Lectures. Talks. Ideas.
Dear Friends,
We’re off! With three exciting courses under way in the Al Green Theatre, I’m pleased to update you that we’ve opened up drop-in tickets to all the remaining sessions in our spring programs:
“The Spirit of the ‘60s”: Fridays till May 15. Course schedule HERE. Register HERE.
“The Wonderful World of Design”: Tuesdays till May 19. Schedule HERE. Register HERE.
“French Impressionism”: Wednesdays till May 20. Schedule HERE. Register HERE.
Drop-ins can be purchased in advance via our website or on the day of each lecture at the MNjcc’s front desk. Fun upcoming sessions include Peter Harris on Expo ‘67 on May 1st; Angela Glover on iconic paintings by Degas and Monet on May 6th; and Julia Zarankin’s talk on Russian nesting dolls in our Design series on April 28th. She previews that talk in a video HERE.
And for more from that fun series, “The Wonderful of Design,” please scroll below to “Something You Might Enjoy,” our newsletter feature with cultural recommendations. This week, we share the eye-popping slides from Christopher Hume’s talk on the architecture of libraries, as well as a book recommendation for all you library lovers.
As always, contact our Help Desk ([email protected]) with registration questions and please scroll below for cool events from our partners.
We’re having so much fun learning with you this spring!
Will Di Novi
Host and Organizer
The Speakers Annex
The Speakers Annex is proud to be presented in partnership with
OUR EXCITING NEW SPRING COURSES!
Fridays, April 10-May 15
10:30 AM-12 PM
Drop-in Tix Available:
MNjcc Members: $21.60
Non-Members: $24
| The Spirit of the ‘60s
Join Speakers Annex favourite Dr. Peter Harris for a rollicking cultural history of the grooviest of decades!
From the election of JFK to the sultry sounds of Woodstock; from the landmark protest movements exploding in Berkeley and Paris to the cultural watershed that was Expo ‘67, we’ll take a spirited look at the people, movements and earth-shaking events that left their mark on the decade, leading to sweeping changes in politics, arts and culture.
Click HERE for the full course schedule and descriptions of each of the six sessions. |
Wednesdays, April 15-May 20
1 PM-2:30 PM
Drop-in Tix Available:
MNjcc Members: $21.60
Non-Members: $24
| The Impressionists: The Movement that Changed Art Forever
Art historian Angela Glover makes her Speakers Annex debut with this delightful series on one of the most beloved artistic movements in history.
A veteran art educator who’s led popular courses for the 92Y in New York, Angela will offer a fresh perspective on artistic icons like Monet, Degas, Mary Cassatt and Renoir, exploring the radical vision at the heart of their beautiful paintings and their dramatic impact on how we still look at art.
Click HERE for the full course schedule and descriptions of each of the six sessions. |
Tuesdays, April 14-May 19
10:30 AM-12 PM
Drop-in Tix Available:
MNjcc Members: $21.60
Non-Members: $24
| The Wonderful World of Design
In this exciting new series, an all-star roster of leading writers and scholars—including many longtime Speakers Annex favourites—guides us through the history of modern design, each delivering a talk on the design history of a favourite object or place.
From the architecture of libraries with critic Christopher Hume to the intriguing history of the “little black dress” with a leading fashion writer, we’ll look at stunning examples from innovative designers and examine the world around us with a fresh new set of eyes!
Click HERE for the full course schedule and descriptions of each of the six sessions. |
SOME COOL EVENTS FROM OUR PARTNERS
| New Lecture Series with Phillip Silver Starts April 27th!
Award-winning set, lighting, and costume designer Phillip Silver returns with a fascinating new three-part series exploring Jewish clothing across time and place. From biblical eras to contemporary communities, discover how Jews have dressed and accessorized themselves in distinct ways - whether through choice or imposition - to express devotion, liturgical practice, distinguish gender roles, or communal identity.
Widen your understanding of what Jews look like, in the past, in the present, and around the world. Join us in the Al Green Theatre, on Zoom simulcast, or register to receive the recordings.
