Narrative & Themes

Each edition of the Toronto Biennial of Art is organized around a central curatorial theme that responds to Toronto's histories, geographies, and diverse communities. These thematic frameworks encourage artists to explore pressing contemporary issues through site-responsive works that engage with both local contexts and global concerns.

The inaugural 2019 edition, titled "The Shoreline Dilemma," focused on Toronto's relationship with Lake Ontario, exploring the histories and complexities of the city's waterfront. The 2022 edition, "What Water Knows, The Land Remembers," continued this exploration by moving inland along tributaries and waterways, examining ecological relationships and Indigenous knowledge systems.

The 2024 edition, titled "Precarious Joys," curated by Dominique Fontaine and Miguel A. López, acknowledges our collective vulnerability while emphasizing the importance of passion and beauty in driving social change. This edition explores artists' responses to colonialism's impacts and how creative expression contributes to collective survival and social renewal.

History & Context

The Toronto Biennial of Art was established in 2019 to address the need for a major international contemporary art event in Canada's largest city. While Toronto has long been home to a vibrant arts community, the Biennial fills an important gap by creating a recurring, large-scale platform for artistic exchange that connects the city to global art conversations.

Despite its relative youth compared to other international biennials, the Toronto Biennial has quickly established itself as a significant cultural force, commissioning ambitious new works and attracting substantial audiences. Each edition builds upon the previous, creating an evolving archive of artistic practices and relationships to place.

Exhibition Venues

The Toronto Biennial of Art utilizes a distributed exhibition model, presenting artwork across multiple sites throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Key venues have included repurposed industrial spaces, cultural institutions, historic sites, and outdoor public spaces, creating a citywide artistic experience that encourages exploration.

For each edition, the configuration of venues shifts to reflect the current curatorial vision, with the 2019 edition focusing on waterfront locations, the 2022 edition following inland waterways, and the 2024 edition expanding to 12 locations across the city.

72 Perth Avenue

A former church converted into exhibition space, serving as one of the main venues for the 2022 Biennial.

Small Arms Inspection Building

Historic industrial building in Mississauga that has served as a key exhibition space for multiple editions.

Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto

Contemporary art museum and cultural partner hosting Biennial exhibitions and programs.

Public Sites

Outdoor installations and performances extend the Biennial throughout Toronto's urban landscape.

Programs & Learning

Programs are a central component of the Toronto Biennial of Art, offering diverse entry points for engagement with the exhibition through talks, workshops, performances, and learning activities. With a focus on accessibility and inclusion, these programs bridge the time between Biennials and foster ongoing dialogue.

Key program initiatives have included the Storytelling Program, which offers artist-led participatory sessions in exhibition spaces; the Mobile Arts Curriculum (MAC), a collection of learning resources developed by artists; and collaborative initiatives with educational and cultural institutions across Toronto.