How This City's Private Sector Is Rewriting The Rules Of Public Art

Forbes

02-06-2025

Art on the walls at Toronto Union Station curated by MakeRoom Inc. Artists (l to r): Ridge Levene, ... More Delali Cofie, Adetona Omokanye, Iman Abbaro.
In a city celebrated for its cultural diversity, Toronto's most compelling art experiences are increasingly unfolding far beyond traditional museums and galleries. They pulse through the rush of commuters at Union Station, resonate in the bustling corridors of suburban shopping malls, and transform sterile office plazas into destinations. This shift isn't accidental – it's driven by a pioneering coalition of private sector giants and grassroots arts organizers who are proving that commerce and culture, far from being at odds, can create vibrant, accessible, and deeply meaningful artistic encounters for millions.
Fueled by a potent blend of civic vision, community accountability, and savvy business strategy, companies like Osmington Inc. (managing Toronto's iconic Union Station) and Oxford Properties (one of Canada's largest real estate developers) are partnering with innovative curators like MakeRoom Inc., and community organization The Remix Project, to democratize art access and amplify underrepresented voices. The result? A blueprint for how corporations can authentically integrate art into the daily fabric of urban life.
In partnership with Union Station, MakeRoom Inc. curated "A Transit Through Time" for the West Wing ... More of Union.
When Osmington Inc. won the fiercely competitive bid to manage Union Station's retail and programming over a decade ago, Vice President Syma Shah described a profound sense of duty. "Osmington felt it was their civic duty to make Union Station a destination," she explains. "We wanted it world-class and accessible for all." The initial vision involved partnerships with giants like The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO).
But Shah, drawing on her experience producing major festivals like North America's largest South Asian festival, Masala! Mehndi! Masti!, knew authentic connection required deeper roots. The challenge? Union is first and foremost a regulated, heritage-designated transportation hub handling 300,000 people daily. "It's a very different beast," Shah notes. "You can't just hang art everywhere."
Her team literally walked the station "like a palette," identifying spots where art could be safe, respected, seen, and wouldn't compromise heritage elements – a process demanding close collaboration with the City of Toronto, the building's owner. Osmington quickly recognized authentic representation required trusted partnerships. "I'm a woman of color of South Asian origin, but I can't program something like Black art authentically myself. That should come from within that community," Shah emphasizes.
A Transit Through Time opening at Union (l to r): Rico Poku, Segun Caezar, Heritier Bilaka, Destinie ... More Adélakun, Camille Kiffin, Pixel Heller, Trevor Twells, Jordan Sook, Wan Lucas
This led to transformative collaborations with organizations like MakeRoom Inc., the Nia Centre, and the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, the latter of which ensured Indigenous artists worked with Indigenous curators on exhibitions like 2023's "We Are Still Here." The approach involves setting clear parameters for artists: respecting the space's functional realities and heritage status—no foul language or nudity—while encouraging stories tied to the themes of transit, connection, and community. Exhibits launch during heritage months but extend far beyond – Black History Month in February leads to exhibitions showcased nearly year-round, funded partly through sponsorships like TD Bank.
The impact is personal. Shah recounts the story of Black mature artist Gloria C. Swain, whose image was used in artist Anique Jordan's Mas' at 94 Chestnut as part of the city's 2021-2022 cohort of public art initiative ArtworxTO. Exhibited at Union Station, the photo was vandalized with a racist slave collar drawing. "Sorry isn't enough," Shah states. Osmington and MakeRoom responded by featuring Swain as the highlighted artist in the 2023 exhibition I Am Still Here. "It was meaningful to her, not only as a Black person, but as a senior artist, to say 'I am still here,'" Shah says. "Every exhibition is like that. We ensure their story is told, and every year it's elevated."
BigArtTO projects art onto buildings in partnership with MakeRoom Inc.
Trevor Twells, founder of MakeRoom Inc., is a key partner for Union and others. His organization exists to dismantle the nepotism and gatekeeping pervasive in the art world. "Our mission is platforming marginalized and underrepresented voices," Twells states. 'What makes us different is radical transparency and accountability.' MakeRoom Inc. operates on strict principles, including open calls with pre-determined themes but never pre-selected artists.
"All our public exhibits are open call," Twells states unequivocally. "Artists know exactly how much they're getting paid, and know exactly what criteria they're selected from. We don't care who you know or your prior experience so much as about the art submitted for the theme."
Mature artist Gloria C. Swain speaking at the "I Am Here: Black Joy Is Resistance" Exhibit In Union. ... More She's flanked on either side by (l) Adetona Omokanye and MakeRoom Inc. founder Trevor Twells (r).
