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Canada’s largest and longest-running juried contemporary outdoor art fair returns July 10–12 with 400+ artists, major national representation, new exhibitions, expanded artist support, and a birthday campaign giving every TOAF65 artist a $65 gift card to collect art from fellow artists
TORONTO, June 10, 2026 – It’s the biggest and the best. An event that Toronto art enthusiasts mark on their calendars. For 65 years, the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF), a registered charity and Canada’s largest and longest-running juried contemporary outdoor art fair, has transformed Nathan Phillips Square into an open-air celebration of creativity, community, and Canadian art. From July 10–12, 2026, TOAF returns for its landmark 65th birthday with its most ambitious edition to date, featuring 400+ artists from across Canada, major new exhibitions, expanded national representation, and the Fair’s largest-ever investment in artist support and accessibility.
It’s FREE
Always free to attend and rooted in public access, TOAF65 will welcome 170,000 visitors to experience original contemporary art in the heart of the city, from emerging and established artists working across painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, textiles, jewelry, digital media, and more. This year’s Fair includes 350+ artists exhibiting in person at Nathan Phillips Square, 65+ artists exclusively online at TOAF.ca, including 122 first-time TOAF artists, reinforcing TOAF’s enduring role as a launchpad for artistic careers and a beloved summer tradition.
“Toronto Outdoor Art Fair has always been about creating meaningful connections between artists and the public,” says anahita azrahimi, Executive & Creative Director of TOAF. “As we celebrate 65 years, we’re not only reflecting on our legacy, we’re investing in the future of Canadian artists through expanded access, national representation, and new ways for audiences to discover and collect art.”
A 65th Birthday That Gives Back
For 65 years, artists have gifted Toronto with their creativity, imagination, and vision. This summer, TOAF is turning that generosity back toward artists.
As part of $65 for 65 Years, every participating TOAF65 artist will receive a $65 gift card towards collecting artwork from a fellow artist at the Fair, a birthday gift designed to keep creativity circulating within the community. Visitors are invited to support the initiative through $65 donations, helping fund artist gift cards and multiply the joy of collecting art.
TOAF65 BIRTHDAY PARTY, Saturday, July 11 | 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Stage
65 years deserves a party! On Saturday night, TOAF65 invites Toronto to celebrate with a free public birthday party at Nathan Phillips Square featuring live entertainment, artist energy, and a toast to Canada’s largest and longest-running outdoor art fair.
NEW DANCE COMMISSION FOR TOAF65
Les Montagnes
Saturday, July 11 at 2:00 PM & 4:00 PM
Sunday, July 12 at 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM
TOAF65 expands its public programming with Les Montagnes, a new choreographic and visual work by Montréal-based choreographer and visual artist Marie Lambin-Gagnon. Curated by Rui Pimenta, the site-responsive contemporary dance commission transforms the body into a shifting landscape, inspired by Iceland’s glaciers and shaped by accumulation, erosion, and renewal.
CANADA IS PRESENT: TOAF’S Largest National Representation Yet
If you thought last year’s Canadian contingent was huge, wait til you see this year’s selection of artists! TOAF65 brings together artists from coast to coast, reinforcing the Fair’s role as a national platform for Canadian visual art. This year features 76 artists from across Canada, including representation from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Québec.
For the first time, TOAF launches a newSpotlight on Emily Carr University of Art + Design, featuring emerging artists from both Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts programs, alongside additional students participating Exclusively Online.
The Land and the Sea Bind Us, a showcase of Atlantic Canada artists, curated by Bushra Junaid, returns with eight artists celebrating the region’s creative richness, while Unique Québec, presented in partnership with the Bureau du Québec à Toronto, brings 29 Québec-based artists to TOAF65 across in-person and online presentations.
To ensure national access, TOAF has expanded its Travel Bursary Program, supporting 25 artists with travel funding to participate in person.
THE LARGEST ARTIST ACCESS & OUTREACH PROGRAM OF ANY ART FAIR IN CANADA
Since 2016, TOAF has been a national leader in artist accessibility and support through Art Encounters, an Access & Outreach initiative supporting artists who identify as Deaf, disability-identified, Indigenous, newcomer, or emerging (ages 18–30). In 2026, 77 artists will receive exhibition support, artist fees, professional development opportunities, accessibility accommodations, and travel assistance, a 60% increase since 2022.
The program is delivered in partnership with organizations including OCAD University, Tangled Art + Disability, Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf, the National accessArts Centre and Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU).
ARTISTS TO WATCH AT TOAF65: JURORS’ PICKS & RISING TALENT
Selected from 973 applications, TOAF65’s jury, Sandra Brewster, Suzanne Carte, Maria Kanellopoulos, and Jesse King, identified standout artists whose work exemplifies artistic excellence, originality, and the breadth of contemporary Canadian art today. Alongside the Jurors’ Picks, TOAF65 also spotlights emerging voices, first-time exhibitors, and artists benefiting from expanded national access initiatives.
JURORS’ PICKS
Rhys Ker | Painting | Exclusively Online
Ker’s richly layered paintings explore abstraction, gesture, and emotional tension through bold colour and movement.
Gurdeep Singh | Painting | Brampton | Booth 85
Recognized for a contemporary painting practice rooted in emotional resonance and strong visual language.
Clothilde Allen | Photography & Digital Media | Montréal | Booth 329
Selected for visually striking photographic works and a compelling contemporary perspective on image-making.
