#AGO1st works it

Roll up your sleeves and get ready to dance the night away! On November 1, Toronto’s biggest art party, First Thursday: Roll Up the Sleeves will start the month off right – by filling the AGO with music, art and more.

Inspired by our fall exhibition, Anthropocene, exploring the profound impact humans have on the Earth, the November edition of First Thursday features an exciting group of artists exploring important issues of our time – motivating you to think, see and feel while getting your groove on.

Once again, Walker Court will be transformed by music and performances, and a special selection of artworks from Out of the Vaults will be on display in the galleries. And when you start getting hungry from all that dancing, don’t forget to check out the delicious food and drinks in the AGO’s Night Market.

Are you getting as excited as we are? Here’s a taste of some of the exciting artists you’ll hear and see on November 1:

Le1f

Headlining November’s First Thursday is New York-based producer and rapper Le1f. A trained ballet and modern dancer, L1ef will get you dancing with his upbeat, club-ready beats. Not only is he great at getting you movin’ and groovin’, his lyrics delve into issues like homophobia, transphobia, racism and sexism. In 2014, L1ef performed on the Late Show with David Letterman and shortly after, in 2015, he released his debut album, Riot Boi. Don’t miss this exciting musician.

Raven Davis

An Indigenous mixed-race multidisciplinary artist, activist, educator from the Anishinaabek Nation in Manitoba and father of three sons, Raven Davis’s work blends narratives of colonization, race, gender, Two-Spirit identity and the Anishinaabemowin language and culture into contemporary art forms. Their work was exhibited at the 2015 Venice Biennale and their films have been shown at international film festivals in Berlin, Amsterdam, New York City, Montreal and Toronto.

And that’s not all. November’s First Thursday includes a DJ set by Stunts – a member of Toronto’s influential queer party, Yes Yes Y’All, an amazing interactive experience from multimedia artist and cultural organizer Anni Spadafora, and a unique program designed by artist Eli Howey – best known for his series of 25 watercolour paintings under the Passageways moniker.

First Thursday: Roll Up the Sleeves is sure to be one of November’s hottest tickets, so get yours today. Tickets are $11 for AGO Members and $13 for the public; they are available on our website.

Want to check out the Anthropocene exhibition too? Advance tickets are $23 for First Thursday and exhibition entry (exhibition open 7 – 9:30 pm).

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