June is National Indigenous History Month, Italian Heritage Month, and Pride Month - we encourage everyone to attend arts events that bring us together. Any time of year you can enjoy a walk along the Bloor St. Culture Corridor to experience the most diverse arts and culture district in Toronto! Music, museums, visual arts, and films are taking place throughout the neighbourhood, and you can enjoy Aboriginal, French, Jewish, Estonian, Italian, Japanese, African, and Caribbean arts and culture events throughout the year. There are activities for adults, kids, and the whole family. This is also the time when summer camps start at many of our organizations. Explore arts and cultures on the Bloor St. Culture Corridor - see highlights from our organizations below, and visit BloorStCultureCorridor.com for more details and additional events. 

Royal Ontario Museum

From June 1 to September 15 at the Royal Ontario Museum, experience an unprecedented collection of over sixty paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, including works from Rembrandt van Rijn, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, and Jacob van Ruisdael, at In the Age of Rembrandt: Dutch Paintings from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This June, party with the Royal Ontario Museum every Friday night at Friday Night Live. Experience unique themes, enjoy tasty food, and see art, culture and nature remixed. Tickets are on sale now. On June 13, ROM Conservator of Paintings Heidi Sobol presents insights into conservation treatments of Dutch masterworks from around the world, at ROM Daytime: The Dutch Palette. This event is free with an RSVP. Delve into the world of Dutch paintings at the ROM Speaks lecture  The Dutch Lion Roars: Painting, Prosperity and Politics in the 17th-Century Dutch Republic on June 18. Dr. Jacquelyn N. Coutré will transport you to the 17th century Dutch Republic where excellence and innovation thrived, and where between 5 and 10 million paintings were alleged to have been created. For more information and events visit rom.on.ca.

Miles Nadal JCC
Celebrate Pride at the J this June! On June 2 the Toronto Jewish Film Society presents two films for Pride: Yossi & Jagger and Summer Vacation. On June 16, come to Drag Queen Story Time for dress-up and fun with a little Jewish flair. From 8:00 pm to 8:00 am on June 8, don't miss the Miles Nadal JCC's downtown Jewish Learning Festival: 50 sessions on Jewish topics in celebration of Shavuot. Enjoy the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock: Part 1 - Won'tStock: Woodstock, and Toronto's Response a daytime lecture on June 6 with Peter Goddard. Part 2 is a tribute afternoon Concert on June 13 featuring folk and rock classics of the 60s. On June 5 and 6 attend a Community Choir Concert directed by Mark Ramsey in the Al Green Theatre. On June 3 & 17 re-discover dance films in Dance at the Movies with Toronto Star dance critic Michael Crabb. PushPULL Dance presents Pivotal Moments, June 12 - 15 in the Al Green Theatre. For more information visit mnjcc.org.

918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media + Education 
June is live music month at 918 Bathurst. It kicks it off with the continuing collaboration with RISE Edutainment for RISE Thursdays open mic. June 14 and 15 The Music Gallery and Toronto Creative Music Lab present Quator Bozzini and the TCML 2019 showcase. June 16 Thunderdome Sounds presents: Father and Son Dueling Pianos. Thursday June 20, join the Kristen Mark Westwood's album launch concert of the artist's debut, What I Heard, What I Saw. On June 21, 918 Bathurst has teamed up with Wavelength Music Series to present Juno winner Gordon Grdina with Versa and Anastasia Minster in partnership with Salone di Cultura. For more information about these shows and the 918 Bathurst venue, please visit 918bathurst.com.

Museum of Estonians Abroad (VEMU)

In June at the Museum of Estonians Abroad/VEMU, the Kihnu island photography exhibit by Estonian photographer Silvia Soide will be on display until mid-September. June 6 at 7pm, Estonian actors Lembit and Mare Peterson with musicians Villu Veski (saxophone) and Marge Loik (piano) will perform in a poetry and music night Fernflower: The Estonian Language and Spirit through Words and Sounds. A similar program was premiered in Paris at the Estonian Embassy in Estonian and French to celebrate the Republic of Estonia's 100th birthday in February 2018. It has been slightly adapted for the Canadian tour with English translations of Estonian poetry. Musically, the poetry will be accompanied by Villu Veski's original work and improvisations on Estonian and northern music. In Estonia and English. Tickets: $25/$15 (students) on sale online, at Tartu College, and at the door. June 12 at 7pm, Lembit Peterson, a well-known Estonian actor will give a lecture on the current theatre and acting scene in Estonia. In Estonian. For more information visit vemu.ca.

