arts and culture : Featured Stories

Igor Bonifacic reflects on the year that's been in the city's startup community, and looks forward to five startups to watch in 2014. From cameras to keyboards, Toronto's entrepreneurs are entering the market with five exciting new products.

It's no secret that councillors are divided on the issue of nightlife. Efforts are in place to regulate the number of clubs and bars in Parkdale, but embracing nightlife and considering the formation of a working group may be a better option, say club owners. 

The 2013 Vital Signs report indicates a city in rapid transition, bringing with it a new realm of opportunities and challenges. We summarize some of the findings in the first of many features dedicated to breaking down the issues outlined in the Vital Signs report. 

Taking a break at Two Islands Weekend, a summer camp for adults. We talk to organizer Danielle Goldfinger about why it's important to take a step back and escape the city every now and then. 

With its first title released on August 20, Ubisoft Toronto has a lot to celebrate. So does its neighbourhood, the Junction, which has developed progressively since the video game studio moved in back in 2009. 

Creative placemaking has helped transform Queen West, but what could it do for Canada? We look to America and explore five American cities that have benefited from a nationwide funding program that has pumped millions into the arts.

SummerWorks has moved to the Ossington Strip, one of the city's biggest cultural hubs. We talk to the festival's Artistic Producer about how the arts have changed and shaped the neighbourhood since he first moved there in 2002. 

A group of music industry veterans and city councillors unveiled their campaign to rebrand Toronto as "Music City" at last week's interactive NXNEi conference. The 4479 Toronto campaign aims to promote Toronto as one of the world's best music destinations all while boosting tourism, funding, and opportunities for musicians. 

The digital age has made high quality artwork just a click away. Yonge Street tracks down three Toronto companies -- Art Bomb, Wondereur, and Art From Concentrate -- that are using technology to change the way people market, discover and buy art. 

Yonge Street visits D.A. Morrison Middle School at Danforth and Woodbine to learn how two teachers are making education accessible (and possible) for at-risk youth through an innovative Hip Hop literacy program, one of several programs throughout the city.

Beverly Johnson's quest to launch a made-to-measure bra-making business has made Hamilton an international destination for aspiring lingerie designers. More than 85 designers have flocked to Southern Ontario to participate in the only teaching program of its kind. 

Colin Bruce Anthes has jammed a lot into his mere 26 years on the planet. Despite significant setbacks, the golf junior master, actor and theatre company director always maintained his vision: to tell stories that matter to audiences.

Entrepreneur Adil Dhalla has put together a ukulele orchestra to make the TTC morning commute happier. Project Ukulele Gangsterism will feature spontaneous public transit demonstrations culminating in a music video for an Emersonian-inspired track called "Have An Awesome Day."

Graeme Dymond has turned his love of lego into a career. After winning a highly competitive national contest to become the master builder at the new Legoland Discovery Centre in Vaughan Mills, he talks about the new development and his new job as a professional kid.