ROM Celebrates Scotiabank Nuit Blanche with Dance Party and Sobey Art Award

Dance music and contemporary Canadian art take centre stage at the Museum all night on October 4th

The Institute for Contemporary Culture (ICC) at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) presents two special events as part of the third annual Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, a free city-wide overnight event showcasing contemporary art on Saturday, October 4, 2008. From 7 pm to 7 am the following morning, the ROM showcases the Exhibition of the 2008 Sobey Art Award presented by Scotiabank free of charge. In collaboration with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) from 9 pm to midnight, Nuit Blanche revellers can also enjoy Dance Royal Party 2008, a spectacular fusion of musical genres directed by Montreal-based violinist and performance artist Dr. Draw and accompanied by musicians and performers from the Conservatory on the Museum’s main floor. A bar with food and beverages for purchase is available. Please note that the rest of the Museum will be closed.

“The ICC is pleased to present two diverse and entertaining offerings for Scotiabank Nuit Blanche this year,” said Francisco Alvarez, ICC Managing Director. “From Canada’s top young contemporary artists, to concerts of global dance sounds led by Dr. Draw, the ROM will once again be one of the must-see venues on this remarkable night.”

Located on the Museum’s Level 3, the Exhibition of the 2008 Sobey Art Award presented by Scotiabank features over 50 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, performance art, video installations and photography, by the Award’s five finalists. The Sobey Art Award is Canada’s pre-eminent prize for a young Canadian artist and represents the remarkable breadth of practices that make up contemporary Canadian art. Scotiabank Nuit Blanche visitors will be among the first to see the winner of the Sobey Art Award, after he/she is announced on October 1st. The Award, organized and administered by the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, is presented annually to an artist under 40 who has exhibited in a public or commercial art gallery within 18 months of being
nominated. For more information about the Sobey Art Award presented by Scotiabank, visit www.sobeyartaward.ca

Dance Royal Party 2008 explores the common pulse that motivates people to groove, creating a party atmosphere that celebrates and unites Toronto’s diverse cultures. Led by internationally-renowned violinist Dr. Draw, the event features more than 25 musicians and dancers performing in a variety of diverse musical styles, from classical opera to Disco Monkey. A full string ensemble, percussionists and performers from the Royal Conservatory of Music will accompany Dr. Draw for four eclectic sets at 9 pm, 10 pm, 11 pm and midnight in the Samuel Hall Currelly Gallery on Level 1. The performance will be accentuated by a state-of-the-art light show and DJs in the Hyacinth Gloria Chen Crystal Court on Level 1. For more information about Dr. Draw, visit www.alchemyentertainment.ca