March 31st, 2007
Announcing…Salon Voltaire at the Gladstone Hotel on April 4th
By Julie Yamin // 7 Comments
The 2007 Salon Voltaire lecture series will begin with an evening of discussion with City Councillor Adam Vaughan and Greg Woods, Director of SMC Alsop North America.SMC Alsop North America is the architectural firm responsible for the OCAD Sharp Centre.
They will be speaking on the state of architecture in Toronto and future urban planning, the two most controversial and provocative issues facing the city, and discussed by two of the main figures involved with them.
What: Salon Voltaire Lecture Series
When: Wednesday, April 4th
Where: The Gladstone Hotel. 1214 Queen Street West
Time: 6:30pm Drinks, 7:30pm Show
Price: $24
To buy tickets: visit their web site or purchase at the Gladstone.
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Neither the author nor Spacing necessarily agree with the comments posted below. Spacing reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely. See our Comment Policy.
While I'm inclined to agree that architecture and urban planning are (among the) "most controversial and provocative issues facing the city" (provided the definition of "planning" is expanded to include public space, social justice, and environmental issues), I think it is quite a bit of a stretch to describe Vaughan and Woods as "the two main figures involved with" these subjects.
I was the opening night speaker at Salon Voltaire's fall series last year (when events were held at Jamie Kennedy's restaurant at the Gardiner Museum) and have mixed views about the concept. While the series has the potential to expand the range of thoughtful debate in the city, and while I am all for the expansion of salon culture (a subject brought up by a number of panelists at last fall's launch of The State of the Arts: Living with Culture in Toronto / uTOpia vol. 2), it is important to note that Salon Voltaire operates as a business. I don't mean to suggest that this is an objectionable thing, but do think it's an error to conflate it with the kinds of public debate and advocacy that Spacing, the TPSC, and similar organizations engage in.
However, if anybody here is interested in bringing social justice commentary to the city's chattering classes, you might want to pitch a proposal to Salon Voltaire's founder.
You gotta be shitting me. Who would pay $24 to hear Adam Vaughan talk about urban issues? Go to city hall and ask him one question and he'll ramble on and on until you force him to stop talking. And it's not like the 24 bucks is going to a good cause.
I suppose you/we/anyone could wander by the Gladstone on the 4th, peek in the windows, and see just who's willing to go. If it's full of people, then I guess they're on to something.
I am going to apply for a scholarship, haha.
Glad to see that our spring series is provoking discussion.
Salon Voltaire was conceived as a form of nightlife. We had the image of Yuk's Yuk's and jazz clubs in mind. Sure, you can go at 10am to city hall to ask Adam Vaughan a question & you can go to seminars at U of T during the afternoon. But too often you're stuck in an uncomfortable seat in a lecture theatre, you can't order a drink & it's not entertainment. It also doesn't answer the question, what are you going to do in the evening?
Right now we're putting together ideas for the fall series. If you have an issue that deserves attention, let me know: colin[at]salon-voltaire.com
When can we expect information about the program you will be offering in the fall? I take it that you have had the last one for this spring. Please respond. Thank you.
I'm not sure many Spacing readers are willing to pay $24 to listen to the opinions of veddy veddy important people on the subject of Toronto architecture. I believe we are capable of articulating our own such opinions, and they are often no less informed than a former TV journalist's or an architecture-firm manager's.
Comment by Joe Clark
March 31, 2007 | 3:43 pm