TORONTO, March 6 /CNW/ - Scotiabank Nuit Blanche - Toronto's free,
all-night celebration of contemporary art - will return on Saturday, October
4. Mayor David Miller today announced that the award-winning event will
increase in scale and scope thanks to a three-year renewed commitment from
Scotiabank. The 2008 edition of Scotiabank Nuit Blanche will feature
exhibitions developed by four local and national curators.
    "The response to Scotiabank Nuit Blanche has been nothing short of
incredible," said Mayor Miller. "I'm very pleased to thank Scotiabank for
their belief in this event - from its surprising beginnings and unprecedented
second-year growth, to a continuously evolving and dynamic future. A vibrant
and culturally prosperous arts sector is integral to keeping Toronto one of
the world's most liveable cities."
    Scotiabank has committed to supporting the development of Toronto's Nuit
Blanche long term, guaranteeing a three-year commitment through 2010 as the
event's title sponsor.
    "We are very proud to continue showcasing our support in the celebration
of arts and culture in Toronto," said Chris Hodgson, Executive Vice-President
and Head of Domestic Personal Banking. "Arts and culture continue to play an
important role in our communities and Scotiabank is proud to partner with the
City as we showcase the variety of talent that enriches all of our lives."
    After the success of the inaugural event in 2006, an informal Nuit
Blanche Advisory Board was assembled with participation from members of
Toronto's artistic community. The board and its members were formalized in
late 2007 to play an integral role in choosing new curators, establishing
exhibition sites, and setting the direction of the event for the future. Sara
Diamond, President of the Ontario College of Art & Design, recently named
Chair of the Advisory Board, hosted today's announcement and introduced the
2008 curatorial team.
    "This year's Scotiabank Nuit Blanche will be an assemblage of virtuosity
- we are proud to feature a group of Canada's hottest curators picked from a
formidable talent pool," said Sara Diamond. "The Nuit Blanche Advisory Board
has been delighted, amused and awed - as you will be - with the array of
media, concepts and outright spectacle that this team has conceived for this
year. Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2008 will engage audiences at a new level. We
will again be proud of our city and its incredible thirst for culture!"
    The curators for the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2008 exhibitions are: Wayne
Baerwaldt from Calgary, Gordon Hatt from Kitchener who will curate exhibitions
in the city's downtown core, and Dave Dyment and Haema Sivanesan from Toronto
who will use their visions to transform Liberty Village in the city's west
end.
    In 2007, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche saw a 45 per cent increase in projects,
a 55 per cent increase in community participation and close to double the
audience attendance from the inaugural event, attracting an estimated 800,000
people. With 26 per cent of attendees from outside Toronto, the event had an
economic impact on the city of $4.9 million. Last year's growth in attendance
will result in increased resources for 2008 to address project scale and
scope, transportation, pedestrian plans and audience capacity. New exhibition
sites for 2008 will maximize the use of the underground subway system to
assist with traffic flow.
    Scotiabank Nuit Blanche is Toronto's all-night celebration of
contemporary art. First produced in 2006, the event was so successful it
received an Urban Leadership Award and became an annual signature event for
the City of Toronto. The event is produced by Toronto Special Events in
collaboration with Toronto's arts community.

    Scotiabank is committed to supporting communities both in Canada and
abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations
for its charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2007 Scotiabank
provided more than $43 million in sponsorships and donations to a variety of
projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas of healthcare, education,
social services and arts and culture.

    Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home
to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine
of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America.
In the past three years, Toronto has won more than 70 awards for quality,
innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto's government
is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents.-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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