After cancelling its festival in March after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all public events in Toronto, the Luminato Festival is announcing a virtual program to run June 11 to 13, 2020.
The three days of programming will bring artists and thinkers together with audiences from across Canada and around the world. Although the full slate of programming is set to be announced soon, the festival states that the weekend will feature live and pre-recorded performances, conversations, panels, DJ sets and participatory programming, alongside key works from past Luminato Festivals. This free event will run from 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 11 until late on Saturday, June 13 and will include family programming beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“We were all heartbroken to lose this year’s festival which promised our community so many exceptional experiences, but in its place, we’re thrilled to be presenting this re-imagined virtual version, to our international friends as well as all our Toronto family,” said Anthony Sargent, CEO of Luminato. “Of course it doesn’t substitute for the ‘live’ days we had planned on the stages and streets of Toronto from June 11 to 28, but we’re all very excited by it as a completely fresh kind of Luminato adventure.”
According to Luminato, some of the works that were going to be performed at the 2020 festival will appear in future festivals, while audiences of this year’s virtual festival will get a sneak peek into others.
“For three days, we will take you to artists’ homes, into virtual spaces, and onto the streets of Toronto, reminding you of past Luminatos when we were able to gather together, and anticipating a future when we can meet in person once more,” said Naomi Campbell, artistic director at Luminato. “Our virtual festival honours artists and audiences, our donors, funders and volunteers, as well as our indefatigable and resilient front-line workers, and we trust it will offer hope, joy, solace and much food for thought as we ponder our uncharted future.”
For further information head to www.luminatofestival.com.