CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Name: Books and Biscotti
Start: 2026-02-04T19:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-04T21:00:00-05:00
Location: Columbus Room, Columbus Centre

January 2026
January 6, 2026 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

“The Dance”– Exhibition Closing

Lobby, Columbus Centre 901 Lawrence Avenue West, Toronto, ON, Canada

Exhibition by artist Vince Mancuso.

FREE
January 6, 2026 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

“Annual Holiday Show & Sale” – Exhibition Closing

Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, Columbus Centre 901 Lawrence Ave W, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Academy of Realist Art’s Annual Holiday Show & Sale returns to the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery with over 100 paintings and drawings available for purchase.

FREE
February 2026
February 3, 2026 @ 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Artista Painting – Winter Workshop Begins

Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, Columbus Centre 901 Lawrence Ave W, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

13-week oil and acrylics Artista Painting Workshop with Sam Paonessa begins. Tuesdays, February 3 – April 28.

$442.00
February 3, 2026 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

A Catastrophe Lasting 500 Years

Columbus Room, Columbus Centre, 901 Lawrence Ave W,

Join Professor Franco Pierno as he presents “Il disastro di Pavia” and discusses the process of translating Jean Giono’s 1963 book into Italian.
February 4, 2026 @ 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Less Defined Landscape – Winter Workshop Begins

Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, Columbus Centre 901 Lawrence Ave W, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

4-week oil and acrylics Less Defined Landscape Painting Workshop with Sam Paonessa begins. Wednesdays, February 4 – 25.

$136.00
February 4, 2026 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Books and Biscotti

Columbus Room, Columbus Centre 901 Lawrence Avenue West, Toronto, ON, Canada

Join us for a celebration of literature with an evening of poetry and music featuring Canadian authors.

A ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ EVENT

Aldo Cundari

Director, Villa Charities Foundation

After completing his studies at L’Istituto Europeo di Disegno in Rome, Italy, Aldo Cundari quickly established himself in the marketing field in Canada. By 1980, he had created the foundation for what would become Cundari Group Ltd. Today, Cundari is Canada’s most globally awarded independent agency. Their work has been recognized around the world at Cannes, the Cassies, One Show, by the UK’s Directory Ranking and is the only Canadian agency to have two campaigns on WARC’s 100 smartest marketing campaigns in the world.

Aldo is the author of the book Customer-Centric Marketing: Build Relationships, Create Advocates, and Influence Your Customers. Published by Wiley in 2015, the book provides a comprehensive game plan on succeeding in today’s new marketing landscape by focusing on the customer.

Still very much in touch with the fine art community, in 2013 Aldo, along with another business partner, revitalized and reopened the Toronto School of Art after its doors closed in 2012. The alternative, not-for-profit art school established itself as one of the most distinguished alternative art schools in the city and now continues to be a landmark in the arts community as one of the largest independent Art Schools in Canada.

Aldo is a CMA Chartered Marketer (CM). Aldo has served as chief judge of the World Globe Awards from 2000-2008 and in 1998, was included in Marketing Magazine’s “Power List: The 100 Most Influential People in Canadian Communications.” In 2006, he became a Fellow of the QuantumShift program at the Ivey Institute for Entrepreneurs. In 2008 and 2009, Aldo was selected as one of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneurs of the Year. In 2010 he was appointed to the board of directors of the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) and was also awarded CIBPA Professional Excellence Awards. He has served as Judging Chair of the CMA Awards, and co-chair of the CMA 2012 and 2013 Summit. In 2013 he was appointed to the board of directors of the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA) and served until 2016. In 2016 Aldo was appointed as Chair of the Ryerson Marketing Advisory Council, and 2018, Aldo was appointed as the CMA’s Board of Directors Chair.

Aldo has been associated as a volunteer of Villa Charities for over 26 years. He served on the Villa Colombo Board of Governors from January 1996 – December 2007. From 2015 to 2019, Aldo served as the Chairman of the Villa Charities Board of Governors and currently sits on the Villa Charities Foundation Board.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

January 2026

February 2026

Joseph Arcuri

Mario Tersigni

Anthony Mastromarini

Giancarlo Francesco Beltrame

Anna Neri

William Morassutti

Mario Lofranco

Cristina Caruso

Giulia Papa

Christopher Pompili

Veronica Luca Mastroianni

Timo Masellis

Adam Grisolia

Anthony Fusco

Daniela Fisico

Enza-Marie DiVizio

Nicholas DeVuono

Isabella DeVuono

Cessidia De Biasio

Daniel Panza

Antonina (Toni) Rasile

Maria Filice

Paola Tiatto

Anna Figliano-Bellissimo

Elena Ricci

Anna D’Aquila

Dr. Pinella Buongiorno

Laura Li Preti

Nina Gesa

Martina Di Gioacchino

Danielle Donadio

Alisa Carli

Josephine Atri

Andrew Smith

Anthony Messina

Mauro Pambianco

Santo Veltri test

Ben Vozzolo

Angela Gauthier

Joseph Arcuri

Pina Falbo

Catherine (Rina) Tiberini

Anthony Moscar

Joseph Arcuri

John Zerucelli

Marianne Corigliano

Mario Fiorucci

Paul Pellegrini

Joseph Arcuri

Santo Veltri

Sandro D’Ercole

Joseph Arcuri

Santo Veltri

Sandro D’Ercole x

Joseph Arcuri

Dr. Claudia Machiella

Antoinette Benedetto

Tony Costa

Sandro D’Ercole

Pasquale (Pat) Minicucci

Dr. Kristin Terenzi

Piera A. Segreto

Anthony Messina

Pina Falbo

Joline Moore

Antonio Turco

Anthony Moscar

Loriana Iadipaolo

Dino Bozzo

Rosanna Arduini

Frank Anderson

Ben Vozzolo

Joseph J. Fusco

Anna Iafrate

Mario Fiorucci

Anna D’Orazio-Sgro

Armando Cristinziano