Les Rues Des Refuses & Nuit Blanche 2011 now with Roller Derby

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Les Rues Des Refuses & Nuit Blanche 2011 now with Roller Derby

Toronto's free all night arts festival is just around the corner. In just over two weeks you can start to lineup for the various art installations which are part of the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche (translation: sleepless night) 2011 which kicks off at 6:59pm on Saturday, October 1 and runs until sunrise. These pictures are from the 2010 night of fun.

"For one sleepless night experience the city transformed by hundreds of artists for Toronto's sixth annual sunset-to-sunrise celebration of contemporary art. Discover art in galleries, museums and unexpected places. From a streetcar, alleyways and storefronts to churches, ponds and parks, choose from more than 130 destinations and chart your own path. One night only. All night long."

The City is broken into three zones and the amount of exhibits, the locations and the crowds make it near impossible to see it all - even if you wanted to. Check the list and pick out your favourites because you really need to plan your night. Here is their index of commissioned, open call and independent projects.

Checking out the 2011 projects I find these twig my interest: Audio Graffiti, Monster Jam, The Heart Machine, Loomiere La Nuit, The St James Circus, The Athanor and the Stone, Singin' in the Dark: '80s Edition and AirSHIP. Check out the projects and pick yours.

This year will also feature the Toronto Roller Derby in a double header called Bout Blanche where "ToRD challenges the Hammer City Rollergirls to not just one, but TWO bouts! The night opens up with the Smoke City Betties vs. the HCRG Harlots at 6pm, followed by CN Power vs. the Eh! Team (around 8pm). Doors @ 5PM, bout kicks off at 6PM. Tickets are on sale online now. There will be no outlet sales for this event, so get ‘em online, or get them at the door!

The bout takes place in our new home The Bunker, located at 40 Carl Hall Rd Studio 3 in Downsview Park, just before the train tracks."

You can't have Nuit Blanche without the renegade off program called Les Rues Des Refuses (translation: streets of the refused or rejected). "Les Rues Des Refusés was created as a voice for artists whom — for whatever reason — are not an official selection of Nuit Blanche. With the explosion of renegade, off-program events that have occurred around this amazing night of art installations and activities, it is now time to have a guide that will allow participating LRDR artists to have their own rogue events formally listed."

Hopefully they will have the Nuit Blanche Renegade Parade and roving rave. In 2010 the crowds met at the ROM at 10pm and headed out into the night. Update: The 2011 parade is scheduled to leave the ROM at 10:03pm!