"Todmorden Mills is such a wonderful Toronto site - it's got great trail access, it's a city run property, it's a great heritage site, and it has all these existing art components, including an art gallery and theater," says Andrew Davies, executive director of the environmental art charity
No. 9 Contemporary Art: Contemporary Art & the Environment.
It's these existing site features, says Davies, that made the site an ideal location for No. 9's newest project, a three-month outdoor eco-art festival. The festival, which No.9 is presenting in partnership with the City of Toronto, runs all summer at Todmorden, from Sunday, June 22 through Sunday, September 21.
"We approached the City and Todmorden with this idea for a temporary arts festival and they were really receptive," says Davies. "At Todmorden, they just wanted to make sure we incorporated the heritage of the site into the projects, which was great because that was very much our interest as well."
Located off Pottery Road in the midst of the Don Valley, the Todmorden Mills site is home to a number of hertiage buildings, relics from the site's early 19th century industrial history; it is also a bit of an urban oasis, directly adjacent to a 9.2 hectare wildflower preserve and a number of trails that run throughout the Lower Don.
No. 9 commissioned seven contemporary public works for the festival, works that incoporate the site's particular geographical features as well as its historic specificity.
"And of course all the work we do is geared towards bringing awareness to pressing environmental issues," says Davies. "So the works in this festival reflect that as well."
But the festival, he stresses, is about more than just the artwork.
"Our mission is to use art as a catalyst for discussion of issues involving the environment. That's why were also running activities [including pizza-making and design workshops], providing site tours and, on weekends, selling organic beer and organic sausage.
"We really want people to make this a stop as they tour the ravine system this summer. We wanted to create another place, in addition to the Brickworks, where people could come and hang out and enjoy their summer in the city."
More infomation about the festival available at No. 9's
website.
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Andrew Davies, Executive Director, No. 9 Contemporary Art & the Environment