Photo by Metrix X from the Torontoist Flickr Pool. Oh Nuit Blanche, what hath thou wrought? For the second year in a row, we've polled Torontoist readers to find out what they thought of the night, and for the second year in a row, the haters are out in full force. We can't really blame them: most people probably don't head into a free cross-city art party hoping to not enjoy themselves, but the......

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MUSIC: We can't really think of a better way to nurse your Nuit Blanche hangover than spending an afternoon with Nardwuar. The Human Serviette himself will be performing at Trash Palace with his band, The Evaporators. He'll also be presenting clips from his "Video Vault," which feature interviews with Marilyn Manson, Iggy Pop, and Michael Moore. The 3Tards and The Weirdies will also perform. Trash Palace (89-B Niagara Street), 3 p.m., $6. ART: Feel like......

The sun will rise on Nuit Blanche soon, so let's just get the inevitable out of the way. Last year, when we polled Torontoist readers about their impressions of Nuit Blanche 2007, the bulk of you, 39%, voted that it was "pretty lame, actually." (Only 11% said it was "wicked awesome.") As it turns out, that seemed to be something of a consensus last year, as underwhelming exhibits, long lineups, big crowds, and relentless......

ART: In case you didn't know (but how could you not?), Nuit Blanche returns tonight! Torontoist's guide is here. Various locations, 6:52 p.m.–7 a.m., FREE. BENEFIT: Today, participants in the 2008 Sunshine Walk will depart from Queen's Park on their sixteen day journey from Toronto to Ottawa. The walk is presented by the Toronto Climate Campaign to support solar energy awareness, and ends at Parliament Hill on October 20, when walkers will present the......

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute. By SpecterNEAR QUEEN AND JOHNPHOTO BY ICM......

Michael Ondaatje, with Art of Time violinist Julia Wedman. "Words and Music," Art of Time Ensemble's newest production now on at the Enwave Theatre, is, in a word, inspired. The company is marking its tenth anniversary this year, and if the season premiere is any indication, they've got a great deal to celebrate. First off, a bit of explanation, since the troupe doesn't fit neatly into any genre. Art of Time is an ensemble......

ART: "Off Camera" is an exhibition at the new Filmport Studios, featuring more than 200 works from 50 artists currently working in the Toronto film industry. The reception tonight will include musical performances and a silent auction, and did we mention you get to go inside Filmport Studios? Filmport Studios (Studio 7, 225 Commissioners Street), 6 p.m.–1 a.m., FREE. WORDS: Ruckus Magazine, a new online magazine for student artists in the GTA, is celebrating......

Oh, Sally, that heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker. She'll pick you up when the chips are down, only to drop you like a hand grenade come daylight. And the older you get, the harder it is to recoup your investment in her. Art? Viral ad? We're unsure. But if Sally is acting single these days, we'll be drinkin' doubles. Spotted at the corner of Heartbreak and Regret. Photo by Marc Lostracco.......

MUSIC: Today, War Child Canada is presenting "Busking For Change," a day-long busking event featuring a number of reasonably successful Canadian performers. Among those performing are Our Lady Peace's Raine Maida (a fervent supporter of War Child Canada), Chantal Kreviazuk, Zack Werner, The Waking Eyes, and Neverending White Lights. Expect to see lots of teenaged girls unable to control their excitement, and a slough of disgruntled buskers who've had their spots stolen by real musicians......

Photo from last year's Nuit Blanche by Dipp from the Torontoist Flickr Pool. Nuit Blanche! Are you excited? Ambivalent? Now in its third year, the all-night contemporary art thing (sponsored by some bank whose name we can't quite recall) kicks off at sunset Saturday and runs until sunrise Sunday. While the best way to truly enjoy the party is to get lost wandering through each of its zones, we've nonetheless whittled down the dozens......

THEATRE: Hart House Theatre's 2008–2009 season officially begins this evening with Shakespeare's King Lear, which runs until October 18. This production of the classic tragedy stars Peter Higginson as Lear and is directed by Jeremy Hutton. Hart House Theatre (7 Hart House Circle), 8 p.m., $12–$20. FILM: There is a free advanced screening of Guy Ritchie's new film, RocknRolla, presented by U of T's Cinema Studies Student Union tonight at Innis Town Hall. The film—which......

FESTIVAL: The TrekZac FestiCon, a day-long celebration of Star Trek, returns to The Tranzac today for its second year. The mini-convention kicks off at 1 p.m. with a Steam Whistle Brewing beer tasting, along with performances from Laura Barrett, Mackenzie King (formerly Ontario Power Generation), and Woodhands frontman Dan Werb. At 3 p.m. the “convention” begins and will include a lecture by David Dineen-Porter, a demonstration of Klingon ceremonies and rituals, and a panel......

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute. By ALFA and Graffiti Transformation ProgramNEAR SPADINA AND COLLEGEPHOTO BY POST......

