Looking for an indoor activity this summer to beat the heat? Curious about Toronto’s rich art scene? Or maybe you’ve always meant to pay a visit to a local gallery like The Power Plant, MOCA Toronto, or the Gardiner Museum. This is your chance! We’ve compiled a list of some of Toronto’s hottest exhibits that will be closing soon.
As several galleries and museums prepare for new exhibits opening in the fall, this is your last chance to view these showstopping collections. From reflections on The Great Lakes to the history of cowboy boots to an exhibit full of toys come to life, here are 8 current Toronto exhibits you won’t want to miss.
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International Ceramic Art Fair
Ceramics are redefining the boundaries of craftsmanship, and this biennial art celebration at the Gardiner Museum will show you how. The theme of this year’s ICAF, “The City and the Commons”, presents ceramics as a way to examine how we live together in rapidly changing cities. From architecture to infrastructure, ceramics shelter, connect, and ground us. Explore how 13 artists are rethinking belonging, resilience and shared space, with one material at the heart of it all. Closes August 16.
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Dimensions of a Needle & Baby Blue Benzo Beta
Two exhibits at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto (MOCA) close this August—Kimsooja’s Dimensions of a Needle and Sara Cwynar’s Baby Blue Benzo Beta. Working across diverse mediums, Kimsooja’s work unfolds through the metaphor of the needle. Rooted in a philosophy of “non-doing” and “non-making,” she explores handcraft traditions, female labour, nomadism, co-existence, memory, and transformation. Meanwhile, multimedia artist Sara Cwynar works across mediums in her most ambitious work to date, examining the arbitrariness of value, the relentless feed of daily life, and the role of photography in manufacturing illusion and advancing capitalism. Closes August 16.
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Forming a network of lakes and rivers visible from outer space, the Great Lakes have always been part of something bigger. In this group exhibition at the Stephen Bulger Gallery, four artists share their deep and enduring connection to the Great Lakes through sculpture, images, installation, and film. From woven belts to hand-carved stones to eerily calm photos, artists Michael Belmore, Robert Burley, Bonnie Devine, and Shelley Niro reflect on the depths and meanings of these staggering bodies of water. Closes August 29.
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Has the latest Toy Story film reignited your childhood curiosity? This free exhibit at the Toronto Reference Library explores stories where toys come alive, bringing together art, archival materials, manuscripts, and the toys themselves. Browse through early editions of Winnie-the-Pooh, The Velveteen Rabbit and Pinocchio, explore rare pop-up books, and make your own wooden peg doll at the interactive craft station! This whimsical, all-ages exhibit includes literary treasures from the late 1800s all the way up to today. Closes September 6.
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Explore the radical power of play through the interactive works at Colourful Parachutes, on now at The Power Plant. Bringing together artists from Canada and abroad, this exhibit transforms the gallery into a participatory space for moving, playing, and touching. Many works in the exhibition touch on the relationship young people have to the future, including an increasing sense of eco-anxiety. Colourful Parachutes encourages visitors of all ages to imagine a different future by taking an active role in shaping their environment. Closes September 7.
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Make your move at Game On!, a vibrant exhibition at the Aga Khan Museum celebrating the spirit of play throughout time. From ancient game boards to fast-paced sports and digital quests, games have been testing skills, fuelling imagination, and bringing us together for centuries. Through over 100 works, Game On! captures moments of strategy, triumph, and teamwork—and invites you in on the action with interactive elements. Closes September 7.
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Shokkan: Material Encounters in Japanese Art
This first-of-its-kind exhibition at the ROM centres on shokkan—a vital element in the creation and appreciation of Japanese art. Going beyond tactile sensations, shokkan is the human sense of touch influenced by sight, sound, language, and memory. At this groundbreaking exhibition, visitors can appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship of more than 80 objects, including textiles, armour, paintings, lacquer works, ceramics, and prints—many of which were made to be used in everyday life. As part of the experience, take part in guided, hands-on activities that will allow you to fully appreciate the artwork. Closes September 7.
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Rough & Ready: A History of the Cowboy Boot
Worn in the saddle, on screens, or on the streets, cowboy boots are steeped in history, and remain a cultural touchstone in our world today. Since their invention in the late 19th century, cowboy boots have symbolized power and privilege, as well as resistance and reclamation. This exhibit at the Bata Shoe Museum explores the symbolism and storied history behind this iconic shoe, featuring some of its earliest iterations, Canadian-made cowboy boots, and pairs worn by stars like Gene Autry and Orville Peck. Closes September 20.
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