Red Bull gives volunteers artistic wings

Who needs to pull an all-nighter? Artists? Volunteers? Fortunately, Red Bull is there for you.

During March, Red Bull’s Toronto-based 381 Projects office/gallery space will lend some wings to both groups by previewing pieces from the Framework Foundation’s flagship annual silent art auction, wherein philanthropically-inclined individuals pledge volunteer hours for a number of organizations rather than pay cash. If you’re a keener, the charity’s sixth Annual Toronto Timeraiser art-for-hours event takes place March 21 in the Distillery District in Toronto, supporting the Framework Foundations Civic Footprint program.

The 381 Projects gallery space, located in Toronto’s Queen St. West neighbourhood, opened last May. ‘Red Bull 381 Projects is one of our strongest creative arts properties in Canada,’ says Jaimeson Keegan, director of athlete and culture marketing for Red Bull Canada, ‘and given its functionality as an exhibition space, along with its mission to ‘give wings to emerging Canadian artists,’ the parallels with Timeraiser become all the more apparent.’

As for Red Bull’s long-term artistic aspirations, the aim is to have a new show every month in the hopes of attracting anyone interested in innovative art. ‘We want to build the brand first – that success leads to selling the product,’ Keegan explains. In terms of its overall brand portfolio, the trendily-located gallery adds a hipper vibe to Red Bull culture than its fantastical Flugtag events.

But Reb Bull still loves competitions and next up for the gallery is Canada’s best Doodle Art, scouted via a university-wide contest last month. The contest poster was doodled by the folks at Sid Lee. All of them.