Nuit Blanche 2012 was a beaming beacon of the creativity and ingenuity of the National Capital Region. It hosted local, national and international artists and set the bar for future events. What was apparent to me was that the whole community was ready for the event. The artists were onboard and the public was eager to celebrate, explore and participate in the imaginative program. The impact was hypnotic and seductive, and it left you with the lingering feeling that you had experienced something beautiful and important. For me it was like being handed an ignited sparkler that I never wanted to go out.

In 2013 we ask you to radiate beyond the tremendous impact of the inaugural event and to intrepidly become a community supernova.

Let’s think creatively and critically about the National Capital Region as a space that hosts a complex mix of cultures and politics. It is a milieu that networks daily with the local, national and international realm while working to collectively build a nationhood.

Let’s think imaginatively about human reach. If Commander Chris Hadfield is smiling down from space, let’s wave back at him. Nuit Blanche is about stretching the limits of the urban playground. It’s about momentarily expanding the concept of concrete architecture and facilitating creative interventions that make us dream bigger, reach further and understand our culture in new ways.

Let’s build friendships and partnerships during the event through creative projects that showcase the nature of the culture we live within. We are looking for projects that light up the imagination of our communities and radiate work into the streets of the National Capital Region.

Dr. Megan Smith, Creative Director