MakeRoom Inc. built its own digital platforms for submissions and partners with community artists and curators to jury the work, ensuring diverse perspectives select the art. According to Twells, Union has been an ideal partner precisely because they embraced this ethos. Through exhibitions sponsored by TD and co-curated in partnership with MakeRoom, Twells has been given carte blanche on projects. 'They understood we needed full transparency, open calls, and their involvement was just helping with the jury process," says Twells. This alignment allowed for powerful, year-round exhibitions. Theodore Walker Robinson's large-scale Braille transcription of the Langston Hughes poem 'Dreams' as part of 2024 exhibition Black Dreams and Aspirations comes to mind, as does the currently running A Transit Through Time, celebrating the legacy and creativity of Black communities, alongside featured artist Jordan Sook's butterfly-themed Nothing More, Nothing Less. "Union isn't just Black-washing for February. The work is up two-thirds of the year," Twells notes, countering superficial diversity efforts.
The human impact is Twells' driving force. "Seeing a little Black girl looking up at artwork featuring someone like her... that felt transformational." MakeRoom intentionally focuses on joy and possibility alongside historical narratives. "It's well-received to focus on Black joy because people see themselves represented without the trauma porn aspect often presented through a white colonial lens." He's even been asked to give tours of MakeRoom exhibits at Union, more proof people are visiting the station specifically for the art.
Curated work courtesy The Remix Project at Scarborough Town Centre featuring artists Isa Rocha, ... More Chawntay Barrett, Laneigh Ramirez, Lakia Sage, Amaiah Alexis, Rod Osei, MJ Shimaka, and Glo Romy.
While Union transforms a transit hub, Oxford Properties is reimagining the suburban shopping mall and Toronto's office towers. Daniel O'Donnell, Senior VP of Corporate Affairs, articulates a clear philosophy: "We want our buildings, especially our shopping centers, to be like the town square — not just for commerce, but for socializing, connection, and experiencing culture. Art is integral to that."
Their flagship initiative was with The Remix Project, a Toronto-based organization that provides mentorship and professional training to budding artists 16 to 24 years of age. This started at suburban malls including Scarborough Town Centre, Square One, Yorkdale, and offices in Toronto's downtown financial district. "These malls are the downtown for their communities," O'Donnell explains. "Scarborough Town Centre is where people hang out and meet friends. Putting art there feels authentic because it's genuinely part of their community asset."
Jaume Plensa's "Dreaming" sculpture outside Oxford Properties Richmond-Adelaide Centre in Toronto's ... More Financial district.
Oxford leverages its colossal audience — 54 million visitors across its three suburban malls in 2023 and 2024 — to offer artists unprecedented visibility and career support. "It's a win-win," O'Donnell stresses. "It keeps the customer experience fresh, allows people to see themselves represented, and provides artists a huge platform. Who knows what connection or sale it might spark?" Beyond space, Oxford also provides direct financial support for equipment and materials that help young artists and creatives in their career pursuits.
The power of art to transform is evident in projects like Spanish artist Jaume Plensa's "Dreaming" sculpture at Oxford's Richmond Adelaide Centre. "Before, it was just a terrace in the financial core," O'Donnell recalls. "Now, it attracts thousands daily." He highlights the deliberate juxtaposition: Plensa's modern sculpture alongside the historic, publicly accessible Group of Seven painter J.E.H. MacDonald's mural nearby. "Art creates a sense of place and elevates us from the mundane while creating a sense of community and connection."
Celebrating the beginning of National Indigenous History month by opening the Toronto Stock Exchange ... More with drummers and hoop, grass and jingle dress dancers.
Despite operating in different spaces—transit hubs, curated pop-ups, sprawling malls — Shah, Twells, and O'Donnell champion core principles driving this movement's success. Authentic partnerships over tokenism, with corporations ceding significant curatorial control to trusted community organizations. A way of working authentically that isn't about checking boxes, or having one-sided conversations. Toronto's private sector, guided by passionate leaders and grassroots partners, is proving that supporting art is far more than corporate philanthropy. Enhanced brand value, deeper community connection, enriched customer experiences, and the profound satisfaction of empowering diverse voices are driving this movement.
Most importantly, it brings art directly to where people already are—in the rush of their commute, the routine of their shopping, the lunch break in a financial district. It democratizes access and proves that culture doesn't just thrive behind the white walls of institutions, but also the vibrant, everyday tapestry of the city. When the private sector makes genuine, respectful space for art, where gallery walls vanish and the city becomes the canvas, everyone wins.