TOAF65 CELEBRATES THE ARTISTS SHAPING CANADA NOW
65 YEARS. 2 EXHIBITIONS. 1 FAIR. 400+ ARTISTS.
TOAF65 CELEBRATES THE ARTISTS SHAPING CANADA NOW
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair marks its 65th anniversary with landmark city-wide exhibition programming starting June 25 – July 19
(TORONTO, ON) — For 65 years, the not-for-profit Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF) has helped shape Canada’s creative landscape, launching careers, championing independent artists, and transforming Nathan Phillips Square into one of the country’s most vital cultural gathering spaces.
This summer, TOAF celebrates its milestone anniversary with two major exhibitions that extend the Fair beyond its traditional footprint: Don’t Look Back, an off-site exhibition at Koffler301 running June 25–July 19, and Art Nest: A Forwards Retreat, TOAF’s signature public art program presented onsite at Nathan Phillips Square during the Fair, July 10–12.
Together, the exhibitions reflect TOAF’s enduring impact on Canadian art—supporting artists across generations while exploring ideas of legacy, experimentation, public space, and creative longevity.
“TOAF has always been about creating opportunities for artists while bringing contemporary art directly into public life,” says Anahita Azrahimi, Executive & Creative Director of Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, who marks her 10th year with the organization this year. “For our 65th anniversary, we wanted to celebrate not only the Fair’s history, but the artists shaping its future.”
Under Azrahimi’s leadership, TOAF has evolved from a beloved Toronto weekend into a year-round, national platform supporting artists across Canada through in-person programming, digital initiatives, and travel bursaries that bring artists from coast to coast with robust access and accessibility, public art, dance, and free public programs that invite everyone in.”
Off-site Exhibition: Don’t Look Back
Curated by David Liss
June 25 – July 19, 2026
Koffler301, 180 Shaw St
Don’t Look Back is a special off-site group exhibition celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Canada’s longest-running art fair.
Presented at Koffler301 and curated by David Liss, the exhibition takes its title from the iconic 1967 Bob Dylan documentary, reflecting a simple but resonant idea: while the past shapes us, it is the present that defines what comes next.
Rather than attempting to summarize 65 years of TOAF in a single exhibition, Don’t Look Back focuses on the artists shaping the Fair today. Featuring artists from recent editions of TOAF, the exhibition captures the breadth, energy, and evolution of contemporary Canadian art across disciplines, generations, and perspectives.
Don’t Look Back Highlights
- National scope: Showcases artists from the GTA and across Canada
- Artists from the Fair: Features artists who have exhibited at TOAF in recent years, reflecting its current energy and evolution
- Across disciplines: Spans visual art, performance, and interdisciplinary practices at multiple career stages
- City-wide extension: Expands TOAF beyond Nathan Phillips Square into a gallery setting
- Not a retrospective: Focuses on the artists shaping the future of Canadian contemporary art
Art Nest: A Forwards Retreat
Curated by Rui Pimenta
July 10–12, 2026
Nathan Phillips Square
TOAF’s signature public art program, Art Nest, returns for its 65th edition with A Forwards Retreat.
Originally created as a platform for early-career artists and curators working in public space, Art Nest takes a bold new direction this year, inviting iconic Canadian artists to reflect on a central question: What does it mean to “retire” as an artist?
Curated by Rui Pimenta, co-founder of Art Spin, the exhibition brings together Peggy Baker, Max Dean, Naomi Dodds, Micah Lexier & Ed Pien in a series of ambitious installations, performances, and participatory works exploring aging, time, and the longevity of creative practice.
Art Nest Highlights
- Live performance: Peggy Baker’s new work for acclaimed dancer Julia Sasso explores what the body carries after decades of movement and creation
- Take-home artwork: Micah Lexier gives away one coin for every day he has lived—inviting visitors to become part of the piece
- Participatory installation: Max Dean gives away works from Martha Fleury’s 50-year archive, inviting the public to become their caretakers
- Immersive reflection: Ed Pien’s mirrored installation transforms antique vanities into spaces for contemplating time and self
- Sculptural identity: Naomi Dodds explores aging and transformation through reflective, geological forms
- Choreographic landscape: Marie Lambin-Gagnon turns the body into a shifting terrain through movement and material
Presented within the Fair itself, Art Nest offers audiences direct encounters with ambitious, site-specific contemporary artworks outside traditional gallery contexts, reinforcing TOAF’s long-standing commitment to accessible public art.
$65 for 65 Years
To celebrate its 65th anniversary, TOAF is launching $65 for 65 Years, a simple initiative that gives every participating artist a $65 gift card towards collecting artwork from another artist at the Fair.
A birthday gift that circles directly back into the creative community, the initiative reflects TOAF’s long-standing belief that art collecting should feel joyful, accessible, and rooted in discovery. For 65 years, TOAF has helped turn art-lovers into art collectors while supporting generations of Canadian artists.
Support the next generation of Canadian artists and help keep the cycle of collecting going. Donate now to the $65 for 65 Years initiative.
Media 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
Public Reception: June 25 | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Free Admission
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF65)
July 10–12, 2026
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto
Media Preview: July 10 | 11 AM – 2 PM
With Anahita Azrahimi, Rui Pimenta, and participating artists
400+ Artists
Free Admission
Media images available HERE.
About Toronto Outdoor Art Fair.
Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF) is Canada’s leading outdoor and online art fair. Established in 1961 to connect Canadian artists directly to the public, TOAF showcases 400+ emerging and established visual artists, including painters, photographers, sculptors and artists working in ceramics, textiles, jewellery and more. The event brings together 170,000 art lovers and enthusiasts who spend over 2 million dollars on art during the Fair. This free public event takes place every July – rain or shine – at Nathan Phillips Square in the heart of downtown Toronto. The Fair offers something for everyone: talks, tours, digital studio visits, curated collections, kids workshops, dance, music, art installations and food and drink experiences. Since 2020, TOAF’s online fair has become Canada’s in-demand e-commerce and discovery hub for artists across Canada.
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Media Contact
DMPUBLIC
Deanne Moser
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