This year’s Luminato, held between 8-17 June, contains 50 new art installations, involving 6500 artists from more than 35 countries. In 2005, Tong Gagliano and David Pecaut, two civic leaders, inspired by the cultural diversity and excellence of Toronto’s arts scene, joined forces to create what has become one of the most important arts festivals in North America. It inauguration was on 1 June 2007, aided by funds from the Ontario Government and thirty organizations or individuals. This year’s festival has 50 donors. The three important ideas that Cagliano and Pecaut stressed for the annual arts festival were collaboration, accessibility, and diversity. They envisioned Luminato as a way to engage local and immigrant cultures in the arts scene of the city.
The hub of this year’s festival is at David Pecaut Square, in the heart of the Entertainment District, where many of the festivities are held. The square’s theme is Windscape, has been designed by the architectural firm of Diamond and Schmitt, located on Adelaide Street. To emphasize their theme, they have created nine 3-metre-long orange windsocks, mounted on poles. Inflated by large fans, capable of pushing 12,000 cubic feet of air a minute through the windsocks, they rotate and swirl, generating a carnival-like atmosphere.
Surrounding the huge stage hosting the events, a enormous band of blue ribbon, 100 metres long and 6 metres high, sweeps across the space, encasing the concert area to create a cozy and intimate atmosphere.
For further information about Pecaut Square and Luminato, see the article by Martin Kelman in the 6 June “Life and Entertainment Section”of the Toronto Star.
Giant windsocks, inflated by huge fans, in David Pecaut Square
The band of blue ribbon being installed in the square in preparation for Luminato
These two pictures of the square were taken on Thursday, the day before the opening of Luminato
The blue ribbon fully installed, the stage and space for the audience awaiting a performance. This picture was taken in the morning of the day that Luminato opened.
I have spent much of my adult life researching and photographing Toronto. I love the city and enjoy exploring it through my writing. One of the books, “The Villages Within”, was nominated for the Toronto Heritage Awards. If interested in novels with a Toronto setting, descriptions of the books are available by following the link: https://tayloronhistory.com/2012/03/22/toronto-author-publishes-seventh-novel/
They can be purchased in soft cover or electronic editions. All books are available at Chapters/Indigo and on Amazon.com. The electronic editions are less that $4 on Kobo and Kindle. Follow the links:
There Never Was a Better Time: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000056586/THERE-NEVER-WAS-A-BETTER-TIME.aspx
Arse Over Teakettle: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000132634/Arse-Over-Teakettle.aspx
The Reluctant Virgin; http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000188306/The-Reluctant-Virgin.aspx
The Villages Within: http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000175211/The-Villages-Within.aspx
Author’s Home Page: https://tayloronhistory.com/
Authors can be contacted at: [email protected]