For one night only, Dundas Street in London will come alive with an eclectic mix of art.
Nuit Blanche will take over the alleys, sidewalks, lawns, and more on Dundas Street between Clarence Street and Ridout Street, as well as Museum London, and the Covent garden market Square, in a show of local artistic talent.
The contemporary arts event run by London Fringe, has been in London since 2010.
“London has a very vibrant contemporary art scene that doesn’t always get opportunities to showcase their work. So, in this way, we’re giving artists a chance to put their art on the street, but we’re also giving Londoners a chance to experience that art for free and in a way that’s really accessible to all,” said Christine Gruenbauer, associate producer of London Fringe.
Contemporary and tango dancers, opera, visual arts, poetry, and many other forms of art will fill the downtown core.
Asked how Nuit Blanche got started in the city, Gruenbauer said a group of individuals felt the city needed to have the event, and London Fringe was more than happy to take on the responsibility.
In past years, the night of contemporary art has been held in June following London Fringe Festival, but this year it’s been moved to the end of September.
“Mainly to give it the attention and time that it deserves from our team here at the Fringe, but also we were competing against ourselves. When we put it during the Fringe, our audience would have to decide, ‘do we want to see a fri
nge show or do we want to go explore Nuit Blanche?’ Now, our audiences don’t have to choose. They did the festival back in June and now they can enjoy Nuit Blanche,” said Gruenbauer.
Gruenbauer says there’s something unique about exploring art under the cloak of night.
“It seems almost kind of, I don’t know, taboo in a sense like you feel like you’re doing something that you’re not supposed to. It’s exploring that art in a way that you normally wouldn’t. Contemporary art is normally on display in an art gallery. This is completely different. It’s an art gallery on the street and also at night, and that’s what I think really makes the event unique,” she said.
Nuit Blanche takes place Saturday, Sept. 30 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Admission is free.