Call for Submissions: Gitchi Manitou Manidoo Onitariio-Life in Toronto

Presented by S’mad at Ontario Culture Days 2026

S’mad Ontario Culture Days Tkaranto Wiigwaasabak: East to West, 2025. Photo: Vera Kabo Tse.

Call for Submissions
Gitchi Manitou Manidoo Onitariio-Life in Toronto

Submission Deadline: Thursday, September 24, 2026 11:59pm ET
Exhibition Dates: Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4, 2026

Artists are invited to submit up to three (3) pieces for consideration in the exhibition, Gitchi Manitou Manidoo Onitariio-Life in Toronto, which will be held at John McKenzie House in Willowdale, North York. This historic site, home to the Ontario Historical Society, houses over 5,000 titles related to Ontario’s diverse history.

Selected visual artists working in different mediums, including painting, drawing, photography, new media, sculpture, ceramics, and textiles, will be exhibited inside the John McKenzie House.

About the Exhibition:

Gitchi Manitou Manidoo Onitariio-Life in Toronto

The “Gitchi Manitou,” Great Spirit with the colonial English/French history describing the spiritual connection from the Anishinaabe mythology “Gichi-Manidoo” spiritual term linking all human beings to life in the universe.

This theme creates a “spiritual map” of Toronto that invites visitors to look past the urbanity of the city and see the deeper, ancestral, and spirit-filled reality of the place they inhabit with traditions, nature, wildlife, and customs from many different cultures that embodies “Life in Toronto.”

The “spirit” of Toronto lives in each person who breathes the air and enjoys the harmony of the “beautiful water/great lake” Ontario that has been the life-giving force for indigenous people, its citizens, and future inhabitants as the life that flows through us. We celebrate Ontario Cultural Days 2026 giving life to community so that we can be present and together sharing this precious Great Spirit.

Artistic Call:

Photographic studies urban nature that reveals the life in Toronto.
Visual art and digital compositions that merge cultural symbolism, modern with traditional techniques with contemporary Toronto life, creating portals between past and present and transformation of life.
Sculptural and crafted pieces with contemporary interpretations of embodiment of spirit and meaning.
Hybrid mixed media works that weave together cultural motifs from Toronto’s many communities, reflecting the city’s spirit of coexistence and shared stewardship.
Free or pay what you wish workshops with scaled fees that can be submitted by artists for inclusion for October 3 from 1pm to 4pm.

Eligibility:

Open to artists (18 years of age and older) residing in the Toronto area and open to the rest of Canada and internationally if digital media i.e. video content TBC.
All works must be original and created by the submitting artist.

Terms of Entry:

Application Fee: $10 per submission of 3 images/videos (non-refundable).
Artists are responsible for transportation of artwork to and from John McKenzie House.
Only work selected by jurors will be included in the exhibition.

S’mad Ontario Culture Days Tkaranto Wiigwaasabak: East to West, 2025. Photo: Vera Kabo Tse.

Selection Process:

Submissions will be reviewed by Vera Kabo Tse, founder of S’mad, Sustainable market art + design, Runner up prize for Best Participatory Program for Ontario Culture Days.

External Jurors:

Heidi Russell, founder of The International Women Artists’ Salon, New York, IWAS @womenartsalon.

Christopher Cowell is an internationally recognised historian and design tutor with a doctorate in architecture from Columbia University. He has taught worldwide, including in Hong Kong, New York, and Dublin. He now lectures in both architectural history & theory and studio design at London South Bank University. He is an award-winning author, most recently receiving the Hawksmoor Medal in 2024, being a best book finalist in ‘World History’ for the Association of American Publishers’ PROSE Awards in 2025, and being shortlisted for the Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion that same year.

Cecilia Lau is a London UK-based architect with extensive international experience at acclaimed practices. She has contributed to numerous award-winning projects across Europe and Asia that harmonize contemporary design with cultural sensitivity and environmental intelligence.

With projects that range from the bespoke to large scale commissions Cecilia now oversees unique complex designs for a Tier One contractor, bringing a discerning eye shaped by decades of interdisciplinary expertise. Beyond her dedication to the built environment, she is an avid art lover and connoisseur of contemporary art, with a deeply rooted passion for creative expression.

S’mad Ontario Culture Days Tkaranto Wiigwaasabak: East to West, 2025. Photo: Vera Kabo Tse.

Timeline:

Submission Deadline: Thursday, September 24, 2026, 11:59pm ET
Artists Notified: week of September 28, 2026
Installation Date and Artwork Drop Off:
◦ Friday, October 3, 2026, 9am – 1pm for installation day
◦ Note – if the medium is digital i.e. video: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Exhibition Dates:
◦ Saturday, October 3, 2026, Noon – 10pm
◦ Sunday, October 4, 2026, Noon – 4pm

Artist Exhibition Fees:

Once selected, a non-refundable artist fee of $45 CAD is required upon acceptance into the exhibition. This fee helps cover administrative and promotional costs.

How to Submit:

Please review the details and submit your work via the online submission form.

For additional information or questions, please contact:
Vera Kabo Tse, S’mad, Sustainable Market Art + Design
smad.artdesign@gmail.com | 437-855-5389