight Hall into a gallery and a separate, dedicated lounge space. BlogTO has a great recap of the evening’s photography winners showcase.
Photo: Magenta Foundation
Music for Life
Our friends at Dixon Hall hosted their annual benefit concert, Music for Life, in Ada Slaight Hall on November 22, with performances by Jully Black and Sean Jones.
Toronto Urban Dance Symposium
Dance Battle Finals! Photo: Kyphoto
Daniels Spectrum was the site of an all-star dance battle during Gadfly’s Toronto Urban Dance Symposiumon November 24 & 25. “With shoelaces tied and eyes wide open,” reports Aliecia Brissett of Urbanology, “dancers across Toronto came out to learn valuable information about the industry, watch and partake in dance battles and showcases, and overall have a good time with Toronto’s street dance community.” Check out these awesome photos tagged #TUDS2012 on Instagram!
Radio Regent’s The Jam
Photo: Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre
Formerly known as Last Fridays, Radio Regent’s The Jam is a free monthly community event that features music, story-telling, dance, poetry, and entertainment provided by talented artists and musicians based in Regent Park and the GTA. The next Jam happens on Friday, January 25 from 6:30-9:30 pm in the Artscape Lounge at Daniels Spectrum.
Under One Roof
Photo: Paul Casselman | The Daniels Corporation
On the evening of November 29, the Artscape Foundation together with Presenting Sponsor The Daniels Corporation hosted Under One Roof, an event to raise funds for Daniels Spectrum. Over $350,000 net was raised for capital and programming needs, successfully capping off the $10 million campaign goal for the centre
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Jackie Richardson and Sterling Jarvis perform with the Regent Park School of Music Choir.
Photo: Paul Casselman | The Daniels Corporation
A Visit from Sarah McLachlan
Imagine our surprise when Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan stopped by to check out the centre in late November! Sarah spent some time hanging out with the kids at the Regent Park School of Music.
GrimmFest
Photo: Canadian Opera Company
The Canadian Opera Company’s Grimmfest is a week-long festival of family-friendly activities and performances across Toronto. This year’s festival culminated in the 500th performance of The Brothers Grimm and party to celebrate this important milestone.
Daniels Holiday Party
Photo: VisualBass Photography
And finally, the Daniels Corporation hosted the last festivity of the year: a holiday party in Ada Slaight Hall that featured not one but two live music stages and beautiful clusters of white paper lanterns hanging from the catwalks.
To find out what events are happening next at Daniels Spectrum, visit regentparkarts.ca/whats-on
Book Your Event at Daniels Spectrum
Daniels Spectrum features multiple state-of-the-art performance and event spaces available to rent for festivals, performances, fundraisers, launch parties, meetings, conferences, weddings and private events. Revenues from venue rentals support the building’s operations and help keep the building accessible for not-for-profit organizations and community groups.
For more information about venue spaces, technical features and amenities, click here.
