Toronto Outdoor Art Fair Returns to Nathan Phillips Square July 15 – 17 to celebrate 61 years of contemporary art. In two years, TOAF became Canada's fastest-growing digital platform for art sales and will host a hybrid Fair model for the first time.
Toronto – The Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF) returns to Nathan Phillips Square for the 61st edition of the Fair on July 15th – 17th featuring a celebratory program of art, music, dance and food. During the two-year in-person hiatus, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair became Canada's fastest-growing digital platform for art sales and for the first time, will implement a hybrid model Fair to continue engaging with art buyers from around the world. The online portion of the Fair will run July 8th – 17th on TOAF.ca.
Starting today, art lovers can explore the 400 juried artists who will be at Nathan Phillips Square and another 100 online-only artists. Browse thousands of artworks, start planning their art purchases, and get a sneak peek of all the exciting programming celebrating TOAF61.
“Toronto Outdoor Art Fair is thrilled to return to Nathan Phillips Square this July. We have been planning this return for two years and we’re pulling out all the stops to ensure Toronto art lovers are welcomed back to TOAF through great art, lively music, engaging dance performances and great food and drinks”, says Anahita Azrahimi, TOAF Executive & Creative Director. “We also developed a large online presence across Canada and internationally and we will ensure our virtual community continues to be engaged with dynamic digital programming. TOAF.ca is quickly becoming the digital hub for the discovery of Canadian artists. TOAF61 will be the best of both worlds, online and offline, and no matter where you visit us, know you will see top quality art.”
TOAF61 Fair Highlights
The 2022 edition of TOAF will celebrate the best-of-the-best artists from years past as well as welcome brand new talents. The 400 presenting artists were selected from over 970 applicants from across Canada and even a few from across the globe. Artists were selected from a professional art jury comprised of Nipissing First Nation-born artist, Que Rock; Maytens Gallery co-founder, Hirbod Human; multi-disciplinary artist and curator, Anique Jordan; and Judith Tinkl, president of the Ontario Crafts Council and fibre artist.
Artists
The Fair’s core section will present artists exploring different mediums and visual themes. Highlights include:
- Kando, Best of Art Fair 2020 (Montréal). Kando is a professional visual artist. He was born in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Today, he lives and works in Montréal. He completed his training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa and he studied Environmental Design at UQAM. For 10 years, Kando has developed his work through research on the individual and identity, because he feels a deep desire for freedom.
- Émilie Coquil, Ceramics Excellence Award 2021 (Montréal) Émilie Coquil is a French ceramic artist based in Montreal who works with porcelain and digital photography. Her work has been shown at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art and at various events in Canada, England and France.
- Sofia Eleni Escobar, 2022 Jurors Pick (Toronto) Sofia Escobar’s line-work illustrations offer an ongoing exploration of the relationship between space and habitat. By creating abstract worlds that combine organic and symmetrical properties, she constructs meditative landscapes that flow into abstract environments.
- Richard Ahnert, 2022 Jurors Pick (Toronto) Richard Ahnert is known for his anthropomorphic paintings of animals in a high realism style.
Programming
The Toronto Outdoor Art Fair is complemented by a range of fun activities, ensuring that everyone will enjoy a cultural experience. Highlights include:
- Art Nest – An ArtworxTO project: 6 public artworks by emerging artists curated by Rui Pimenta, Co-Artistic Director and Co-curator of Art Spin
- Music: Small World Music will be hosting a line-up of musical acts, a full line-up to come
- Dance: “If I Should Stumble” is joining the Fair, a dance performance created by Jenn
- Goodwin with main performer Anita Nittoly
- Food: A variety of food trucks will be on-site for guests to purchase delicious bites
- Beer Garden: 19+ guests can enjoy cold beverages while enjoying the entertainment
- Art Tours: Learn more about the artists with guided art tours. Watch for tours that allow for mobile accessibility needs, ASL interpretation, and multi-language guides
Art Encounters
Art Encounters is TOAF’s access program (since 2016) for artists in priority groups and Disability-identified artists supported by The Lindy Green Family Charitable Foundation. The artists are fully supported and provided with professional development, 1-on-1 mentorships, networking, accessibility support (when needed) and a presentation platform online and in-person. This year, with new support from TD Bank Group (TD), Ontario Arts Council and Higgins Event Rentals, the Art Encounters program has more than tripled the number of participating artists to 30 artists. Support from TD has been timely to address the growing demand for the program allowing TOAF to stay true to its core values of ‘Radical Welcome’ and accessibility.
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF) is generously supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, City of Toronto, Toronto Arts Council, ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021-2022, TD Bank Group, The Koffler Family Foundation and The Lindy Green Family Charitable Foundation and many individual donors and supporters.
For more information visit the main cultural hub for TOAF61 at TOAF.ca.
About Toronto Outdoor Art Fair
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Canada’s largest and longest-running outdoor art Fair, celebrates 61 years of influencing the accessibility and growth of appreciation and participation in the arts in Canada. Since 1961, TOAF has been a key part in launching and sustaining the careers of 20,000 Canadian artists by directly connecting them to millions of art lovers, and public and private institutions. TOAF has given over $1 million in awards and continues to play an important role in nurturing the City of Toronto’s arts and culture sector while making art an integral part of the lives of Canadians. This free public event has annually showcased works by over 350 contemporary visual artists and makers, ranging in medium from painting, photography and mixed media, to jewellery and ceramics. Each year at Nathan Phillips Square, 130,000 visitors spend over $2 million on art purchases during the 3-day Fair. TOAF’s online Fair and platform, born in response to the pandemic, has become Canada's fastest-growing digital platform and continues to make a meaningful impact on artists’ careers.
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