Would you like to receive constructive feedback on your TOAF 2024 application and expand your knowledge on what the jury looks for to help prepare you for this year’s application? You can book an appointment with us for a one-on-one phone consultation to get direct feedback on your previous year’s application if it was unsuccessful, and receive advice on how to build a stronger submission for this year’s Fair. Spaces are limited, so be sure to book ASAP!
We are booking weekly Feedback Friday appointments from November 22, 2024 to February 21, 2025, from 11AM to 1PM.
How to Book an Appointment
You must schedule your appointment through Google Calendar. Appointments take place each Friday from November 22, 2024, to February 21, 2025. Appointments are 10 minutes each.
Please note:
1. Feedback is focused on how to strengthen your 2025 application with reference to your 2024 application. Specific juror comments and ‘reasons for being declined’ will not be given.
2. To keep things manageable for our small team, phone calls will be kept to 10 minutes, and only one call per artist.
3. Your appointment will not be rescheduled if you miss the appointment. We will call you three times at your scheduled appointment time, then move on to the next artist if there is no answer.
Sophie from the TOAF team will call you at the phone number you provided. Please be prepared to answer the phone at your appointment time, and be sure to review a copy of your application from last year beforehand. To do so, log in at TOAF.ca to get to your Application Dashboard, then click on the ‘Not Accepted’ button next to your 2024 Application.
How is Your Application Selected?
Artistic excellence, originality, quality of support materials and consistency of ideas and design, are qualities our curators apply to evaluate your application. We carefully put together an inclusive, external and multidisciplinary panel of curators, made up of professional artists, gallerists, art educators, curators and other respected members of the visual arts community to review all submissions in every category. Our panel rotates every year to keep the roster of our artists diverse, fresh and exciting. Our team and board members do not participate in the selection process. Read TOAF’s Equity and Non-Discrimination Policy.
Our jurors score submissions out of 30 points, using the following selection criteria:
– Technique
– Consistency in the body of work
– Originality
Artists with the highest scores (above 23 points) are accepted to TOAF. We maintain a waitlist of artists with a score of 22 points. Waitlisted artists are accepted once space becomes available (with priority given to applications submitted earlier).
Please review our FAQ page for more info.
All decisions are final. Our team does not appeal decisions.
App Camp
Starting in January, the TOAF team begins our app camp (application info) sessions, Call For Artist FAQs, and other opportunities (both online and in-person) to learn more about this year’s Fair and the application process. Read our newsletter and follow our socials to stay in the loop!
In-Person Application Information Session (January 14th, 2025)
Learn how to prepare a winning application, from great photos, booth/installation image, to curating your portfolio for success. Submit a draft of your application for the chance to get feedback from our mock jury and get a first-hand peek at what our jurors are looking for. This session will focus on answering questions about the in-person Fair at Nathan Phillips Square and Exclusively Online at TOAF.ca.
Call for Artists FAQ on Instagram Live (February 5th, 2025 at 12:00 PM)
Join the TOAF team on Instagram live to answer your questions about the application process or the Fair.
