Alica HallAnthony Gebrehiwot/Supplied
As the executive director of Nia Centre for the Arts, Canada’s first professional Black arts centre, Alica Hall travels to plenty of art fairs to build relationships with artists, meet with other gallerists and look for inspiration.
A February trip to Mexico for Mexico City Art Week roused her aspirations for Toronto’s art scene and motivated her to move the dates of Nia’s annual art fair – the only Black art fair in Toronto – from November to late October, to coincide with Art Toronto.
Hall, born and raised in the city, also sits on the board of the Power Plant Gallery at Harbourfront Centre. She previously served on the board of Pride Toronto.
All of this entails frequent travel. Hall jets off several times a quarter to major art hubs such as Los Angeles for Frieze, Chicago for EXPO and soon, she hopes, Lagos for ART X.
Meeting with artists, curators and buyers means her wardrobe needs to be comfortable enough for walking through galleries all day while easily transitioning to evening events, such as concerts.
“I pride myself on being someone who packs well, which means being ready for comfort and versatility,” says Hall.
A travel hack she swears by is keeping a running packing list on her phone’s notes app, to ensure that the essentials are covered: at least one pair of jeans or tailored pants that can go from day to night, a lightweight sweater for milling around art galleries and a notebook for jotting down ideas. She packs all of this into a carry-on.
“It’s helped me streamline the process. I continue optimizing it based on things that I know I’ll need next time and that brought me comfort during a previous trip.”
The carry-all: Cuyana Easy Travel Bag
“I love this bag because it’s wide and has a lot of dividers inside. It fits a surprising amount, and the compartments help keep my stuff – my laptop, notebook, wallet and clothes – separate and organized.”
Buying options
$458, buy at Cyana
The day-to-night skirt: COS Linen-Twill Utility Maxi Skirt
“A maxi skirt is great for art fairs. I dress it up with a collared shirt for a business meeting or turn it up with a pair of heels for a night out. It’s versatile. In Mexico City, I wore it with a pair of sneakers and a collared shirt to tour art galleries, and paired it with a crop top for a Honey Dijon concert one night.”
Buying options
$135, buy at Cos
The comfort piece: Aritzia Bare Cashmere Crew Cardigan
“It’s always important to pack a thin wool or cashmere cardigan. I enjoy a really nice, bright colour, because it can add a pop of colour to your outfit and you can quickly throw it over your shoulders for some comfort.”
Buying options
$198, buy at Aritzia
The travel-friendly scent: Nemat Perfumes Amber Fragrance Oil
“Using perfume oil while travelling is a little hack. It’s not as big as most sprays, you can easily roll it on, so you’re not spraying other people’s spaces while you’re stuck in a confined plane, and it can easily fit in your pocket or purse. This scent grounds me, and it gives me confidence to know I smell good.”
Buying options
$25, buy at Kotn
The all-around shoe: Clarks Wallabee
“These shoes are a bit of a throwback. I wore them when I was 16, and I’m kind of rediscovering them. They’re comfortable, great for walking around when I’m travelling between events at shows and you can dress them up.”
Buying options
$200, buy at Clarks
The shoulder bag: Coach Brooklyn Shoulder Bag 28
“This bag is great because you can just toss your laptop in it, your water bottle and anything else you need. It’s comfortable, so it’s travel-friendly.”
Buying options
$360, buy at Coach
The spa routine: Lush Intergalactic Bath Bomb
“If my hotel has a bath, I love to use this. It’s a great way to relax after doing 28,000 steps in a day. I love any of them – especially anything with a vanilla scent or anything that’s really colourful. I enjoy picking them out at the store and watching the colours in the bath. It’s an experience.”
Buying options
$9, buy at Lush
