Looking to support local artistic talent? Well, a huge art fair showcasing the works of the best independent artists is returning to the city in April!
Artist Project will be at the Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place from April 11-14, where visitors can admire the creations of over 250 artists showcasing their work for sale, enjoy large installations, live performances, food trucks and more!
The fair will kick off with its opening night preview, featuring live DJ sets, performance art and fashion shows presented by Fashion Art Toronto.
The fair prides itself on providing unforgettable experiential features designed to elevate the show and foster creativity; and the 250+ artists taking part were carefully selected by a jury of experts including curator and creative director Ashley McKenzie-Barnes, and gallerist Sarah Mashaal to ensure a quality and diverse exhibition.
“Artist Project offers a chance to connect directly with hundreds of independent artists. It’s not just an art fair; it’s a celebration of unique stories from artists across Canada,” Emma Fried, show manager for Artist Project, said in a press release.
Featured artists range from emerging talents to established veterans all of whom explore wide-ranging styles and mediums of expression.
This year, the show will highlight pieces by Chippewas of the Thames First Nation artist Jay Soule, who creates work under the pseudonym Chippewar, a nod to the tumultuous relationship Canada’s native peoples continue to navigate with the government.
Work by Toronto-based mixed media artist Cruz will also be featured. Her pieces reflect on the complex relationship between the heart and mind through explorations of vulnerability, intimacy, loss, and self-discovery.
Multidisciplinary artist, arts facilitator, arts educator, memory worker and researcher Ehiko Odeh will also display her paintings, collages, and textile works. She intertwines themes of coiffure and ethnobotany into her works to promote autonomy through the knowledge of herbalism and wellness.
There will also be numerous free creative experiences for visitors to get involved in, including The Spontaneous Prose Store, which will compose a poem for visitors, after receiving a prompt, on a 1957 Smith Corona Skyriter, guided art tours lead by experts, drop in art stations for kids and adults at the DeSerres Studio, and professionally taught art classes.
Opening night preview tickets cost $30, single adult day entry costs $22, single senior and student day entry costs $18, and children under 12 are free. Tickets and ticket packages are available to purchase here.
