#myspace: October’s First Thursday

Get your dancing shoes ready! On October 4, Toronto’s biggest art party, First Thursday: #myspace will fill the AGO with music, art and more.

Complementing our fall exhibition, Anthropocene, which is all about human impact on our planet, the October edition of First Thursday features an exciting group of women artists exploring what it means to create their own space and leave their signature on our world.

You'll experience amazing music and performances in Walker Court. In Baillie Court, check out the launch of a new CBC podcast, The Shadows. As always, a special selection of artworks from Out of the Vaults will be on display in the galleries. And don’t forget the delicious food and drinks in the AGO’s Night Market.

We can’t wait! Here’s a sneak peek at some of the exciting artists you’ll hear and see on October 4:

Madame Gandhi

Headlining this edition, Kiran Gandhi, known by her stage name Madame Gandhi, is an electronic music artist, drummer and activist based in Los Angeles. She performed on tour as a drummer for rapper and electronic artist M.I.A. In 2015, she gained worldwide recognition and sparked conversation about combating menstrual stigma, when she ran the London Marathon while bleeding freely. She continues to engage in activism and writes music that celebrates the female voice.

Kaitlin Prest 

Award-winning podcast artist Kaitlin Prest brings the official launch of her new audio-fiction podcast for CBC, The Shadows, to Baillie Court. Starting in 2008, Prest produced a radical sex positive radio show in Montreal. Many audio experiments and awards later, Prest has created this six-episode series, The Shadows, which explores the fictional story of a young artist as she struggles to create great work and deal with the challenges of love.

Sage Paul

This Toronto-based artist and innovative leader for Indigenous fashion design is a force to be reckoned with. Sage Paul is the founder and artistic director of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto, a recipient of a Design Exchange RBC Emerging Designer Award and was honoured by the Ontario Ministry of the Status of Women as a trailblazing woman transforming Ontario. She is currently working on two personal fashion-based projects: Giving Life and the Mint Sweater Project.

Gxxrls

GXXRLS (the “xx” represents the female chromosomes) is a creative agency that promotes collaboration and empowerment among women – especially in the arts. Gxxrls was co-founded by graphic designers Sandra Daranikone and Yazmin Butcher, who created a collective of innovative and inspiring women to give women an opportunity to work together, build a sense of community and maybe even run the world.

First Thursday: #myspace is sure to be one of October’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 (open 7 – 9:30 pm).

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