Call for Artists: Youngplace Art Fair 2025

Youngplace Art Fair – Doors Open to Art 2025

Calling all artists, makers and creatives! We invite you to apply for the 2025 Youngplace Art Fair, taking place May 24 and 25, 10am – 4pm, at Youngplace, 180 Shaw Street, Toronto.

The Youngplace Art Fair (YPAF) is dedicated to supporting local talent within our diverse communities, through combining the collaborative energy of an art market with the experience of a traditional gallery exhibition in the Youngplace Hallway Galleries.

Following the success of the inaugural YPAF in 2024, we are exciting to announce that we will be expanding! YPAF 2025 will be taking place during the Toronto Doors Open weekend, from Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25, and will feature a free after-hours event on Saturday night, 6 – 10pm.

If you’re an artist, creator, or maker, we encourage you to join us for this unique community event! This is a one-of-a-kind market meets exhibition that provides an opportunity to sell work, network alongside local artists, and grow your audience during the 2025 Toronto Doors Open Weekend.

This year’s Doors Open theme is “Play”, and we invite artists to incorporate the spirit of play into their application, work and attitude for this year’s Art Fair. Whether you play with colour, light, or words, we want to see it in our Hallway Galleries!

Showcasing & Selling Your Work

Exhibitors must showcase and sell work from the media category indicated in their applications and represented by the supporting images provided with the application. Please note that if you would like to showcase or sell work from another media category, it must be submitted for review by the selection committee. You are not permitted to display or sell work of other artist(s) or any other products that are not your original creations.

Booth Spaces

Gallery spaces located in the Hallway Galleries will be assigned based on the applicants ranking of spaces. A maximum of 35 exhibition spaces will be available. There are limited quantities of all booth sizes, we will do our best to assign your first ranked option.

• 4′ Gallery Space (4 linear feet of wall, with or without a table)
  Space fee: $200.00
• 6′ Gallery Space (6 linear feet of wall, with or without a table)
  Space fee: $240.00
• 8′ Gallery Space (8 linear feet of wall, with or without a table)
  Space fee: $280.00

Tables can be provided for a fee of $25.00. This fee covers your provided table and black table linen. Please see reference images of gallery space with tables for context. Note: Tables are not required.

Location

Youngplace, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Floor Hallway Galleries
180 Shaw Street, Toronto, ON M6J 2W5

Key Dates

• Applications Open: February 18, 2025, 9am
• Application Assistance Session Virtual Workshop (more info to come): February 27, 2025, 4:30-6:30pm
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025, 5pm
• Selection Notifications (via email to all applicants): April 9 – 11, 2025
• Art Fair Preparation Session Virtual and In-person Workshop (more info to come): April 23, 2025, Time to be determined
• Youngplace Art Fair – Doors Open to Art 2025: May 24 & 25, 2025, 10am – 4pm

Submission Process

The Youngplace Art Fair is looking for artists and makers that exhibit primarily 2D and 3D artwork. Applications and artwork will be reviewed and selected applicants will be contacted with next steps.

The Youngplace Art Fair application should include:

• Full contact information (Name, Address, Phone Number & Email).
• Artist statement – 100 words or less.
• Artist biography – 100 words or less.
• CV (Please indicate if you have previous market, exhibition, curatorial or retail vending experience here).
• Five to ten images of recent work that are representative of work to be exhibited in the show.
• Images and/or plan of gallery space design or examples of past booths or exhibitions.

Applications will be assessed based on the following requirements and metrics:

• Applicants must present original artwork, exhibiting a majority originals when paired with limited run print or other reproductions.
• Artists must exhibit and vend their own work, resale of work made by others is prohibited.
• Work must be complete, presented professionally and with a clear and feasible booth/gallery plan.
• Artists should demonstrate a commitment to professionalism, and ability to exhibit work in a gallery context.
• Artwork must be family friendly in nature, and not contain overt nudity, graphic or violent imagery.

Youngplace encourages applications from those that represent the full diversity of communities in Canada, including complexities of intersecting identities such as ability, class, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Please let us know if you have any needs for accommodation throughout the process by programs@arthubs.ca.

Application Deadline: March 31, 2025, 5:00pm

Apply Here

Please reach out to programs@arthubs.ca if you have any questions regarding the Youngplace Art Fair, or the Art Fair application.

Accessibility

The Youngplace facility is fully accessible by Ontario standards. Should you have questions about accessibility in relation to the market, please reach out to programs@arthubs.ca.

About Youngplace

Youngplace is a community cultural hub in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood, devoted to artistic creation, learning and collaboration.

About ArtHubs

ArtHubs is a non-profit organization based in Toronto that operates a portfolio of community cultural hubs. ArtHubs projects, programs and services are designed to support artists and creatives thrive while enhancing the broader communities they serve.

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Website: youngplace.ca
Instagram: @youngplace