The Squiggfest has been proudly bringing the underground to you since 2003.  On four Thursday nights in August, Reilly’s Bar, in the beating neon heart of downtown Toronto, is converted into a performance space and home for a menagerie of some of the best of Toronto’s grassroots artists.  Squiggfest welcomes Theatre, Dance, Bands, DJ's, Stand-Up and Sketch Comedy, Spoken Word, Singer-songwriters, Rappers, Filmmakers and Visual Artists from all backgrounds and specialties.  Some of Squiggfest’s stellar acts have included Toronto phenoms Fritz and the Phantoms, comedian Darrin Rows, sketch troupe Todd’s Lunch of the Sketchersons, choreographers Kate Franklin of firsthingfirst/Ambitous Enterprise and Helen Simard and Jodee Allen of Solid State Breakdance, playwrights Kevin Manley and Melissa Major, and musicians Peter Katz and Maneli Jamal, as well as over 75 other artists.

Squiggfest 2009 looks to be an even bigger and better event this year. The festival has been quietly building momentum and a cult following over the last 5 years. The buzz for this year’s festival is already in full swing.

Past Artists

Midnight Mission – Band 2004, 2007
Granby Band – Band 2004
Lobby – Band 2004
Undadogg – Band 2004
Clementine – Band 2004
Todd’s Lunch – Comedy troupe 2004
Sanda Battaligni – Theatre 2004
Plastic Motive – DJ 2005
Darrin Rows – Host 2005
Blue Thing Productions – Theatre 2005
Kathleen Martinez – Dance 2005
Ingrid Haas – Spoken word 2005
Boswalos – Band 2005
DJ Sparky – DJ 2005
Stu Coakley – Host 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Not Yet – Comedy troupe 2005, 2006
DJ Veteran – Scratch DJ 2005
Not in London Productions – Theatre 2005
Transient Workers Union – Band 2004, 2005
Fritz and the Phantom – Performance Band 2005
Southe Beach $leaze – DJ 2005
M mc – Host 2005
This – Band 2005, 2006
Jeff Schouela – Comedian 2005
Noah Vachon – Singer/songwriter 2005
Black Roses – Comedy folk duo 2005, hosts 2006
DJ Squiggy – DJ 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Morbio – Comedy Troupe 2005, 2006
Toronto Underground productions – Theatre 2004, 2005, 2006
Emma-Lee – Band 2005
Proxy Set - Band 2005, 2006
Nathan Macintosh – Host 2006
Monty Scott – Host 2006
Alex Kojfman – Host 2006
Vessel Dance Projects – Dance 2006
Artists Play – Dance 2006
Collective Heat – Dance 2006, 2007, 2008
Silhouettes – Dance 2006
Arty Visual – DJ 2006
EightCubed – DJ 2006, 2007
Keia Johanson – Paintings 2006
Roopa Cheema – Dance, Photographs 2006
Geordan Saunders – Photographs 2006
Kyle Mckwoen – Photographs 2005, 2006
Joy Thompson – Singer/songwriter 2006
Kritty – Singer/songwriter 2006
Raha Javanfar– Singer/songwriter 2006
Lenny Sylvini – Spoken word 2006, 2007
Picnic Scarecrow – Theatre 2006
Bottle Tree Production – Theatre 2006
Jesse Inkol – Wood block print artist 2006
Alaina Perttula – Painter 2007
Jelena Sisko – Painter 2007
Arowna Brooks – Painter combined with other media 2007
Phresha Le Vandale – Graffiti artist 2007
Sheetalina – Ink and paper artist 2007
Jimi Maze – Host 2007, 2008
Nathan Macintosh – Host 2007
Richard Kirwin – Comedian 2007
Chelsea O’Connor – Host 2007
Chris James – dj 2007
Kate Franklin – dance 2007
Cube3 – dance 2007
make.feel.move – dance 2007, 2008
Bound To Create – Theatre 2007
Matt Heiti – Theatre 2007
The Cheshire Unicorn/Melissa Major– Theatre 2007
Along the Lines – Band 2007
Maneli Jamal – Guitarist 2007, 2008
Boys Of Thunder – Rap group 2007, 2008
Matt Humphries  - Singer/songwriter 2007
qr5 – Band 2007
Sara Farb – Band 2007
Ray Boulay – Singer/songwriter 2007
Holyblueghost – Jazz Band 2007
Phil Atfield – Clothing 2007
Natalie Martin – sketches 2008
Tamara Rose - Paintings 2008
Todd Van Allen – Comedian 2008
Daryl Miller – Comedian 2008
Dale Cotnam – Comedian 2008
Ibrahim Shoom – Comedian 2008
Joy Acharjee – Comedian 2008
David Andrew Brent – Comedian 2008
Margroc33 – Dance 2008
As the Spirit Moves – Dance 2008
Jen Cole – Dance 2008
Pulga Muchochoma – Dance 2008
James Howell – Theatre 2008
The Paige Show – Theatre 2008
Yellow Umbrella – Opera 2008
Kiki Mahy – Spoken Word 2008
Belladonna the Virtous – Spoken Word 2008
Charity and Chastity – Comedic folk duo 2008
Dirty Penny – band 2008
Myles Kennedy – singer/songwriter 2008
Martianrebel – band 2008
Subteranian Collective Band 2008
Fame Nickels – Rap 2008
Kitsch Klothing- Clothing 2008
Ashley’s Cupcakes – Cupcakes 2008

Squiggy who?

When Robin "Squiggy" Dutt left Ryerson in '04 he saw around him a lot of talent and no stage for them to perform on. This talent wasn't looking for money or fame, just a place to showcase their art, so he created Squiggfest. Squiggy knows that without the help of his friends that the festival would never come together, but at the end of the day it is him that handles almost all aspects of the festival. From constructing the line up to doing press releases to all co-ordination, Squiggy handles it.

To know him on a more informal level please visit his facebook (or to be his and therefore make him feel popular):

http://www.facebook.com/squiggydutt

ROBIN DUTT graduated from the Ryerson Production Program in 2005. Since then he has taken the dance world in his unique style. Being a jack-of-all-trades has allowed him to work with many companies within the aspects of stage management, production management, technical direction or lighting design. Some of the companies that he has had the pleasure working with are: Atlas Moving Productions - Bill James, KDSSC, Kaeja d'Dance, Blue Ceiling Dance Productions, Newton Moraes Dance Theatre, Corpus, Solid State, Tiger-Princess Productions, Vybe, Silhouettes, Dance Immersion, COBA, FirstThingsFirst, Chartier Dance, Native Earth, GirlCanCreate and Odissi Dance Creations. Robin is also the founder and Artistic Director of Squiggfest - Art Festival For The Common Man.