Women's Art Association of Canada

Women's Art Association of Canada's theme for June is "Celebrating Culture in Toronto" where the Dignam Gallery will hold a Member's Show titled Around Toronto. There are no shortage of reasons to love Toronto. From the architectural beauties, to the icons, to hidden nature trails to the unknown stories, WAAC members have outdone themselves with this dazzling show, on from June 6 through July 7. Please join the Women's Art Association of Canada for the opening on June 13 from 5:30pm to 8pm. In the Upjohn Gallery for the month of June, member Valentina Hotz will be showing works that incorporate dreams and reality and engage the viewer in seeing the world in all its complexity. On June 14, from 1pm to 4pm, Ms. Hotz will lead a workshop The Artist's Hand on the vivid medium of Egg Tempera. Participants will be introduced to basic techniques in the preparation and application of paints. To register, contact Cal Lorimer at 416-922-2960. For more information, visit womensartofcanada.ca.

Alliance Française Toronto

A lot of things to see at Alliance Française Toronto in June! First of all, come and enjoy the ARIKO concert on June 8, at 8pm and let yourself be charmed by their unique arrangements of traditional French-Canadian songs. Then, join us for a photography opening exhibition, LFT Exhibition made by the school children of Lycée Français on June 5 at 6:30pm. The Movie Thursday series starts with a Ciné-Opéra, Part 4 of Four operas from the Verdi Festival on June 6, then La Villa / The House By The Sea on June 13, followed by 120 Battements Par Minutes on June 20, and ends with Swagger on June 27.For young audiences, the musical show Voyages Extraordinaires will play on June 2 at 2pm. For more information please visit alliance-francaise.ca.  

Toronto Reference Library

Visit Toronto Reference Library on June 3 as author Kim Thúy shares stories and her family's favourite Vietnamese dishes in a cooking demonstration and discussion. On June 7, author Irshad Manji talks about her latest book, Don't Label Me: An Incredible Conversation for Divided Times, which offers an antidote to the culture wars that plague so much of our political and identity discussions in the 21st century. On June 20, Art, Architecture, and Public Space is a lecture presented in partnership with OCAD that explores installation art, relational aesthetics, architecture and urbanism within a local and international context. On the Edge of the World is a lecture and photographic exhibit on June 20, featuring photographs taken by Nick Smash White and Simon White at one of Toronto's legendary new wave/post punk clubs during 1979 - 1981. Visit the TD Gallery for the Retro Futures exhibit, with free guided tours every Tuesday at 2pm. More information available at tpl.ca.

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

The Fisher's latest exhibition, Uncovering the Book: An exhibition in honour of Greta Golick, continues through the month of June. It features the covers or the bindings of books as a reflection of their production and consumption - or, in other words, the material book as witness to its manufacture, use and survival. Visitors can downloaded a self-guided audio tour of the exhibition narrated by the co-curators by visiting the Fisher’s SoundCloud page, or by downloading it from iTunes. Also, to celebrate Pride Month, the Fisher's monthly collection highlight will showcase a selection of material, including literary works, essays and poetry, from the author Oscar Wilde, who has been described as a "homosexual martyr" and embraced by those within the first wave of the gay rights movement. More information can be found at fisher.library.utoronto.ca.

The Music Gallery

June 6 sees the Music Gallery travel down Bloor St. Culture Corridor to the Tranzac Club to collaborate with TONE Festival in presenting the Dwarfs of East Agouza. The Dwarfs are a supergroup of psychedelically oriented, intra-continental musicians based in Cairo. Expect burbling post-punk, left-field funk and truly inspired electronics on this rare visit to North America. They are supported by krautrock-inspired Fresh Snow and oud master Omar Bongo. On June 14, the Music Gallery Season Finale at 918 Bathurst features Quatuor Bozzini with special guest Andrea Young. The Bozzinis may well be Canada's answer to the Kronos Quartet, with hundreds of commissions and premieres of top-flight compositions in their repertoire. This concert is the Toronto premiere of Occam Delta XV by legendary French electronic composer Eliane Radigue. This concert is part of the Toronto Creative Music Lab. For more info and tickets, visit musicgallery.org.

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra & Chamber Choir

The Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Festival returns with five FREE concerts this June across the Bloor Street Culture Corridor from June 3-15, 2019. The Summer Baroque Festival is presented in conjunction with the annual Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute (TBSI). The festival kicks off with Opening Night at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul's Centre on June 3, 2019 at 8pm. Join Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir for an exquisite evening of baroque music, directed by Elisa Citterio and Ivars Taurins, featuring baritone Peter Harvey. Then walk down the Philosopher's Path to Walter Hall located in the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, for three afternoon concerts on June 8, 9, and 12, 2019. These concerts feature TBSI faculty and participants for chamber and solo performances. Tickets are required for Opening Night. Tickets are not required for concerts at Walter Hall. All concerts are general admission. For tickets and information, visit tafelmusik.org/TBSF.