Jenelle Smith | Photography & Digital Media | Mississauga | Booth 143
Recognized for visually compelling works exploring identity, portraiture, and contemporary storytelling through photography.
MP Guillot | Craft & Design | Toronto | Booth 222
Selected for innovative material experimentation and a playful approach to contemporary craft.
Michelle Ross | Jewellery & Wearable Design | Toronto | Booth 119
Recognized for contemporary jewellery practices that merge craftsmanship with sculptural form.
Maria Moldovan | 3D Works / Sculpture | Arnprior | Booth 140
Selected for sculptural work exploring texture, materiality, and connection through three-dimensional form.
Hugo Cantin | 2D Works | Montréal | Booth 235
Recognized for layered visual narratives and a distinctive contemporary artistic approach.
Tetyana Lypka | Craft & Design | East York | Booth 66
Before launching Studio Tiny Loft Jewelry, she spent more than a decade in Canada working as a fashion stylist and boutique manager in Toronto, bringing a bold aesthetic that blends classic craftsmanship with modern techniques.
RISING TALENT & FIRST-TIME ARTISTS TO WATCH
Rylan Cocks | Mixed Media | Vancouver, BC | Booth 301
A first-time TOAF artist, Travel Bursary recipient, and Art Encounters participant, Cocks represents TOAF65’s growing investment in supporting emerging artists from across Canada.
Lorne Julien | Wood Sculpture | Millbrook First Nation, Nova Scotia | Booth 315
A standout artist in TOAF65’s Atlantic Canada Showcase, Julien creates hand-carved wooden sculptures rooted in Mi’kmaq storytelling, spirituality, and connection to the natural world.
Héritier Bilaka | Painting | Gatineau, QC | Booth 333
Bilaka’s vibrant contemporary practice explores identity, movement, memory, and cultural hybridity through layered compositions and striking visual storytelling.
Nadine Alexeev | Painting | Student Zone | Toronto, ON | Booth 1-2Joining TOAF through the OCAD U Career Launchers Program, Alexeev represents the next generation of contemporary Canadian artistic talent.
Shannon Sandwell | Painting | Art Encounters | Toronto, ON | Booth 300A first-time TOAF artist and Art Encounters recipient, Sandwell reflects TOAF’s continued commitment to accessibility and supporting artists from equity-deserving communities.
Jes Young | Ceramics | Toronto, ON | Booth 91
After participating in last year’s Art Nest Program, Young returns as a first-time exhibiting artist at TOAF65, a strong example of the Fair’s commitment to artist mentorship and long-term career development.
Myka Der | Textile / Fibre Art | Online | Regina, SK | Exclusively Online
A first-time TOAF artist, Der’s practice explores materiality, texture, and storytelling through contemporary fibre-based work. Representing Saskatchewan, Der reflects TOAF’s continued commitment to national access through TOAF.ca, regardless of geography.
TWO SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATE 65 YEARS OF TOAF
DON’T LOOK BACK, 65th Anniversary Gallery Group Exhibition
On view June 25 – July 19, 2026
Koffler301 (180 Shaw St. #301)
Presented at Koffler Arts and curated by David Liss, Don’t Look Back is a special off-site exhibition celebrating TOAF’s 65-year legacy as an open-access hub for art, culture, and public connection.
Art Nest: A FORWARD RETREAT, TOAF’s annual public art incubator
65th Birthday signature project
On view July 10 – July 12, 2026
Nathan Phillips Square
Curated by Rui Pimenta, this special edition of Art Nest brings together celebrated Canadian artists including Peggy Baker, Max Dean, Naomi Dodds, Micah Lexier, and Ed Pien to reflect on artistic longevity, practice, and what it means to move forward creatively. Not retirement, a retreat forward.
NEW PROGRAMS TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ART COLLECTORS
TOAF65 introduces several new initiatives focused on making art collecting more accessible.
My First Artwork, developed in partnership with the Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC), will feature a curated booth of original artworks priced under $500, encouraging younger audiences to begin collecting contemporary art.
For young art lovers, Budding Art Buyers returns in partnership with the Art Dealers Association of Canada, giving children under 14 the opportunity to purchase original artworks from participating artists at accessible prices. This year’s expanded family programming will be designed and facilitated through a new partnership with Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto.
TOAF65 also features Collectors Collective, a year-round membership community for art lovers and curious collectors to deepen their understanding of contemporary art and build meaningful connections with artists.
FREE ART TOURS & TALKS AT TOAF65
Discover the stories behind the art through TOAF65’s lineup of free curator talks, artist conversations, and guided tours. From artist-led experiences to collector-focused discussions, programming invites visitors to engage more deeply with contemporary Canadian art and meet the people behind the work.
TOAF65 BY THE NUMBERS
- 400+ artists participating across in-person and online platforms
- 170,000 annual visitors to Nathan Phillips Square
- $2 million in artwork sales generated annually
- $6.7 million economic impact, a 97% increase since 2015
- 122 first-time artists participating in 2026
- 973 artist applications reviewed through a rigorous jury process
- $67K+ in artist awards, the largest awards program in TOAF history
- 77 artists supported through Art Encounters, TOAF’s largest Access & Outreach Program to date
Just the Details
Don’t Look Back
June 25 – July 19, 2026
Koffler301, 180 Shaw St, Toronto
Media Preview: June 25 | 12 PM – 2 PM
With curator David Liss, participating artists, and Anahita Azrahimi
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF65)
July 10–12, 2026
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto
Friday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Free Admission
images and details provided by the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair
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