Place des Arts du Grand Sudbury is holding a series of talks and exhibitions this fall.
Under the banner “Enlightening Talks for Evolving Times”, the talks will feature prominent arts and culture personalities who will discuss key issues, including relationships with Indigenous people.
The series begins Oct. 21 with Tomson Highway, the celebrated playwright, novelist, pianist and composer who hails from northern Manitoba and has become one of Canada’s foremost Indigenous artists.
On Nov. 12, the series welcomes the author, communicator and highly regarded speaker Jesse Wente, the board president of the Canada Council for the Arts.
On Dec. 19, the series features Sudbury native Marc Mayer, an expert in the field of contemporary art and a member of the Order of Canada.
Simultaneous translation will be available, to French or English.
La Place des Arts’ arts and culture programming service will also be presenting a series of three exhibitions featuring local visual artists. In October, photographer Rachelle Bergeron will present her exhibition “Against the Grain”, featuring black-and-white portraits of distinctive and unconventional persons.
In December and January, Connor Lafortune, a member of Dokis First Nation, will present his work “To All the Words You Never Learned”, which explores the effects of losing one’s language.
In February and March, Isabelle Ratté will showcase her eclectic artistry in her exhibition “From A to Zab”.
“These are our first programming events and they represent a major step forward for Place des Arts,” said Jean-Gilles Pelletier, the centre’s executive director.
“Place des Arts is the building that hosts our member organization’s offices and events, but Place des Arts is also an arts organization in its own right, with a mandate to contribute to our region’s arts and culture scene. The programming we’re announcing today is a prime example of new areas of focus we will explore. Our prestigious series of talks and exhibitions will stimulate reflection on key themes for our times and raise Sudbury’s profile as an intellectual and creative environment.”
