In April we conducted a five part workshop series in conjunction with Art City: a kids drop-in art center in St.Jamestown, and the Tamil Scouts. We developed a relationship with Art City a year ago, and the kids were happy to see the soft city again. The kids built a soft replica of their neighbourhood. This workshop was made possible by the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council.
On a cold December in a 30,000 square foot open space, independent curator/ artist Heather Nicol created “Making Room”, a weekend long event featuring major works by over 50 established and emerging artists. The Soft City was there.
The Soft City took over the Power Plant Art gallery for a weekend to hold an art camp! Focusing on the city of Toronto and its waterfront, campers were encouraged to become visionaries and city planners by mapping roadways, building structures, designing parks and thinking about what makes a great city.
Stay posted because the Collective will be erecting the Soft City at the big concrete City Hall soon.
The Soft City was at the Alley Jaunt exhibition all day August 12th and 13th, 2006. We were in Garage #8, behind 158 Gore Vale Ave.
During Doors Open Toronto, we put together a workshop at OCAD, where families could design their own buildings, with The Soft City Council there to help sew and plan.
OCAD site: www.ocad.on.ca
The Soft City was erected as part of the second annual Toronto The Good Festival of Architecture and Design. There was a swanky party at historic Fort York. Toronto Mayor Miller dropped by to snuggle with soft city hall.
This exhibition poses the question–is our future a suburban one? If the city centre cannot sustain us where shall we go? Facing an intensifying city core, artists imagine a possible future for the suburbs. The Centre Cannot hold explores visions of an existing landscape and proposals for possibilities in that new frontier. We made cuddly suburbs for this event.
The Soft City’s first interactive workshop was part of The Gladstone Hotel’s annual design event, Come up to my Room.
The Soft City’s first ever show was at Alley Jaunt in August 2005. We worked hard all spring to build the original city settlement.
