The Queen West Art Crawl, which started as an art show in Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods Park, has now expanded to a full weekend with art-related events taking place from Sept. 14-16, 2012 along Queen Street West from Bathurst Street to Roncesvalles Avenue. Galleries, retail stores, cafes, studios and hotels along West Queen West will display art exhibits and offer participatory art activities and the art crawl will include an art auction and art talks and walks.
Opening Night Gala
The Opening Night Gala on Friday night, which is free admission, will take place at the Drake Hotel’s Underground from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature a gala art auction at 7:15 p.m. hosted by CP24’s Jamie Gutfreund.
Parkdale Nightcrawl
The Parkdale Nightcrawl takes place on Sat., Sept. 15 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and gives participants a chance to engage with art through painting, drawing, dancing and singing. Participating venues include The Rhino, Cadillac Lounge, The River, Quinn West, Jink Art Factory, Poor John’s, The Sixth, Chartreuse Style, My Roll Life and Cardinal Rule. Dave Bidini and bidiniband will perform a free outdoor concert at 8 p.m. at Cadillac Lounge. Start the crawl at Nightcrawl headquarters at Gallery 1313 at 1313 Queen Street West. Free guided tours will be scheduled at 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Outdoor Art Show and Sale
Want to get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping? The Outdoor Art Show and Sale takes place at Trinity Bellwoods Park on Sat., Sept. 15 and Sun., Sept. 16, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature over 250 jury-selected artists selling work that includes painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, glass, ceramics, jewelry, accessories, sculpture and wood art. Food vendors will be on site to sustain your energy during the show.
The Parkdale Studio and Gallery Tour, which starts at Akin Collective (444 Dufferin St., Unit E) on Sat., Sept. 15 at noon makes stops at several art studios. Special talks include:
- Sat., Sept. 15, 1 p.m. – Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art, 952 Queen St. W. – Artistic Director and Curator David Liss discusses the fall 2012 program
- Sat., Sept. 15, 3 p.m. – Gladstone Hotel – Noa Bronstein, Director, Exhibitions and Cultural Promotions discusses the hotel’s history and hosts a free tour of current exhibitions
- Sun., Sept. 16, 1 p.m. – The Drake Hotel – The Drake’s curator Mia Nielsen will discuss the hotel’s permanent collection and take visitors on tour of fall shows on West Queen West
- Sat., Sept. 15 and Sun., Sept. 16, 2 p.m. – RESCUE, 109 Ossington Ave., 2nd floor – Visit the grand opening of this vintage fashion studio where designers will showcase fall fashions as works of art.
