Lectures. Talks. Ideas.
A huge thank you for all the brainpower you brought to the winter courses that we just wrapped in the Al Green Theatre. We’re excited to reunite at the three fun programs we’re kicking off in April!
For more on those upcoming courses, make sure to take a look at our updated course outlines, which have session-by-session breakdowns of each of our spring programs:
“The Spirit of the ‘60s”: Course outline HERE. Registration HERE.
“French Impressionism”: Course outline HERE. Registration HERE.
“The Wonderful World of Design”: Course outline HERE. Registration HERE.
Please contact our Help Desk ([email protected]) if you require assistance or have any questions about our “Spring Season Pass,” which offers discounted access to all of these spring programs.
And finally, please scroll below for some cool events from our partners, as well as the latest installment of “Something You Might Enjoy,” our new newsletter feature with cultural recommendations. This week we highlight some interesting books and movies—and a fun walking guide—inspired by our recent program on Glenn Gould’s Toronto.
We’re endlessly grateful for your endlessly curious minds. We can’t wait to see you in April!
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
MNjcc Members: $99
Non-Members: $119
| 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. |
Tuesdays, April 14-May 19
10:30 AM-12 PM
MNjcc Members: $99
Non-Members: $119
| 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. |
Wednesdays, April 15-May 20
1 PM-2:30 PM
MNjcc Members: $99
Non-Members: $119
| 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. |
MNjcc Members: $214
Non-Members: $259
| All-Access Season Pass!
Interested in attending all three of our spring programs?
Then consider signing up for this all-access season pass.
Receive unlimited access to each of our three programs at a significant discount! |
SOME COOL EVENTS FROM OUR PARTNERS
| Enjoy Bagels & Books at the MNjcc Book Club!
The Miles Nadal JCC Book Club returns in March! Reviewer Denise Drabkin spotlights An American Marriage, New York Times best-selling author Tayari Jones’ moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple, and the examination of institutional racism and social prejudice.
Even if you haven’t read the book, you are welcome to join us for the stimulating review, the opportunity to discover a new author, the engaging group discussion...and the coffee and bagels! Presented in partnership with the Bernard Betel Centre.
Thursday March 26, 11:00am-1:00pm.
Questions? Email Lisa Roy at [email protected].
Register HERE. |
| Holocaust Remembrance Day Film Screening
In the 1920s, Henry Ford – famed Model-T maker – published a series of antisemitic articles that were later packaged into four books titled The International Jew. His hatred spread abroad, and was so influential that Adolf Hitler praised Ford as “the leader of our fascist movement in America”. This documentary – held in honour of Holocaust Remembrance Day – examines Ford’s often-sanitized legacy and the troubling parallels between his era and our own. Join us in the Al Green Theatre, or register to receive an at-home viewing link.
Thursday April 16, 1:00-2:30pm
Questions? Email [email protected].
Learn more and register here.
|
| Dance Panel Discussion At The Heliconian Club!
Fans of our recent Ballet series will want to check out a fun event that the Dance Section of the Heliconian Club is hosting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 7 PM: a panel discussion of contemporary issues in classical ballet and modern dance featuring four celebrated dancers—Linda Maybarduk, Svea Eklof, Anisa Tejpar, and Jordana Daumec.
This panel will be moderated by Deirdre Kelly, the former Globe and Mail dance and fashion critic, who will also be leading a talk in our upcoming series, “The Wonderful World of Design.”
This event will be taking place at the historic Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Avenue. For tickets and more info, please click HERE. |
| Visit and Enjoy the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto
The Arts & Letters Club is a social club for people active or interested in literature and the arts. Located in its historic Toronto building at 14 Elm Street, the Club hosts literary talks, stage productions, musical performances, painting sessions and more. The Club’s lounge and bar is open to visitors every Friday from 4 pm to 7 pm. Beginning in September, the Club will be offering the Speakers Annex community an opportunity to sample its fun events.
If you are interested in learning more, please email Martin Jones at [email protected]. For more information on the Club, please visit www.artsandlettersclub.ca. |
SOMETHING YOU MIGHT ENJOY
Regular recommendations of fun things to read, watch and listen to!
GG, in what his biographer, Kevin Bazzana, describes as his “James Dean” phase
| A GLENN GOULD PRIMER
We had such a blast at the recent series finale of our “Music Cities” course that I thought you might enjoy a list of some books and movies that informed Andrew Scott’s excellent talk on Glenn Gould’s Toronto.
For a good book on Gould and his musical legacy, Andy recommends Wondrous Strange: The Life and Art of Glenn Gould by Kevin Bazzana.
He also recommends a pair of excellent films: Francois Girard’s 1993 classic, 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould, and Gould’s film on Toronto in the CBC “Cities” series, which can be watched in its entirety HERE.
And finally, if the milder days that we’re beginning to get make you want to get outside and explore our wonderful city, then check out this online guide to Glenn Gould’s Toronto, listing some of his favourite haunts around the city.
While a pilgrimage to Fran’s Diner sounds like a lot of fun, I cannot in good conscience endorse the Glenn Gould Diet, which, as Andy outlined during his wonderful talk, consisted mostly of steak, arrowroot cookies, and dozens of dinner rolls, blanketed in a truly “ungodly” amount of butter! |
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!
