Environmental arts festival at Todmorden Mills throughout the summer

TORONTO, June 18, 2015 /CNW/ - Eco-Arts-Fest creatively celebrates the environment through art and will take place every weekend this summer, from June 20 to September 13, at Todmorden Mills Heritage Site.   

"This innovative festival creatively constructs interactive environments for audiences of all ages to explore and appreciate the environment through the arts," said Councillor Mary Fragedakis (Ward 29 Toronto-Danforth).

Produced by No.9 Contemporary Art and the Environment, in partnership with the City's Museums and Heritage Services, the second annual Eco-Art-Fest features installations by leading Canadian artists, interactive all-ages activities, locally sourced cuisine, live music and art tours. The festival embraces themes of nature, place-making and sustainability.

Visitors will experience public art installations by artists Tor Lukasik-Foss, Simon Frank, José Luis Torres, Gareth Lichty, Labspace Studio (John Loerchner and Laura Mendes) and Penelope Stewart. Additional activities include watercolour painting, animal habitat and clay workshops for families, and sustainable architecture and design workshops for youth.

The Eco-Art-Fest launches on June 20 at noon and runs until September 13. Festival hours are Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 10 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

There is no cost for general admission to the festival. There is a minimal fee to attend the educational programming, and attendees will have to pre-register for education courses.

"We are excited to launch the second year of the Eco-Art-Fest in partnership with the City's Museum and Heritage Services. The festival offers an opportunity for the public to explore a beautiful historical site, experience Eco-Art and discover the Lower Don ravine system," said Andrew Davies, Executive Director of No.9: Contemporary Art and the Environment.

No.9 Contemporary Art & the Environment is an arts organization that uses art and design to bring awareness to environmental concerns. More information about the Eco-Art-Fest is available at http://www.no9.ca/ecoartfest/. The public can also interact with the festival on Twitter @no9ArtEnviro and at hashtag #EcoArtFest.

Located at 67 Pottery Rd., Todmorden Mills is one of 10 historic sites operated by the City of Toronto. It is accessible by car, public transit and bicycle. More information about City of Toronto Historic Sites is available at: http://www.toronto.ca/museums .

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

SOURCE City of Toronto

Media contacts: Shane Gerard, Strategic Communications, 416-397-5711, 647-881-9854 (cell), [email protected]