What's On at the Library

Each year, people across Toronto indulge in a sleepless night of celebrating contemporary art. Nuit Blanche Toronto is a free, annual, city-wide celebration of contemporary art produced by the City of Toronto in collaboration with Toronto’s arts community.

This year, Nuit Blanche Toronto is extending the celebrations to Scarborough for the first time! From sunset to sunrise on Saturday, September 29th, Scarborough will be transformed into an artistic playground. We are particularly excited that the Scarborough Civic Library Branch will be providing space for "Sincerely, Scarborough". Curated by Alyssa Fearon, this collection of talks, workshops and live demonstrations will highlight the caliber of artists and cultural innovators that think of Scarborough as home.

From a D'Lyfe Dance Company workshop at 4:00am, to Sunrise Yoga at 6:00am, there's a session for everyone! Here are just a few of the incredible sessions you can attend at the Scarborough Civic Centre Library:

"From ScarCity to Tdot with Love" – 7:00 to 8:00pm

For hip hop fans, come and learn about the influence that Scaborough had on the Canadian hip hop industry. This presentation will be given by Dr. Mark V. Campbell, the founder of the Northside Hip Hop Archive.

"In Conversation with Cameron Bailey and Saukrates" – 10:00 to 11:00pm

These two creatives will share insight into their own unique experiences. Cameron Bailey is the Artistic Director & Co-Head of the Toronto International Film Festival, while Saukrates is a multi-talented rapper, singer, song writer, and producer who helped pioneer the Canadian hip hop scene.

"Words Over Everything" – 11:30pm to 12:30am

This session will give you a chance to hear an amazing group of Scarborough authors speak on their experiences. You'll hear from the following authors: David Chariandy, the author of "Brother" and "Soucouyant"; Joyce Wong; and Carriane Leung, author of "That Time I Loved You" and "The Wondrous Woo". 

"How to Make a Black Boy Fly: Building Cavalier Noir" – 1:00 to 2:00am

If you've seen the music video for Toronto rapper Drake's hit songs "Hotline Bling" or "Started From the Bottom", then you've seen the film work of Director X. Join him and artist Ekow Nimako during this session to find out how Cavalier Noir, an exhibit created with more than 80000 LEGO pieces came to be. 

Check out the full schedule of events inside the Scarborough Civic Centre branch.

There will also be incredible exhibits, performances, and even a film premiere, courtesy of local artist collective RISE, taking place nearby in the Scarborough Civic Centre and the Scaborough Town Centre. For a full list of projects happening throughout Scarborough, visit the Nuit Blanche website!