Date: Saturday, July 13, 2024
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Location: In the park and inside the centre
Admission is Free of Charge
For All Ages
The Neilson Park Creative Festival features outdoor art and fine craft vendors, live music, a plein-air competition, food and drink with free parking on-site on July 13 at 10: 00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
We thankfully acknowledge our lead community sponsor, Toronto Pearson
Art and Fine Craft Vendors Outdoors – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm
The call for vendors is now closed. Thank you to everyone who applied!
Art and fine craft vendors will be selling their handmade items including paintings, drawings, quilts and quilted items, rug crafting, calligraphy, woven and spun textiles, jewellery, stained glass, home accessories, clothing, wood carving, soaps, cards, toys, pottery and more!
NPCC’s Resident Art Groups
NPCC is home to six resident art groups. Representatives from the groups will be in our Art Space Connect Gallery.
Shop at their tables for unique, handcrafted items to learn about their classes, workshops and studio sessions.
Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto (CAGT)
CAGT’s meetings, classes and workshops offer a variety of educational and hands-on activities related to the calligraphic arts. Shop for handmade cards and other calligraphic artworks.
Website
Etobicoke Art Group (EAG)
The Etobicoke Art Group was established in 1951 and continues as a vital group of practicing artists today. Shop for artworks.
Website
Etobicoke Handweavers & Spinners Guild (EHS)
EHS encourages an interest in handweaving, spinning & dyeing. Offering services and learning opportunities. Shop for hand spun yarn, hand knitted clothing and handwoven textiles.
Website
Etobicoke Quilters’ Guild (EQG)
The Etobicoke Quilters’ Guild is one of the oldest quilting guilds in Canada. Shop for placemats, runners, small quilts and other textiles.
Website
Etobicoke Rugcrafters
The Etobicoke Rugcrafters aim to practise, promote and teach the techniques of traditional rughooking in a congenial group setting. Shop for items hooked with wool fabric and alternative fibres, including recycled materials.
Website
Humber Valley Art Club
Humber Valley Art Club is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1951. They have established a reputation of offering quality instruction for adults of all skill levels in a friendly and inclusive environment.
www.humbervalleyartclub.com
Art Activities for Youth, 5-14 Years of Age – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friendship Bracelets
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
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Kids will make cool friendship bracelets. For youth, ages 5-14. Drop off the kids in our
arts & crafts tent while you shop, listen to music and enjoy Neilson Park and its
surroundings. Registration is required, the cost is $5.00 (no HST). Register here.
Face Painting
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Wear a masterpiece all day long! Simply bring the kids to our arts & crafts tent
between 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Free of charge, no registration required. All ages
welcome.
Wild for Watercolour!
1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
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This workshop is for youth, ages 5-14. Kids will learn how to paint with watercolours and
bring home their masterpiece! Drop off the kids in our arts & crafts tent while you shop,
listen to music and enjoy Neilson Park and its surroundings. Registration is required, the
cost is $5.00 (no HST). Register here.
Friendship Bracelets
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Kids will make cool friendship bracelets. For youth, ages 5-14. Drop off the kids in our
arts & crafts tent while you shop, listen to music and enjoy Neilson Park and its
surroundings. Registration is required, the cost is $5.00 (no HST). Register here.
Live Performances – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Rock out and have a blast with Kidz Rock and bands from the Music Studio from 10:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Join us from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. to groove to the sweet sounds of TMS Jazz Ensemble.
Grab a beer, relax, sit back and join Spoken Word artists Desiree Mckenzie, Joshua ‘Scribe’ Watkis and Shahaddah Jack from 1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
Headliner Nicolas Hernandez Trio will make you dance with their incredible Flamenco sounds from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
To end the day, Imposter Sindrome will perform from 4:15 – 5:00 p.m.
Plein-air Painting Competition – 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
This art competition is a take on the French phrase, En Plein Air which describes the process of painting a landscape outdoors. Artists may work in a location of their choice: in the woods, with the vendors or musicians – anywhere out-of-doors in Neilson Park. This year, we’re excited to announce that all mediums are welcome such as painting, drawing, pastel, fabric, fibre and 3D.
Click here for the application form with all the details.
Competition Categories and Entry Fee
There are two competition categories:
- Youth, 13 – 17 years of age, free of charge to enter
Click here to register. - Adults, 18+, $5.00 (with H.S.T $5.65) entry fee
Click here to register.
Awards
Youth category: First, $100; Second, $75; Third, $50
Adult category: First, $200; Second, $100; Third, $75
Artists may work in a location of their choice: in the woods, with the vendors or musicians – anywhere out-of-doors in Neilson Park.
Artists must check-in, and may pick up their easels (if needed) inside the Neilson Park Creative Centre between 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. on July 13. Any time before 3:00 p.m. the artists may return the easels and drop off their completed paintings at the same location inside the Centre. The jurying will take place at 3:15 p.m. sharp with an artists’ reception and award ceremony at 3:45 p.m.
Juror
Jenneen Beattie
Multidisciplinary Artist
Jenneen Marie Beattie holds a Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration and Cultural Management from Humber College. She received her BFA from OCADU with a major in Criticism and Curatorial Practices. She participated in an independent studio placement at the Winchester School of Art, UK.
She was an Artscape Daniels Launchpad fellowship participant from 2019-2022. Her work in textile-based media investigates the connections between memory and fabrics. The work attempts to capture and preserve memories, it addresses notions of souvenir-ship, conservation, and keepsakes.
Additionally, the work contains an embedded message around repurposing materials, sustainability, and supporting local markets. She has managed public art projects for the City of Toronto, Cultural Hotspot, Doors Open, StreetARToronto, MOCA Toronto, Toronto Biennial, Toronto Zoo, Nuit Blanche, Cavalcade of Lights, Mural Routes, and Yonge-Dundas Square.
*Admission and parking are free!