#FIRSTLOOK: TORONTO OUTDOOR ART FAIR (TOAF) 2026

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
● 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
● National scope: Showcases artists from the GTA and across Canada

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.

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
400+ Artists
Free Admission

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