Submitted by Liz Forsberg, Managing Director,  Art Starts, Yorkdale Community Arts Centre

“Art Starts sites across the city are buzzing with creative energy this summer. We hope you’ll take a moment to read about what we’re up to!

Art Starts seeks volunteers for our second annual Earlscourt Park Dusk Dances August 19th-22, 2010
Art Starts is excited to be co-producing the Earlscourt Park Dusk Dances for a second year in a row! This beautiful night of dance features some of Canada’s most innovative dancers and choreographers working their magic in Earlscourt Park from August 19th to 22nd from 7pm onwards. We are currently seeking volunteers to assist us. If you are interested in gaining performing arts experience and meeting a crew of lovely and talented people from across the city, contact erin@artstarts.net. And of course, if you can’t volunteer, gather your friends, family and neighbours and join us for an entertaining and engaging evening of dance in the park. Admission is pay-what-you-can.
Hot off the presses!
We’ve just released our latest newsletter full of all the juicy details of what we’ve been up to in the last few months. Read all about it here.

A New Art Starts Mural Takes Shape in Lawrence Heights
This summer, our muralist crew otherwise known as The Eight Planet, is working on a community-inspired mural along the Yorkdale Underpass at the north end of the Yorkdale subway station. Made up of Andy Atkins, Navardo Ingram, Katherine Mackay & Quentin Vercetty, this year’s team is working with coordinator Rea McNamara and artist Joshua Barndt to turn the underpass walls and pillars into colorful and thematically resonant public mural exploring themes of community belonging and pride and illustrating scenes that embody artistic and cultural references such as reggae, hip hop and feminism. For up to date pictures, videos and a timeline of what will be a phenominal mural follow their journey at http://eighthplanet.tumblr.com. Stay tuned for an invite to the mural launch on the evening of Wednesday August 18th.
[a big thanks to The City of Toronto’s Graffiti Transformation Investment Program for making this project possible]

Art in XS Summer Camps
Program Managers Erin Schachter and Yvette Martin have been hard at work with circus, steel pan, performance and spoken word artists at St.Thomas Aquinas and Lescon schools in our Dufferin/Eglinton and Villaways program sites. Art in XS campers are treated daily to two hours of inventive multidisciplinary workshops throughout the summer culminating community performances and exhibits.
[thanks to United Way’s Focus on Youth funding for making these programs possible]

In their Element
Throughout the summer a crew of 9 talented young women from Lawrence Heights and Neptune have been descending upon our Yorkdale Community Arts Centre space to immerse themselves in intensive workshops exploring fashion, dance, drama, music production and song-writing as part of a youth summer art intensive called The Element courtesy of a generous donation from the Yorkdale Merchants Association. You can see the results of their creative explorations when they showcase their talent the evening of Monday August 23rd. Stay tuned for more details!
And we can’t forget….
Check out our website for news and updates about:

• The Villaways Women’s Health Circle
• The Lawrence Heights Feisty Seniors Sing Out, Act Up Project
• Da Lenz Youth Media
• Matchstick Girls Empowerment Group”

Please see ArtBridges’ Google Map for contact information and read our Profile on Art Starts!