art shows spring Toronto

The top 5 free events in Toronto: April 13-19 2015

Free events in Toronto this week let you climb to the highest arts and burrow to the sexiest ones. Images Fest continues for fans of film, performance, and visual art, and the Feminist Porn Awards mean that spring fever is in full fling in the city this week. They say you don't need money for love - unless that's your thing. Record Store Day will also mean a ton of free concerts - stay tuned.

Here's what to do to in Toronto this week if you can't afford silk covers to stay under.

Images Festival (April 9-18)
Images may be the world's most wide reaching film and media event. Much closer a bedfellow to art than a mega film fests like TIFF, the experimental finds a home here with screenings joined by installations, performance, art exhibits, and more - many of which are free. Check out their website for programming.

Tell Me Something Good: April Sexy Storytelling (April 14, Gladstone)
The stories, the podcast, the legend - and it's the week of the Feminist Porn Awards. This edition of Toronto's erotic story-telling competition will be red hot.

Record Store Day (April 18)
While it's become increasingly controversial over the years, RDS does, in theory, help get non-crate diggers out buying vinyl: and it always means a smattering of free live in-store concerts around the city. So far Sonic Boom has announced Comet Control, Mimico, Harrison, Anamai, and Carl Didur.

Repair Cafe (April 18, Toronto Reference Library)
Got broken stuff that you can't afford to have fixed? Whether it's ripped jeans, a Goodwill lamp that need wiring, or a broken blender, bring it to the library this Saturday to learn hands on how to fix it yourself - for free.

Audiopollination (April 19, Array Space)
While Toronto's most steady experimental and new music night hopes you can donate a tenner to the cause, the Somewhere There hosted show at Array Space is PWYC. This editions will feature John Oswald, John Kamevaar, and Germaine Liu in one session, and Michael Snow, Paul Dutton, Glen Hall and Mani Mazinani on another.

BONUS

How Many Performance Artists Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb For Martha Wilson (April 16, Enoch Turner Schoolhouse)
If performance art is what you're after, don't miss Jess Dobkin's performance piece about performance (as part of Images Fest). Before you turn up your nose - the press release contains art jokes. ("Q: How Many Performance Artists Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb? A: I don't know. I left after 4 hours.") It's $10 or PWYC - amazing.

Also check out these regular free events

Elvis Mondays (Mondays, The Drake)
Toronto's longest running indie showcase, William New's free show has put thousands of bands on stage. It's at the Drake Underground every Monday.

Free Nights at the Horseshoe (Monday/Tuesday, The Horseshoe)
The Legendary Horseshoe has a storied history, and hosts free indie rock shows in the early week with Shoeless Mondays and Dave Bookman's Nu Music Night on Tuesdays.

AGO Free Evening (Wednesday, AGO)
The Art Gallery of Ontario's free evening runs from 6-8:30pm. It can be a little crowded, but sometimes the people watching is as good as the art (sometimes).

Aga Khan Free Evening (Wednesday, Aga Khan Museum)
The brand new Aga Khan Museum for Islamic art has launched Free Wednesdays from 4-8pm.

CINSSU's Free Friday Films (Fridays)
The Innis Town Hall is back with free movies every Friday. Follow the Cinema Studies Student Union or check out our event section.

Canadian Opera Company (Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre)
September through to early June, catch free classical shows at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts "most Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon, and some Wednesdays at noon or 5:30 p.m."

MOCCA (Tuesday - Sunday)
While nearly all art galleries in the city are free to enter, it's worth noting The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) is always PWYC.

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