Lots to do in August! This weekend is UrbanArts’ CultureShock Festival in their new digs at Weston Common.
Today, and every Friday until the end of the summer, Frontlines is hosting Beats in the Streets.
The Weston King Neighbourhood Centre (WKNC) will be hosting a weekly Talking Circle starting Wednesday, August 14. The circle will run from 2:00-4:00 pm at 2017 Weston Road.
The weekly Talking Circle will be Indigenous-led and resourced, but all are welcome. This will be a safe space to share, to connect and to learn.
This will be the first in a series of Reconciliation events for the local community. WKNC encourages others to join in with this initiative. For more information, please contact Ken at WKNC, at [email protected] or 416 241-9898.
Volunteers will also be adding mulch around native trees and shrubs in Eglinton Flats on August 14, between 10 and 12.
UrbanArts, Weston’s finest arts organization, is asking for your help sending kids to camp. They’re trying to raise $5000 to help young people from varied backgrounds “have a lifetime of memories with new experiences in the arts, visiting cultural attractions and meeting new friends.”
The campaign has raised $940 of their $5000 goal. You can donate at this link.
UrbanArts’ annual CultureShock festival starts next week. You should go if you get the chance. This year, it will be at their new digs in the Artscape Weston Common.
UrbanArts is offering a summer arts residency for emerging artists from York South–Weston.
The program is
a unique space for experimentation, professional growth, portfolio building, networking, and collaboration with established artists. Participants who successfully complete the program will receive an honorarium of $350.
Local artists from the visual and eco-arts, music, dance and performing arts, and mural and installation arts are encouraged to apply.
On June 5, Central United will be hosting a Maker’s Market, with hand-made gifts, knitting, and much else besides.
On June 5, Artscape and the Rockport Group will host the official opening of the Weston Common. Shakespeare in Action and UrbanArts will be there showing their stuff.
On Tuesday May 14, the Weston Village Residents’ Association held its annual general meeting inside the new Weston Hub. The Hub interior still needs some final touches but is essentially complete. Landscaping is a work in progress but it’s coming along nicely and will be ready for next year. The official opening is on May 25th and 26th.
WVRA Chair Dave Bennett opened by talking about some of the ‘heat’ encountered when the Hub was proposed. This was later echoed by Councillor Nunziata.
This area will house the Farmers Market next year. (click to enlarge).Landscaping work has been done at the Hub entrance. Note the bridge connecting the multi-storey parking lot to the rental building.
The new space easily accommodated the 50+ people in attendance. LoriAnn Givran from Artscape, talked about the new facilities, Marlene Mackintosh from UrbanArts and Michael Kelly from Shakespeare in Action introduced themselves and the programs that they offer.
The highlight of the evening was to be a presentation from former Toronto Chief Planner Paul Bedford but because of illness, Mr. Bedford was absent but ably represented by colleague and Urban Lands Institute Executive Director Richard Joy. The presentation dealt with the ULI Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) Report tabled last August.
From the TAP report (Click to enlarge).
Richard dealt with the five big ideas from the report, namely,
Promote and plan Weston as a riverfront community
Market Weston as an affordable commercial and residential location for airport workers
Bring a brewery to Weston
Build partnerships with Universities and Colleges
Establish a co-op grocery store.
Later, Councillor Frances Nunziata spoke and talked about local issues including the upcoming paving of Weston Road and widening of sidewalks in the stretch between Lawrence and Little Avenue.
Sidewalks along this stretch of Weston Road are being widened.Sidewalks along this stretch of Weston Road are not being widened. Go figure.
During the break, some mouth-watering goodies were available (well done Suri) and attendees enjoyed a tour of the new facilities.
A conference room.One of the two large event rooms.The lobby of the Weston Hub; WVRA Chair Dave Bennett (3rd from R) talks to residents.The lobby – entranceway.Michael Kelly of Shakespeare In Action speaks to the audience in the main presentation space.
Today is the last day to visit Weston Road Flows, the art and audio installation at UrbanArts’ 5 Bartonville location.
Juvon Taylor
In other news, UrbanArts will soon be reopening in Weston; they picked up the keys this week to their Weston Common Cultural Hub location.
WE GOT THE KEYS! Many of you know that this long-awaited project has been 10+ years in the making. Well..it’s here now and we are finally moving into the brand new Artscape Weston Common Cultural Hub. Stay tuned for the exciting programming we have planned for the new space! pic.twitter.com/ry667GkL9a
