One of the main objectives of the Art portion of NXNE (North By Northeast) is to give observers the power to participate, which is why so many of the projects that are in the queue this year do just that: get people involved. From the NXNE Art Lounge to urban takeovers, music integration, and after parties, here’s what Jacquelyn West, Art Festival Director, had to say.
CraveOnline: What’s can people look forward to when it comes to the Art component of NXNE?
Jacquelyn West: We’ve invited leading artists from Montreal, Toronto, New York City, Detroit, and beyond to showcase at North By Northeast. We’re in this very pivotal year and at this unprecedented level of change [with the event]. We’re using art to provoke a conversation about what type of Toronto we want for tomorrow and we’re inspiring people to see that we can connect to each other and to our city by changing everyday interactions on a street level. You’ll be inspired or excited about these interventions of art in the public realm.
How are you doing this?
[We have some] compelling projects, and we’re going to kick off a revitalization of the area by bringing art into the public realm. We’re becoming the connective tissue for the festival. NXNE was traditionally a club festival, and with the addition of the big concerts in Yonge-Dundas Square, we could become the connective tissue in Toronto that really makes people feel alive.
Any special tickets available for art lovers?
We have a Special Access Art badge. There are 100 of them, and holders get to go to the interactive sessions, they are invited to the VIP reception where they can meet all of the artists, and they’ll get front-of-line access to all events.