ART: In the aftermath of May Karp’s slightly controversial street art exhibit opening/closing, the Show & Tell Gallery is putting on a fundraiser to pay the "dramatic" legal costs they've incurred. “With All Due Respect” is an exhibition and auction happening tonight at Charlie’s Gallery. The exhibit will feature an auction of original work from the artists whose work was photographed for Karp’s show. Charlie’s Gallery (112 Harbord Street), 6 p.m., FREE. WORDS: There......

ART: In anticipation of Thursday’s launch party for his new book, 2nd: The Face of Defeat, photographer Sandy Nicholson will be showing photos for the next four days at the Gladstone Hotel. The book, a series of shots taken of second-place finishers immediately after losing a competition, is for those who are sick of coming in second place, and also for those who take pleasure in seeing the facial expressions of miserable bodybuilders. Until......

WORDS: “This Is Not A Reading Series For Tots,” a new monthly literary program for children that we told you about a few weeks ago, is launching today at the Gladstone Hotel. Kids aged two to eight will get to meet the authors of childrens’ books and participate in art activities, sing-a-longs, and puppet shows. Speaking today is Matt Hammill, who will be giving a PowerPoint presentation about his new book, Sir Reginald’s Logbook.......

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute. By ALFAHIN AN ALLEY NEAR DUNDAS AND GRANGEPHOTO BY POST......

These skiing-related signs appeared yesterday along Macdonnell Avenue in Parkdale, between Queen Street and Garden Avenue. This doesn't seem to be an installation with any purpose or meaning, and there's no particular irony in this residential setting. It's amusing but random. Is there a wider message? Thanks to David Giddens for the tip.......

Taking the global hunt for art and design of its blog-daddy, shape+colour, and putting the focus on Toronto, Shape+Colourist is on the lookout for local artists, designers, and events that are breaking ground and pushing boundaries right here at home. Hiding beneath the vibrant candy colours of Toronto-based photographer Liz Wolfe's stunning work is a whole bunch of twisted contradictions. Exploring the juxtaposition between what we commonly consider pretty (flowers) and what we mostly consider......

Top: Erica Gosich Rose painting a legal mural. Bottom: a photo by May Karp of that finished mural, for sale at StreetSpeaks. Photos courtesy of Simon Cole. Though it probably wasn't her intention, photographer May Karp could not have picked a better way to demonstrate just how messy it can get when street art and commercial art collide. Her exhibit at the Moore Gallery, StreetSpeaks, featured photographs Karp had taken of legal street art......

ART: The ROM is launching a new series called "Out of the Vaults" today. The exhibition will display the ceremonial garb of Chief Sitting Bull, including his war shirt, moccasins, and iconic feathered war bonnet, all on display in the Daphne Cockwell Gallery of Canada. What's more, an original court gown of Marie Antoinette will be on display as part of the exhibition for two weeks starting October 11 in the Patricia Harris Gallery of......

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute. Artist UnknownNEAR BLOOR AND CHRISTIEPHOTO BY CLAIRE......

Oakville sorta counts as Toronto, right? Check out this fantastic bit of Batman street art spotted near the corner of Trafalgar Road and Iroquois Shore Road, right by Oakville Place. Like a piece we featured in March, the piece isn't complete without night shadows—which, we'd say, is pretty thematically-appropriate. [Thanks, Paige]......

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute. Artist UnknownNEAR GERRARD AND JONESPHOTO BY JONATHAN GOLDSBIE......

Fauxreel's pairing with Vespa to produce street art ads has always been contentious; as Carl Wilson pointed out in last month's Toronto Life, the intersection of street art and money-making is messy as hell. While one Toronto tagger took matters into their own hands to protest the corporate backing, and one Toronto book store threw their ad on top of Vespa's, others have participated in the discussion by literally changing the subject: a Montreal......

Last night's town hall meeting was an auspicious birth ceremony for the week-old Department of Culture. Speaker Naomi Klein termed it a “movement moment” and member Darren O'Donnell could only say “Holy fuck!” to the attendance, as more than triple the expected number of people crowded into the AC-less Theatre Centre. Leaflets were used by every member of the crowd to cool themselves while community leaders stirred existing anger at the Harper government. “You......

ART: This month's exhibit at the Steam Whistle Brewing Gallery is called "It Figures" and celebrates the human form through varied and unique artistic interpretations. The artists featured this month are Michael Tenaglia, Aurora Pagano, Jessica Gorlicky, and Jacqueline Okuhara. There is an opening reception tonight for the exhibit, with the artists in attendance. Steam Whistle Brewing Gallery (255 Bremner Boulevard), 6 p.m., FREE. WORDS: This Is Not A Reading Series continues this evening......

MUSIC: David Berman and the rest of his Silver Jews are stopping by Lee's Palace tonight as part of their North American tour. They're joined by Boston rock group Hallelujah The Hills. Lee's Palace (529 Bloor Street West), 9 p.m., $15. THEATRE: The Dora Award–winning production of Wajdi Mouawad's Scorched is being remounted briefly at Tarragon Theatre, after a successful run in February 2007. The show is directed by Richard Rose, and runs until......

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute. By Fauxreel/Vespa, Artist Unknown/SWPE BooksNEAR QUEEN AND BEVERLEYPHOTO BY GALA......