Mondays, April 27-May 11, 1:00-2:30 PM
Questions? Email Lisa Roy at [email protected].
Register HERE. |
| The Life and Art of Masha Teitelbaum
Discover Mashel Teitelbaum, one of Canada’s most talented and influential artistic outsiders. The son of Jewish immigrants, Mashel grew up during the Great Depression, World War II, and the Holocaust, before honing his voice under Clyfford Still, Ad Reinhardt and Max Beckmann. From landscapes to portraits, expressionistic abstraction to conceptual installations, Mashel’s art was characterized by self-expression and a desire to speak truth to power. Join guest speaker Andrew Kear in the Al Green Theatre, on Zoom simulcast, or register to receive the recording. Free – registration required. Questions?
Thursday May 14, 1:00-2:30pm
Al Green Theatre, Miles Nadal JCC
Questions? Email [email protected].
Learn more and register here.
|
| The Heliconian Club at the AGO!
This year is the 150th anniversary of the building of historic Heliconian Hall in Yorkville and to mark the occasion the Art Gallery of Ontario has mounted an exhibition of works by historic Heliconian Club artists. (Learn more here.) In conjunction with the exhibition, artists of the Heliconian Club will be performing at the AGO on Friday, May 1, starting at 6 pm.
For more upcoming events at the club this May, including life drawing classes and musical salons, check out their website here. And if you’d like to experience the Club’s historic building, pay it a visit on Sunday, May 24, when it will be participating in Doors Open Toronto. Learn more here. |
| A Special Invitation from The Arts and Letters Club
The Arts & Letters Club of Toronto is a social club for people interested in literature and the arts. Located in a historic downtown building at 14 Elm Street, the Club hosts wonderful literary talks, stage productions, musical performances, painting sessions and more.
It will be open to visitors from The Speakers Annex (almost) every Friday from 4 pm to 7 pm. Let them know you’re coming so that someone is there to greet you by emailing [email protected].
To learn more, email Daphne Maurer, [email protected] or visit www.artsandlettersclub.ca. |
SOMETHING YOU MIGHT ENJOY
Regular recommendations of fun things to read, watch and listen to!
| THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF LIBRARIES!
We had such a blast at the recent first lecture in our new series, “The Wonderful World of Design,” where architecture critic Christopher Hume delivered a spirited talk on the architecture of libraries.
For any who couldn’t attend—and those who did and asked to see a list of the buildings he showed us—you can click HERE to see the slides from our lecture. Maybe you’ll get inspiration for a library-themed vacation!
For more on libraries, and something to pair with that lecture, I also recommend the book you see to your left. The Library Book by writer Susan Orlean, a longtime correspondent for The New Yorker magazine, starts as a real-life whodunit about a library fire in LA in the ‘80s and develops into a charming cultural history of these vital institutions.
There are, fittingly, many copies of the book available to borrow through Toronto’s library system, which, at last count, was the busiest in the world. And if you’re a library lover, looking to support the TPL’s amazing work across the city, you can do so HERE.
Thanks so much again for joining our celebration of these wonderful sites of learning and inspiration! |
SPEAKERS ANNEX READING GUIDES
Last June, I asked some beloved Speakers Annex contributors to share a few books that we all might enjoy over the summer months. The result was our first ever “Summer Reading Guide,” which you can see HERE.
We now return with a new “Winter Reading Guide,” presented in partnership with friend-of-The Speakers Annex Eleanor Wachtel, the host of CBC’s Writers & Company, who has offered her own list of wonderful reading suggestions!
HELPFUL LINKS AND MORE!
For registration assistance, please contact the MNjcc customer support team at 416-924-6211 x0 or email [email protected]. You can also refer to this detailed, step-by-step registration guide.
Email me about our upcoming programs, or anything else on your mind, at [email protected]. I always love to hear from you!
Consult this FAQ Help Sheet for answers to common questions about our events.
Thank you so much again!
