Art Toronto
Founded in 2000, Art Toronto is an international fair for modern and contemporary art. At the time of its creation, it held a different name: Toronto International Art Fair or TIAF. Even if the name has changed, the identity has remained the same. The fair is thus an amazing opportunity to understand the art market in Canada’s cultural capital. Visitors can view and purchase thousands of exciting artworks showcased by international galleries. As a matter of fact, the exhibitors not only come from Canada but the rest of the world as well. Although the trade exhibition is the main activities, the fair also offer an interesting program of talks called PLATFORM. The event has thus become a gathering point for collectors, artists, and all art lovers. Metro Toronto Convention Centre hold the fair annually in October. There is only one other art show in the city – Artist Project – in February.
Mia Nielson shares her views!
Fair Director
Art Toronto 2023
Location
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
North Building
255 Front Street West
Toronto, ON M5V 2W6
Canada
Dates
26 – 29 October 2023
Entrance Fee
General Admission: $25
Multi-Day Pass: $42
Students & Seniors: $17
Children Under 12: Free
Mediums
Painting
Sculpture
Installations…
Art Periods
Modern
Contemporary
Contact
info@arttoronto.ca
1 800 663 4173
Website
Insights Art Toronto
Mia Nielson
Fair Director
What would you say is the DNA of Art Toronto?
This is Canada’s art fair, uniting the gallery-going community across the country and providing an entry point for international collectors and the culturally curious to learn more about the scene here in Canada.
What type of galleries are chosen to exhibit, and why?
Patrons can expect to see a mix of contemporary, modern and historic galleries. Most have a connection to Canada, many are based here, others show works by Canadian artists. Including those active internationally, such as Ken Lum, Julia Dault, Michael Snow, Douglas Coupland, Brendan Fernandes, Kapwani Kiwanga and many more, so there are lots of entry points for international audiences. In addition, many of our galleries show First Nations and Inuit artists from across Canada, giving the fair a unique perspective and making it a great place to learn about and collect work by First Nations artists.
“The entire fair program will be online, including gallery exhibitions, talks, tours and artist studio visits.”
TIAF © Miriam Shiell Fine Art
Who is the typical attendee of Art Toronto?
Most of our audience is Canadian, from first-time buyers to seasoned collectors.
What strategy – physical as digital – will you adopt in the short to medium term?
Art Toronto is taking a hybrid form this year. The entire fair program will be online, including gallery exhibitions, talks, tours and artist studio visits. Much of our VIP program is also online including exclusive private collection tours. But nothing compares to seeing art in person and galleries can provide rich cultural experiences we’re all craving right now, while maintaining social distance. As a result, our galleries across Canada in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal will be open for in-person exhibition viewing during the fair. This is definitely a shift from the centralized exhibition format we’ve taken in the past, as we evolve with the times, we’ll see how this year’s format informs future editions of the fair.
What are two other art fairs you would suggest?
The Independent is one of my favourite fairs anywhere. I also love what NADA is doing and how they are evolving the fair model.
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