Summer Of Play

Various Locations

Jul 07 2021 to Sep 26 2021

Region : Greater Toronto Area     City: Toronto

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•  Add to Calendar 2021-07-07 2021-09-26 America/Toronto Summer Of Play The Bentway launches Playing in Public this summer, a collection of outdoor and online projects that invite you to rediscover “play” in the city. By the neighbourhood, for the neighbourhood, the program includes  8 art installations, a connective Play Path, roaming and audio experiences, and more.Playing in Public spreads out across “The Bentway and beyond” into local parks, public spaces, and sidewalks throughout the Fort York, CityPlace, Niagara, and Waterfront communities. Participatory and “playable”, it has been designed to offer COVID-safe engagement for local residents to explore their city in new ways. Installations (including work by Daily tous les jours, Esmaa Mohamoud, Assemble, Studio F-Minus, Thomas Mailaender and Erik Kessels, Pierre Poussin, The Street Society, and Nelson Wu and biosphere) are rolling out in the coming weeks; with the full exhibition launching in early July.Playing in Public takes inspiration from the deeply intertwined relationship between play and public space. From playgrounds and basketball courts, to interactive signage and apps that map the city in new ways, play exists both within the boundaries of built public spaces and outside of them. Artists, designers, and planners have long used games to ask questions about the city – investigating new approaches to education, navigation, identity, and history. How does play change the way we feel and interact in public space? How has the nature of play changed in a mid/post-COVID city?“COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of public space as a site and source for play, physical activity, and well-being” says Ilana Altman, Co-Executive Director of The Bentway. “This is even more pronounced in dense, high-rise urban communities, like the ones near The Bentway, where access to adequate public space is limited. The artists, designers and creative partners involved in this season are giving us a glimpse of an urban future where play has reshaped our shared spaces for the better.”The Playing in Public lineup includes:Eight (8) creative installations, including new forms of basketball, play equipment, and music-making:Walk Walk Dance by Daily tous les jours (Montreal)Now open through July 24Fort York Visitor Centre, 250 Fort York BlvdDouble Dribble by Esmaa Mohamoud (Toronto)Opening July 7 (approx.)The Bentway, 250 Fort York BlvdBig Red by Assemble (UK)Opening June 19 (approx.)The Bentway, 250 Fort York BlvdNil:Nil by Studio F Minus (Toronto)Opening June 19 (approx.)The Bentway, 250 Fort York BlvdPlay Public by Thomas Mailaender (France) and Erik Kessels (Netherlands), co-commissioned with the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography FestivalOpen nowThe Bentway Studio, 55 Fort York Blvd (next to Canoe Landing Park)Jax by Pierre Poussin (Toronto), co-commissioned with Concord AdexOpening June 30 (approx.)Under the Gardiner at Dan Leckie WayDream Street by The Street Society (France), co-presented by TASOpening June 19 (approx.)125-133 Niagara StMidsummer Mix Vol. 1 by Nelson Wu (Toronto) and biosphere (Toronto), co-presented with the Waterfront BIAOpening June 30 (approx.)South side of Queens Quay West (Bathurst St to York St)Connective wayfinding linking the installations together:An interactive Play Path that guides visitors through the neighbourhood and offers opportunities to “play the city” with engaging interventions on local sidewalks, bridges, bike rings, and building faces, and six (6) “Tiny Games” developed with the Hand Eye SocietyOpening July 3 (approx.)Roaming experiences to discover:Audio playcasts offering reflections on play in the city with: Britta B. (spoken word artist); Dan Iaboni (parkour practitioner; founder of The Monkey Vault); youth in conversation with Urban MindsAvailable July 3A joy-inducing, smile-spreading pop-up by Stuart Semple (UK) that reminds us how play can help us through our toughest times.Various (secret) dates and locationsArtist residency with Bekah Brown (Toronto; Anishinaabe) exploring Indigenous traditions of recreation, culture, and sport as tools for resistance, healing, and reconciliationThroughout the summerToronto-based Retro Rolla will offer paid roller skate rentals onsite. Pre-registration is required. Visit retrorolla.com for more information. 19+ visitors are also invited to a post-skate sip next to the Skate Trail on Saturdays later this summer, courtesy of Smirnoff Berry Blast.Opening June 19, Thursdays to SundaysThe Bentway, 250 Fort York BlvdOnline talks on play as a strategy for urban recovery, co-presented with World Urban Parks and 8 80 Cities:Featured guests include: Alex Bozikovic, Mitchell Chan, Jen DeMelo, Adil Dhalla, Tim Gill, Alexandra Lange, Melissa Mongiat, Amanda O’Rourke, Janie Romoff, and Luis Serrano  On July 13 and September 7More information and updates will be available at thebentway.ca/play. Various Locations