Love the arts, totally broke right now? Aren’t. We. All. GOOD NEWS! You can support SummerWorks and theatre in Toronto by heading out to any of these exciting, dynamic, freeeeeee shows, on at venues throughout the city:

Art on the Ballot/Reverse Mayoral Debate: SummerWorks and ArsVote Toronto offer a policy hack for prospective mayors. Listen in as leaders in the arts and design community debate the function and value of the arts in Toronto, responding to questions posed by the candidates who want to represent you at City Hall. Moderated by Kathleen Sharpe. Mayoral candidates to be confirmed.
WHERE: Theatre Centre Main Space
WHEN: August 12th (that’s today!), 2pm

Ecoute Pour Voir: Equipped with headphones attached to an iPod, dancers and viewers share a choreographed face-to-face over the course of music.Audience members are free to wander from one dancer to the next and observe the subtle intricacies of dance up close.
WHERE: The Theatre Centre
WHEN: Sunday August 17, 8:30pm

Romanceship: Reading of the new work in progress by Cliff Cardinal. Follow the story of Dave, a drug and sex addicted fraudster, and Madly, the bulimic and klepto chef. When they break up, Madly announces she is pregnant. Enter the spark that ignites the flame- Rochelle, the transgender crack addict who is fighting to clean up when she falls addicted to fear.
WHERE: The Theatre Centre BMO Incubator
WHEN: Saturday August 16, 1:30pm

Pier: For seven days of the festival and eight hours each day, Katie will sit on a wooden dock she’s built and installed within the SummerWorks zone, engaging with people passing by and inviting strangers to sit with her; treating the dock as a platform for reflection and exchange. A buoy attached to the dock will be marked with the projects social media addresses, inviting people to upload pictures and post comments sharing their experience of PIER.
WHERE: Surprise locations along Queen Street West
WHEN: Sunday August 10th-Saturday August 16th, 1pm-9pm (Audience are welcome to come and go as they wish)

Zong! Meets Garrison: On November 29th, 1781, somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean between the coast of West Africa and Jamaica, 150 enslaved Africans are thrown overboard on orders of the captain of the slave-ship Zong. In 1881, Garrison Creek would be “straightened” between Queen West and the Western Stockyards, beginning a process that would result in the entire river being eventually buried. Composed from the text, Gregson vs. Gilbert, audience members immerse themselves in the erased history of the Zong and Garrison Creek. Bring your voices, blankets, cushions or chairs and wear white if possible.
WHERE: Trinity Bellwoods Park, Corner of Queen St,West and Gore Vale Ave
WHEN: Sunday August 10, 6pm-10pm (Audience may come and go at any time)

The Re-View Project: host Linnea Swan reveals the best and worst reviews of the festival. Daily installments online and screening continuously at The Re-View Booth. Festival patrons can submit reviews at boxes in all SummerWorks venues.
WHERE: The Theatre Centre
WHEN: Throughout the fest.

SummerWorks runs until August 17th. More information here.