Aptly named for its cross-section of style and genre, Intersection is an annual multi-day festival that celebrates musical experimentation, while interacting with people in their own environment, on common ground.

Festival Vision

Intersection unites the creative energy of Toronto-based musical artists and collectives with special guest artists.

Described by David Dacks in Musicworks magazine as combining “the diverse aesthetics of the now legendary Police Picnic… and Bang on A Can’s casual yet radical presentation of contemporary music,” Intersection truly is a festival that presents music from every direction.

Through installations, improvisations, compositions, performance pieces, and more, Intersection connects both active and passive audiences with contemporary music-making.

Our flagship event is an all-day music marathon at Yonge-Dundas Square that takes new music out of the concert hall directly to the streets of Toronto.

We are passionate about our accessible, barrier-free philosophy that engages folks who may otherwise never experience contemporary music. The impact of the festival, which reaches inquiring and aspiring young minds, underserved arts communities, the average passerby, and arts consumers is unprecedented.

The other major artistic aim of Intersection is to cross-pollinate the numerous disparate experimental music communities in Toronto. There are many artists within these communities that are never exposed to (or perform with) one another, despite working with similar concepts, sonics, and creative processes.

Through Intersection, we aim to bring these artists and their audiences together to spark a dialogue and build a stronger community.

History

  • 2019: Contact Contemporary Music became Intersection Music & Arts.
  • 2015: Contact Contemporary Music joined forces with Burn Down The Capital and added more days of programming, including a second day of free site-specific concerts.
  • 2010: The Toronto New Music Marathon became Intersection and added a second day of programming.
  • 2007: Contact Contemporary Music presented the first Toronto New Music Marathon, a one-day, all-day new music marathon at Yonge-Dundas Square.