Step Up Series Programming
The Step-Up Series at West Block is a site-specific public art program presented in partnership between Choice Properties and The Bentway. It brings a series of public events directly to the West Block stairs, inviting people to gather, experience, and spend time in the space in new ways.
All events in the series take place on the West Block stairs, in front of Toronto-based artist Anahita Akhavan’s new mural, مجلس Majles / Sitting Room. The mural is a multidimensional work inspired by archival Persian rug patterns, migration, memory, and shared spaces. Installed across the staircase and courtyard, it reimagines the site as an urban sitting room, an open and welcoming place for people to come together.
Curated by The Bentway and presented in partnership with Choice Properties, the Step-Up Series brings site-responsive public art to the historic West Block, inviting visitors to experience the space in new and unexpected ways.
Emplacement
West Block, 500 Lake Shore Blvd W.
Toronto, Ontario
Shared Rhythms: Music at West Block
Saturday, June 6 | 3:00-5:00pm
Curated with Small World Music, Shared Rhythms transforms West Block into a shared open-air listening space, featuring musicians from Small World Music. The program spotlights contemporary artists from Iranian and broader SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) communities, bringing together emerging voices and diverse musical traditions.
Gather, listen, and connect through an afternoon of live performances.
Social Fabric: Community Textile Activation
Saturday, July 12 | 2:00-4:00pm
Developed in collaboration with SHEEEP Studio, Social Fabric invites people of all ages to take part in a large-scale, participatory textile installation that grows throughout the afternoon. Drawing on textile traditions reflected in the mural commission, participants will assemble fabric pieces into a shared work inspired by Iranian rug making, colour, pattern, and repetition.
Spanning the site’s landing and gathering area, the installation grows as people add fabric pieces throughout the afternoon. Anyone can join in, regardless of age or experience, by helping assemble the shared textile.
In Bloom: Flower Market & Workshop
Saturday, August 8 | 11:00am-3:00pm
Explore offerings from local growers and take part in a drop-in floral arranging workshop as West Block transforms into a seasonal flower market. In collaboration with Toronto Flower Market and Waard Ward, this immersive afternoon brings together fresh blooms, creative practice, and hands-on making.
Inspired by the Sitting Room’s mural, visitors are invited to wander the market, create their own arrangements, and engage with seasonal materials in a relaxed, open setting.
Registration opening soon
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The Bentway
At Choice Properties, we’re proud to partner with organizations like The Bentway that share our vision for creating vibrant public spaces where communities can gather, connect, and thrive.
Anchored beneath Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway, The Bentway is a creative public space and not-for-profit organization reimagining the potential of urban infrastructure through art, culture, and community programming.