Now that we have a full decade of art all-nighters behind us, Toronto heads into Nuit Blanche’s year 11 with the jaded weariness of a philosophy grad at a career fair: we’ll be at the party, but we’re not totally sure it’s worth it.
Approximately 1 million GTAers are expected to flock to the event, and no small number of them will engage in an annual ritual of griping: the crowds are too rowdy, the lineups too long, and is that even art anyway? (It is.)
While the grumbling has only increased as the event has matured, a counter-narrative is emanating from a most surprising place – Toronto’s arts community. Participating artists and curators are using their honed criticality not to rail against the Nuit Blanche institution, but to embrace the public art experiment lumps and all.
And, really, for participants, things can get a little lumpy.
Although all involved in the curated exhibitions are paid, artist fees are tiered depending on the project category. Curators earn between $9,000 and $25,000 and have $300,000 to distribute among artists (whom they either invite to participate on a larger production budget or select from an open call to mount projects for somewhat less money). All curated artists earn a base fee distinct from their production budget, as dictated by CARFAC’s (Canadian Artists’ Representation) minimum fee schedule.
Artists agree that “minimum” is the operative word here.
“The fees are on par with the not-for-profit, non-corporate sector,” says Heather Nicol, whose installation occupied Union Station in 2009. “It’s paltry, really, but that’s what it is.”
Even as Nuit Blanche tries to safeguard artist fees by separating them from the rest of the project budget, those fees almost invariably cycle back into the project for expenses like extra studio space, rehearsal costs, additional collaborators and transportation.
Heather Nicol: “The Nuit Blanche artist fees are on par with the not-for-profit, non-corporate sector. It’s paltry, really, but that’s what it is.”
Moreover, Independent Projects receive no financial support at all from Nuit Blanche. (The city boasts that at least it doesn’t charge these artists to show their work!)
John Shipman, who’s exhibited at his local church without missing a single year, estimates that he spends $2,000 to $5,000 annually on Nuit Blanche.
Despite the high stakes, artists treat their projects like an all-too-familiar game of managing expectations and mitigating loss.
Gwen MacGregor became a participating artist in 2014 after extensively studying the artist and curator experience at Nuit Blanche. Her hope for the event was simply to show her art and break even.
“I talked to quite a few artists, especially young artists, who had come away in the hole financially and a bit beaten up by the experience,” she says. “I didn’t care if I made any money – I’m used to that as an artist – but I certainly was not going to go into the hole. I did not feel that the benefits were worth it, quite frankly.”
So what are the benefits? Artists cite the exceptional production support offered by city staff, extensive publicity and promotion, and access to unique city spaces.
But above all, there’s the public. No gallery can offer a diverse, enthusiastic crowd of hundreds of thousands of people eager to interact with the artwork, and artists can’t resist the challenge of the public.
Drunk or sober, rowdy or weary, you’re their inspiration.
Don’t miss: 10 must-see shows at this year’s Nuit Blanche.
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