So much to see, so little time, even if Nuit Blanche 2013 does stretch from dusk to dawn. Here are some tips to expedite your experience:
What: Nuit Blanche is an annual, one-night festival of art installations and projects, indoors and out, in public spaces and private businesses. The festivals are held in many cities around the world.
When: The second annual Nuit Blanche Ottawa-Gatineau begins at sunset (6:21 p.m.) Saturday, Sept. 21, and ends, officially at least, when the sun comes back up at 4:22 a.m. In those few hours, the twin cities astride the Ottawa River will explode in a Supernova of art.
Where: There are more than 100 projects, installations or exhibitions in Ottawa and Gatineau. On the Quebec side, the sites are clustered in the downtown core. In Ottawa the main clusters are the Byward Market, Rideau Street, Arts Court, Sparks Street and Hintonburg. There are “outer places” with more art, and “roaming” installations, which will move about the various locations through the night.
Theme: This year’s theme is Supernova! “Think creatively and critically about the National Capital Region as a space that hosts a complex mix of cultures and politics,” organizers asked the artists. “It is a milieu that networks daily with the local, national and international realm, while working to collectively build a nationhood.”
Getting around: Bringing your car is a bad idea, especially for the downtown locations which should be very busy. OC Transpo services all areas involved, though specific routes may end before the fun is over. Nuit Blanche has organized two free shuttle bus routes that will run from 6 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. The downtown Gatineau-Museum of Civilization-Byward Market-Downtown Rideau-Sparks route shuttle leaves approximately ever 30 minutes. The Sparks (at Elgin)-Hintonburg-Shanghai Restaurant shuttle leaves approximately every hour. If the weather is nice, a bicycle could be an wise option. For the hopeless romantics, there are free rickshaw tours until midnight, details at ottawarickshaws.ca.
Map: NBOG has a heavily detailed map that is available for a free download (nbog.ca) to printer or smartphone. Printed versions will be available from volunteers throughout the Nuit Blanche zones. The map shows all locations, shuttle routes, and has short descriptions of all 114 art projects, arranged by district. Click here to download the NBOG map.
Stay in touch: NBOG is on Facebook and Twitter (#nbog13), and the website is nbog.ca.
Participate: You can be a part of Nuit Blanche, and not just as a passive observer. Many of the installations are interactive, and their appearance or form can be changed by pedestrians’ bodies or mobile devices. Look at you, the contemporary artist!
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