Thousands of revellers will take to Toronto’s streets on Sept. 29 for the annual all-night art party Nuit Blanche. This year, several performances and installations are a tribute to the written and spoken word.

Video artist Tal Rosner and composer Christopher Mayo’s Lament is inspired by a 1969 work from the late Toronto poet bpNichol. The sound and video installation pays homage to Nichol and to fellow American poet d.a. levy, to whom the original poem “Lament” was dedicated. A recording of levy from 1967 can be heard outside the space.

Operations (1945–2006): Movements is based on Moez Surani’s 2016 conceptual-poetry collection, Operations (Book*hug), presented by the new interdisciplinary arts group, boundary conditions / performance assembly. The performance combines ballet and poetry in adapting Surani’s original text, which collects together the code names of 3,600 military operations conducted by United Nations member countries since 1945. The choreography will embody all 3,600 names over 12 hours.

Two installations at the Scarborough Civic Centre celebrate local storytellers. Everything I Wanted To Tell You is a large-scale text installation of Scarborough residents, projected onto the building’s wall. Artist collective Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere is hosting Within, an all-night poetry slam.