The Japan Foundation, Toronto

On June 4, the Japan Foundation, Toronto will screen A Room of Her Own: Rei Naito and Light, a film about an installation that integrates the artwork "Matrix" by Rei Naito with  a massive structure by architect Ryue Nishizawa, bringing together light, air and water. On Saturday June 8 & 22 the gallery and library is open 11am - 4pm.  Books and Tea, the very 1st book club at JFT will take place June 6 at 1:30 PM. On Saturday June 8, there will be a wagashi (Japanese deserts) demonstration by  Master Junichi Mitsubori. Learn to speak Japanese at the monthly free Bring Your Own Bento - Drop-in Lunchtime Language Lesson on June 12 at 12:15 PM. Get transported to Kyoto in the Four Seasons of Gardens in Kyoto: Photographs by Mizuno Katsuhiko exhibition that runs to July 31 in the gallery. There will also be screenings of the documentary Kyoto Imperial Palace on June 17 & 28 as well as  Four Seasons in Kyoto: Festivals and Symbols on June 19 & 22. More details at jftor.org.

Istituto Italiano di Cultura

Happening now: ONTHEMOVE. Toronto-Cortona: A photography exchange program between Canada and Italy. In its inaugural year, ONTHEMOVE celebrates the photographic image, created by artists in Italy and Canada. Photographers from each country are chosen to create a visual dialogue of their nation, the works then exhibited in the opposite country. This cultural exchange provides the opportunity for cultural collaboration between Italian and Canadian artists and brings more awareness to the talent each country enjoys. In Italy, Marco Rigamonti's La strada blu. 7548km along the Italian coastline takes us on a journey along the country's borders with the sea. In Canada, Ryan Walker's Voices in the Wilderness is set in an off-the-grid community, exploring the complex harmonies and dissonances of its 350 people who live away from the urban world. TD Toronto Jazz Festival this year features a spotlight on Italy. Five bands, free concerts at Yorkville. For more information visit ictoronto.esteri.it.

Gardiner Museum

Don't miss one of the city's must-see exhibitions of the year! There's just a week left to experience Ai Weiwei: Unbroken, closing on Sunday, June 9. Be sure to take advantage of the  half-price admission nights on Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 - 9 pm, or join Chief Curator Sequoia Miller for a museum tour on June 5 to learn more about the history and context of some of the key works in the exhibition. SMASH, their annual summer art party, returns on Wednesday, June 26! Presented by RBC Wealth Management, SMASH: Nourish invites you to join us on an immersive journey of self-care and celebration as we explore different kinds of nourishment. Indulge in delectable food and drink, unwind in a meditation session with MINDSET brain gym, revel in good company and conversation, and interact with dazzling contemporary art installations that will refresh and reenergize you. Get your tickets at gardinermuseum.ca.

The Royal Conservatory

Join The Royal Conservatory for a day of free concerts and activities for the entire family! The annual Wide Open House will take place Sunday, June 23, 10am - 4pm. Family fun includes interactive activities for children, free classes and lessons, face-painting, crafts, camp previews, and an instrument petting zoo. Adults will enjoy free talks, trial lessons, and instrument demos, too! Also, watch for the announcement of the 2019.20 concert season - more than 95 classical, jazz, roots, and world music concerts! The complete concert season will be revealed on June 4, subscriptions go on sale June 14, and all tickets and subscriptions will be on sale starting June 21.Visit rcmusic.com for all the details.

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema

The summer of the documentary is back with a big-name lineup of acclaimed biopics, including premieres of Ask Dr. Ruth, Gordon Lightfoot, Halston and Ferrante Fever, playing alongside recent Hot Docs Fest favourites such as Gaza, Buddy, and The Corporate Coup D'État. Pay tribute to iconic French New Wave pioneer Agnès Varda with a screening of the Oscar-nominated Faces Places or celebrate the life and influential sound of baroque rocker Scott Walker at This Film Should Be Played Loud. Performance On Screen continues all month-long with world-class ballet, opera and Shakespeare productions broadcast from London's Royal Opera. For more information, please visit hotdocscinema.ca.

Bata Shoe Museum

Break out your favourite summer shoes for a visit to the Bata Shoe Museum in June! There is family fun to be had every weekend at Toronto's coolest shoebox, where parents and kids can spend time together exploring the galleries and having both a fun and educational experience. On Saturdays and Sundays there is always a shoe-themed arts and crafts activity available, as well as funky shoes to try on and games of iSpy to play in the galleries. All activities are drop-in until 4pm. Did you know that the BSM is 'pay what you can' every Thursday from 5pm - 8pm? A perfect time to visit (or re-visit!) the museum's four exhibitions, including WANT: Desire, Design and Depression Era Footwear, check out the museum shop or just enjoy the summer sun in the BSM's soaring light-filled atrium. Learn more about the BSM by visiting www.batashoemuseum.ca. 

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