SummerWorks Festival 2021 — free, public-facing programming across multiple platforms throughout the month of August.

Each day we offered new ways of encountering artists and their work, either in person or through digital formats. Audiences were invited to witness online public sharings, engage with artists through social media, as well as explorations of public access to artistic process, from performance in storefront windows to communal walks through the park.

With a desire to invest in the artists shaping the future, the 2021 Festival focused on work in development, nurturing artistic exploration as we continue the process of rebuilding.

actor in a performance space with red lighting. They stand, facing the audience with one fist in the air. Behind the performer is a wall of mirrors that reflects the audience. At te bottom of the image, an audience member sits in the chair looking at the performerAn indoor performance shot of PROOF OF EXISTENCE by Philip Nozuka. A projector is in the centre of the frame, which is displaying an image on a screen of two hands holding a blue piece of plastic. At the back, Philip sits at a desk facing away from the camera and with a laptop open in front of him.Chalk art on storefront window. Large text reads “what is a word for how this makes you feel?”. Rainbow rings surround the large text with smaller words, including: Happy , Light , Free, Alive, Proud, Thankful, Desire, Connected, Active, Curious, Seen. Someone is drawing on the window with a chalk marker.Chalk art on storefront window. Large text reads “what is a word for how this makes you feel?”. Rainbow rings surround the large text with smaller words, including: Happy , Light , Free, Alive, Proud, Thankful, Desire, Connected, Active, Curious, SeenA process/rehearsal photograph of Softness is a blessing. At the centre of the image, there is a large bay window inset in a white wall, with beige curtains and sunlight streaming in. Two black chairs are set, facing each other, in front of the window. Two performers sit on the chairs facing each other. The left is wearing a red dress and headwrap with her hands up palms facing outward. The second performer sits with her arms on the back of the chair, facing forward and is wearing a white long sleeved tunicAn outdoor performance shot of nowhen by Alison Wong. Several performers are standing in a line that goes up the steps of the High Park Amphitheatre. They are staggered to be facing out to the left or right, all are wearing loose-fitting light fabrics and have their arms at their sides.A performer sits in a beige chair on the right of the image. They have grey pants, a black mask, glasses, headwrap and a green t-shirt on. They have their hands up and are pointing out of the frame to the left, gesturing towards someone. Behind them is grey concrete floor, a staircase and furniture covered in white sheets.a group of masked audience members watching a performance. They are sitting in black folding chairs, with their backs to three sets of windows. One audience member has a hand up to ask a questionPhoto of an audience member experiencing PORTAL. The image is saturated in red lighting, and the participant is standing in a large room, facing to the left with their arms over head. They are standing in a cube of yellow lighting and face a large screen with a graphic of squares.A dancer is captured in movement with their arms moving upward and taking a step forward. They are wearing black pants and a grey tank top. They are in a grey space with a few white columns in the backgrounda performer wearing a wolf costume leaps over the back of a black leather couch towards the camera. The image is in mid jump. Another performer dressed as a knight in armor stands on the left with a raised sword in one hand. At the bottom on an image two audience members can be seen watchingThree team members out front of a venue. To the left is a sign that says "welcome to summerworks". The front person is wearing a white dress, they are kneeling down with their hand on their chin. Another staff member wearing jeans and a tshirt crouches down by the sign with their hands crossed in front of them. The third person is wearing a black dress and stands behind holding rolled up posters.two people are crouched down over grass, with the photo taken from above them looking down. The person on the right is wearing a green jumper, and holds a phone out in her hand between them. They are listening to something on the phone. Both people have dark brown hair.two people are walking side by side on a street. The left is wearing a navy t-shirt and has a brown backpack and blue sunglasses.The person on the right is wearing jeans, glasses and a blue blouse. The right person is holding up a phone they are listening to something on. In the road behind them, a car passes byThree photographers stand beside a picnic table with their camera gear. The left person wears jeans and a grey tank top, the middle is wearing a green tunic, the photographer on the right wears a white t-shirt and tan shorts. They are standing in a park, with a brick building in the background.Two people wearing large headphones stand with their back to the camera facing a body of water. They stand on the sand looking over the water. The right person is wearing a grey t-shirt and stands with hands on hips. The other is wearing a black t-shirt and blue shorts with their arms down.two people putting up summerworks sign at a storefront. They are each on a ladder. The person on the right is at the top of a blue ladder and holding up the sign to the store. The person on the left is climbing up a yellow ladder to grab the sign. The sign they are covering over can be seen an reads "hats"A large group of people gathered on the sidewalk outside of the storefront space. The pink and yellow sign on the storefront reads "the pop up experience" . there is writing on the window that reads "the children of the bear". The people are looking into the windows to see what is going on inside the space.An outdoor performance shot of nowhen by Alison Wong. A performer in a loose white dress and white socks is turned with their back to the camera. They are standing on top of another piece of white fabric in a patch of grass. They are stretching their arms out in a flying-like motion,An artist sits in front of a computer. they are wearing a yellow t-shirt and white overalls. They are smiling and talking into a microphone while looking at the computer screen.Performer stands facing the camera with their arms stretched out to the sides. They are wearing brown pants and a brown button up with a few plaid patches. behind them is a black wall. Around them are books and lamps scattered across the floorPhoto of an audience member experiencing PORTAL. The image is saturated in pink lighting, and the participant is standing in a large room, facing to the left with their arms outstretched on either side.A process/rehearsal photograph of Softness is a blessing. At the centre of the image, there is a large bay window inset in a white wall, with beige curtains and sunlight streaming in. Two black chairs are set, facing each other, in front of the window. To the left, Dainty Smith is turned away and appears to be leaving the shot. She is wearing a red dress and headwrap, and a black mask and heels. Her eyes are closed, and one arm hangs at her side while the other hugs her abdomen. To the right, Ravyn Wngz is also turned away and “leaving” in the opposite direction of Dainty. She is wearing a white shirt dress and is barefoot, with eyes closed. One of her arms hangs by her side, while the other is outstretched behind her, towards the centre of the image.ndoor process shot of The Children of the Bear by Todd Houseman. A performer is crouched behind a brown couch. Most of their body is hidden by a large brown and black bear puppet that they are controlling. The bear has yellow eyes and it’s mouth is open, peering over the couch.An underpass with two people walking away from the camera. Both wearing jeans, the left person has a light jean jacket, and the right person has a blue t-shirt. They walk away from the camera past a yellow fire hydrant. In the right of the image four summerworks posters are hanging on the wall.A performer stands with a book in hand addressing the camera. They are wearing a green button up shirt, green hat and black pants. They have a large beaded necklace on. Behind them is a brown couch with two other performers sitting down on it. The left wears a grey t-shirt and the right wears a black tank top. They are both looking at the performer who is speaking. In the background is a stand with a small TV screen.A large group of people gather outside of the pop up shop. They are gathered around a chalkboard sign that reads" “ The message of what blindness knows and of what could be possible of us, of blind perception”. behind them is the pop up shop, a grey storefront space. Three signs on the storefront reading "The Pop-Up Experience" are visible. The left sign is pink, the middle sign is green and the right sign is blue.