Nuit Blanche is a yearly celebration of art in Toronto, where installations are put up all over the city for a special overnight event – fitting, since the Nuit Blanche translates into “white night,” or a sleepless night. This year, the Story Arts Centre, Centennial College’s artistic hub, contributed an exhibit of its own. Called "Space Oddity", what really made the all-night event special was that the installations were created by students of Centennial’s School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design programs. Not only did they get a chance to show off what they can do, but it served as a practical part of their education, giving them real-world experience in curating an arts event. Meng-Ke Hsieh, a Photography student, Abdulla Hassan, a Performing Arts Fundamentals student, and Daniela Meade, who’s in Arts Education and Community Engagement, all had roles to play the night of October 1. Here’s what they did, and what they gained from “Space Oddity.”
Why they’re at Centennial College
All three students share a common wish: For practical experience that they can use to turn their passions into a career.
“My main goal in joining this program is because I want to become a professional photographer working in the industry,” Meng-Ke says. “And I want hands-on experience. I want to really touch the gear, the camera, and learn how to work with people in the industry.”
“I was always interested in dance,” Abdulla says about Performing Arts Fundamentals, “and to get into the arts industry. So that's why I had to start with dance first, because that's my specialty.”
“I really fell in love with education,” Daniella says. “And I took a master's in education, but it was very theoretical. I wanted a practical approach. So I found Centennial College.”
How they signed up for Nuit Blanche
“I was introduced to this opportunity by my Photography professor, Joseph Marranca,” Meng-Ke says. “He introduced me and my fellow classmate, Sophia, to the coordinator of Nuit Blanche. We did some photos for him to express our ideas and what we're able to do, and we were given the mission to do this.”
“John Caffery, my teacher, was the coordinator of the event,” Daniella says. “I asked if I can join somehow. He opened it to the group, and said, okay, if you want to participate, I can have you as our main support for the event, because he can trust us.”
“Melissa Bartrem was the artistic director,” Abdulla says. “She posted a story on Instagram, saying that she will be part of Nuit Blanche this year, and she's looking for dancers, I told her I was interested to be part of it. I had to audition, it worked out, and I got it.”
Many roles to play
Abdulla was a part of Cosmic Dance, a show performed several times that evening, using the medium to tell a story about space explorers encountering a new species.
“We had our rehearsals where we worked as a group, and we practiced a piece that we did during the event,” he says.
Meng-Ke and his partner Sophia, meanwhile, did a photography project called Among the Stars, the source of the photos you see. Participants were photographed jumping on a trampoline, and would have their photos composited to look like they were flying in space.
“We set up a photo booth in our studio on campus,” Meng-Ke explains. “We’d shoot them jumping on the trampoline. And then we did a quick composite job and post production right away on site. And then they get their pictures, maybe 15 to 30 minutes later.”
Daniella, meanwhile, was logistics and support, keeping the wheels spinning.
“We would meet the artists, and if they needed something, but couldn’t leave, we could get it for them, like food,” she says. “We also met and helped people when they came inside the college and were a little bit lost. We’d tell them what and where the art that was displaying that night was.”
How practical experience helped
Going into the event, each participant was prepared for their role through the practical experience they’d already learned in their program.
“One thing I learned was how to prepare for a show and work with other artists,” Abdulla says. “What was really important for me was to have an experience where I'll be onstage, but also doing the background work to make it all happen. I was definitely prepared for a show.”
“Centennial College really helped me with professionalism,” Meng-Ke says. “How to be a professional photographer, how to work with people, and the technical aspects.”
With different jobs come different challenges
“We photographed over 100 people over the night, for the whole night, maybe 10 hours,” Meng-Ke says about Among the Stars. “That was really challenging. We needed a lot of coffee and tea.”
“Even though it's hard, you forget about the hardship, how tired you were, you just remember the good part,” he continues. “Like when everyone saw their pictures, they were shocked and happy. And it's really nice to see families that have cool photos together. Kids love jumping on the trampoline.”
“The most challenging part was we didn't really have much time to rehearse,” Abdulla admits about Cosmic Dance. “So even remembering certain dance moves was a little bit challenging. And plus, I got sick, so I couldn't even practice on my own. But it all worked out. I would say the most rewarding part was that I was part of Nuit Blanche, and we still got it done.”
Learning experiences
An important part of the evening was the chance to learn on the fly, and all three students walked away with fresh experience.
“This experience really helped me grow,” Meng-Ke says. “Because every opportunity, every job, I am learning. I'm constantly thinking: how can I do this better?”
“The experience I had working with others was really good in terms of my career,” Abdulla says, “because when it comes to the art industry, most stuff is collaboration.”
“I'm just grateful that I was able to be a part of our Nuit Blanche at Centennial,” he adds. “I came from a country where there was war and violence. Being exposed to that is what moulded me to the artistic person I am today. I use those experiences I had from my childhood and now I turn it into something beautiful through my art and dance.”
“It was really helpful to see and to have this first experience in this big festival,” Daniella says. “We talk a lot about it in classes, but living it is very different. I can see what my professors meant when they talk about engaging the public.”
Nuit Blanche is a yearly event, and Centennial’s arts students will continue to take part and have the opportunity to show their skills, and learn, while putting on a show. It’s just one of the many practical opportunities that a Story Arts Centre student has for real-life learning.
By: Anthony Geremia