IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HUMANS OF THE DANFORTH CELEBRATES LOCAL BUSINESS HEROES
Humans of the Danforth is a series of storefront installations in Toronto’s GreekTown that put a face and a human story to the community businesses we love, or maybe haven’t yet gotten to know!
TORONTO, August 6, 2021 – Today, East End Arts and The GreekTown on the Danforth BIA, in partnership with STEPS and The TTC, are thrilled to launch Humans of the Danforth along Danforth Avenue between Chester TTC Station and Jones Avenue. Taking a cue from the wildly successful series, Humans of New York, Humans of the Danforth is a series of storefront installations that transform storefront windows into gallery spaces featuring large scale portraits of local business owners, and printed QR codes that will allow visitors with smartphones to scan and listen to audio recordings of interviews.
Featuring photography and interview work by local east end photographer Henry Vanderspek, Humans of the Danforth celebrates twenty-six local business owners in GreekTown who have remained steadfast and essential to our lives and well-being throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. The audio component of these installations exist on the new STEPS Public Art app, so visitors to the installations are encouraged to download the app and have their smartphones with them to enjoy the full Humans of the Danforth experience in a socially distanced way.
All twenty-six installations will remain up until Sunday September 5th, 2021, and some of the installations will be featured at the Chester TTC Station. Come and check out GreekTown on the Danforth this summer as we all celebrate some of the family-owned businesses and hard working people who make GreekTown what it is today!
“I am so inspired by the business owners of GreekTown on the Danforth. Hearing the stories of how they got started, the way they serve their customers, and how the local community rallied to support them through the toughest moments of the pandemic left me deeply moved. I am so glad that Humans of the Danforth will allow others to celebrate these local business people and the wonderful GreekTown community,” says Henry Vanderspek, Lead Artist of Humans of the Danforth.
“Through a dark and troubling time, art and local community spirit have been two constants buoying up Torontonians. Whether it be glowing hearts in front windows, colour murals along the Danforth, or smiles behind the masks of our favourite local shopkeepers: these are the small comforts and bits of delight that we’ve all shared during Covid-19. This exhibit is a fantastic way to elevate everyday people to hero status and we’re so happy to be working with the GreekTown on the Danforth BIA, The TTC, Steps and of course Henry, a fantastic local artist and community booster,” says Shana Hillman, Executive Director of East End Arts.
“The businesses in the community have always been one of the most creative in the city, and what better way to celebrate that by working with local artists. As a BIA we know that the arts can help with economic recovery, and we are thrilled to have Humans of the Danforth as just one of the many arts-related activities we are working on to help celebrate our return this summer,” says Mary Fragedakis, Executive Director of GreekTown on the Danforth BIA.
To learn more about Humans of the Danforth, please visit, www.eastendarts.ca
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Contact Information:
Chelsea Cameron-Fikis, Communications Manager, East End Arts
647-715-2150 X 2 | chelsea@eastendarts.ca
Further information, photos, and interviews are available upon request.
About:
East End Arts
East End Arts is a non-profit community arts organization that serves the east end of Toronto. We provide inclusive arts programming, events and services to our local communities, and we provide professional development opportunities to both emerging and established artists and arts organizations.