By Christine Donnelly

In the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Walker Court, during the second annual Arnold Party, in a moment of vulnerability, I turned to a girl that I kinda/sorta knew and whispered this shy confession, “I think I’m underdressed.” To which she replied, grasping my forearm to convey her sincerity, “Don’t worry… I think the party is thinning out.”

I was in the midst of the the glittering after-party of the Business for the Arts Award, which recognizes the volunteer contributions made by young professionals. Attended by a mix of business people and artists – fashionable in their very different ways – the evening featured a mash up of artistic performances, too. There was a frantic opener from electric violinist Dr. Draw, the eyes-closed completion of Rubik’s cube art by 16-year-old Eric “this is the best job I’ve ever had” Limeback and even a bongo solo by the night’s Award winner, Marcello Cabezas, founder and culture producer at macIdeas.

A highlight midway through was the throbbing and sexy electro rendition of Phil Collin’s ‘In the Air Tonight’ by Fritz Helder & the Phantoms. Descending from the stage with a league of barely clad dancers, Helder & the Phantoms slithered on to the dance floor, where the audience wasn’t yet dancing and had only recently discovered the open bar.

In his leather pants and chainmail codpiece (he kept his mic in there) Fritz was eye to eye with party goers, where he could see first-hand that I wasn’t the only one who got it wrong. There were prom dresses. Worse, there were also very fancy prom dresses.

But when Toronto’s gorgeous and glitzy got it right in hats, studded heels and vintage fur, they did it gracefully, outdone only by the cool glamour of the AGO’s regal and elegant main hall.

Pictured: Marcello Cabezas, Junior Arnold Award Winner, on the bongos.
Amy Pagnotta, lovely in lace.
Rubiks Cube Art
Joyce Rashid, all eyes on Fritz Helder