My City My Six

Tell your story in six words

My City My Six is a participatory public art project that will reveal Toronto and its residents in celebration of Canada 150, six words at a time. From January through May 2017, the My City My Six project will ask Torontonians of all ages and backgrounds to share something essential about themselves in six words.

Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a six word story. He responded with, “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn”, and the six word story was born.

Based on the six word story concept popularized by Smith Magazine, this project invites Torontonians to write and contribute six words that best tells their story. My City My Six will culminate in a city-wide exhibition in the public realm in the fall of 2017, showing the diverse lives that collectively make up this great city at this moment in time.

This project is led by Toronto Arts and Culture in collaboration with the city’s six Local Arts Service Organizations. Stories will be collected through emails, workshops, and events. A jury, including Toronto’s Poet Laureate Anne Michaels, will select stories to appear in the exhibition, which will include transit shelters, transit interiors, billboards, and other public spaces. Local galleries, businesses and public spaces will also be animated as part of the exhibition in September and October 2017.

See sample six word stories below: (Courtesy of 6 Words Minneapolis)

At Ninety-Nine, I’m still a Musician
– Gabrielle, 99 SW Seniors Ctr.

I was afraid, now I’m fierce
– Maggie, 38, N.E.

Go to the Park and Play
– Zara, 4 Fulton

All My Life, I’ve held on
– Anonymous, 18, Kingfield

Emergence Symposium

2015 Emergence Symposium | Arts & Equity: Leading Social Change will convene 200 artists, cultural workers, community leaders, academics, youth and policy makers to answer some of these important questions surrounding equity, diversity and inclusiveness.

This three day conference experience will create a space for critical dialogue, leadership development, creative self-reflection, mentorship and cross sector collaborations.

Hosted by Neighbourhood Arts Network & SKETCH
In partnership with AVNU, Arts Starts and North York Arts

November 12 – 14, 2015
Locations: Evergreen Brickworks & Toronto Centre for Arts

The Emergence symposium invites you to join us in creating an inspirational gathering to celebrate, nurture unique leadership development opportunities using community engaged arts as the spring board to explore these important work and issues together.

• What does inclusivity, positive social change and equity really look like in our communities, creative practices and organizational work today?
• How are artists and cultural leaders setting examples for true community innovation?
• How can we support each other in our development as leaders, artists, community builder, policy makers and healers?

Equity is a broad topic that can encompass many themes of practice. Your efforts to address societal issues, make positive change and create inclusive space in your work, are vital to the long-term health of all the communities we live, work and create in!

Community Creative Jam

Join us at Community Creative Jam, an arts event that features local artists and an open mic for everybody — all creative disciplines, levels and
ages! Drop by for performances, arts activities, hanging out with artists, and positive vibes.

Special guests to be announced shortly.