Art Toronto takes place annually at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This year it featured an advisory desk to help collectors purchase local art
The new director of Art Toronto, Canada’s largest international art fair, wants to defend the Canadian art sector against U.S. tariffs by encouraging more people to collect Canadian art.
Art Toronto director Emily-Jean Alexander, who stepped into her role in March, told TorontoToday that the United States is a primary market for Canadian galleries but tariffs on original Canadian-made art — 50 per cent as of Aug. 22 — have significantly discouraged U.S. collectors from purchasing in Canada.
Alexander, however, argued that there’s a simple solution: more Canadians need to collect Canadian art.
“We want to make sure that we’re building up the collector bases here in Canada so that when and if tariffs are applied on Canadian art, we have enough support domestically to ensure we have a thriving art economy all year round,” she said.
One of the ways Alexander intends to encourage more locals to become collectors is through Art Toronto’s new “Ready to Collect Art Advisory Desk” which connects visitors with professional art advisors on site.
Art advisor Kim Edmonds at Art Toronto’s Ready to Collect Art Advisory Desk on Nov. 1. Emma Johnston-Wheeler/TorontoToday
Over the course of the art fair, which took place from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, these professionals were on stand-by for the first time to share tailored recommendations for art purchases based on a person’s interests, budget and collecting goals.
Alexander said no matter how modest a person’s budget is, they’re likely to find a piece of art that speaks to them if they visit Art Toronto with an open mind.
“Our galleries are really here to have engaging conversations with people about what they like,” she said. If someone spots a large painting they like but cannot afford, the gallery may be able to show them smaller works or works on paper by the same artist, she added.
“There aren’t any bad questions,” said Alexander. “People here really just want to talk you into loving art as much as they do.”
“For us it’s not about selling:” Portrait Gallery of Canada seeks support
Visitors taking a selfie in The Portrait Gallery of Canada booth on Nov. 1. Emma Johnston-Wheeler/TorontoToday
One non-profit organization was at the art fair exclusively to have conversations about Canadian art, without any intention of selling it.
The Portrait Gallery of Canada wants to gain the public’s support to open a national portrait gallery, a gallery featuring photos of Canadian citizens that would seek to preserve the country’s history. England, Australia, Scotland, Sweden and the United States all have one, but Canada does not.
The organization is now seeking to open a permanent gallery.
Portrait Gallery of Canada representative Leslie McCarley said that there is currently an excitement about Canadian art that has led the organization to start pushing for this milestone. She was at the art fair to collect contact information from members of the public who are in support of a national portrait gallery, in hopes of gaining the attention of the federal government to contribute monetary support.
“The Library and Archives [the primary federal institution for Canada’s documentary heritage] in Ottawa has some 20,000 portraits that are available online, but are not available to be seen,” said McCarley.
She said those images would be the starting point for exhibitions at a national portrait gallery, which she hopes could eventually be shared across the country.
“For us, it’s not about selling; it’s about telling the stories of Canadians that have gone before, and the people who have created Canada and are continuing to create Canada,” she said.