The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto
Encyclopedia
The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto (usually just called The Arts and Letters Club) is a private club
in Toronto
, Ontario
which brings together writers, architects, musicians, painters, graphic artists, actors, and others working in or with a love of the arts.
The club is located in a lovely historic building at 14 Elm Street in downtown Toronto. Its premises were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2007.
The club has been an important part of Canadian cultural life since its founding. The Group of Seven
were all members and regularly met for lunch at the Club, as did composers Healey Willan
and Sir Ernest MacMillan
. The annual Boar's Head Dinner is believed to be the oldest event of its kind in North America, and the Club's constitution is unique in that every year it is sung at the annual general meeting to music specially composed by Willan.
The club's artistic life revolves around its "LAMPS disciplines": Literature, Architecture, Music, Painting, and Theatre|Stage. These are very broadly defined and include sculpture, photography, film/radio and tv arts, screenwriting, urban planning and other related fields. The Club welcomes both Professional Members, whose careers have been associated with one of more of these; however, it also has many non-professional members, who appreciate and support the arts.
Membership in the Arts & Letters Club encompasses not only a wide range of art practices, but also includes men and women in all age groups from early 20's, through every decade including a handful of lively and engaged members now in their 90's. The events offered by the Club include lunch time talks and concerts, dinners with speakers on subjects of current interest, film nights, stage performances, studio painting sessions three days a week, art exhibitions for members which rotate monthly, and in-Club groups interested in photography, writing and poetry. Attracting the younger crowd, are the lively Ad Lib nights each Friday, which host everything from performance art, to improv, jam sessions and games.
The Club's fine art collection and wealth of archival material relates to its rich history. Throughout its century plus life-span, it has had well-established relationships with many equally influential fine arts and literary associations, and it has hosted many important art exhibitions.
Aside from the Group of Seven, Willan, and MacMillan, some other well-known members of the club were Hector Charlesworth
, Robertson Davies
, M. O. Hammond, George Locke
, Charles William Jefferys
, and Mavor Moore
.
Since its founding, two club members have become Nobel laureates (Frederick Banting
and John Macleod
), six have been knighted (including Banting and MacMillan) and, since 1967, more than 150 have been named to the Order of Canada
.
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
which brings together writers, architects, musicians, painters, graphic artists, actors, and others working in or with a love of the arts.
The club is located in a lovely historic building at 14 Elm Street in downtown Toronto. Its premises were designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2007.
History and background
The club was founded in 1908 by journalist Augustus Bridle, "Member # 1"! In 1920 it moved to its present quarters, which has a lounge, meeting rooms, a library, and a two-story Great Hall where meals are served and performances and lunch time and evening talks take place.The club has been an important part of Canadian cultural life since its founding. The Group of Seven
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
were all members and regularly met for lunch at the Club, as did composers Healey Willan
Healey Willan
Healey Willan, was an Anglo-Canadian organist and composer. He composed more than 800 works including operas, symphonies, chamber music, a concerto, and pieces for band, orchestra, organ, and piano...
and Sir Ernest MacMillan
Ernest MacMillan
Sir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan, CC was an internationally renowned Canadian orchestral conductor and composer, and Canada's only "Musical Knight". He is widely regarded as being Canada's pre-eminent musician, from the 1920s through the 1950s...
. The annual Boar's Head Dinner is believed to be the oldest event of its kind in North America, and the Club's constitution is unique in that every year it is sung at the annual general meeting to music specially composed by Willan.
The club's artistic life revolves around its "LAMPS disciplines": Literature, Architecture, Music, Painting, and Theatre|Stage. These are very broadly defined and include sculpture, photography, film/radio and tv arts, screenwriting, urban planning and other related fields. The Club welcomes both Professional Members, whose careers have been associated with one of more of these; however, it also has many non-professional members, who appreciate and support the arts.
Membership in the Arts & Letters Club encompasses not only a wide range of art practices, but also includes men and women in all age groups from early 20's, through every decade including a handful of lively and engaged members now in their 90's. The events offered by the Club include lunch time talks and concerts, dinners with speakers on subjects of current interest, film nights, stage performances, studio painting sessions three days a week, art exhibitions for members which rotate monthly, and in-Club groups interested in photography, writing and poetry. Attracting the younger crowd, are the lively Ad Lib nights each Friday, which host everything from performance art, to improv, jam sessions and games.
The Club's fine art collection and wealth of archival material relates to its rich history. Throughout its century plus life-span, it has had well-established relationships with many equally influential fine arts and literary associations, and it has hosted many important art exhibitions.
Members
Hector Charlesworth
Hector Willoughby Charlesworth was a Canadian writer, editor, and critic. From 1904 to 1910 he was an editor and critic at the Toronto Mail and Empire. In 1910 he went to Saturday Night and was its editor from 1926 to 1932...
, Robertson Davies
Robertson Davies
William Robertson Davies, CC, OOnt, FRSC, FRSL was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor. He was one of Canada's best-known and most popular authors, and one of its most distinguished "men of letters", a term Davies is variously said to have gladly accepted for himself...
, M. O. Hammond, George Locke
George Locke
George Herbert Locke was a Canadian librarian. He was chief librarian of the Toronto Public Library from 1908 until his death, a time of great expansion in that library system. He was the first Canadian to be president of the American Library Association. The George H...
, Charles William Jefferys
Charles William Jefferys
Charles William Jefferys was a Canadian painter, illustrator, author, and teacher best known as a historical illustrator.-Biography:...
, and Mavor Moore
Mavor Moore
James Mavor Moore, CC, OBC was a Canadian writer, producer, actor, public servant, critic, and educator.-Biography:...
.
Since its founding, two club members have become Nobel laureates (Frederick Banting
Frederick Banting
Sir Frederick Grant Banting, KBE, MC, FRS, FRSC was a Canadian medical scientist, doctor and Nobel laureate noted as one of the main discoverers of insulin....
and John Macleod
John James Richard Macleod
John James Rickard Macleod FRS was a Scottish physician and physiologist. He was noted as one of the co-discoverers of insulin and awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery.-Biography:...
), six have been knighted (including Banting and MacMillan) and, since 1967, more than 150 have been named to the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.