No stranger to the arts (you can browse our many art galleries online), Bloor-Yorkville is excited to announce that Yorkville Murals is back for 2023! Bloor-Yorkville is proud to be a Presenting Sponsor for the event taking place on August 26th & 27th. We invite you to explore the neighbourhood, while experiencing this fun and immersive initiative, which will be pedestrian-friendly with Yorkville Avenue closed to vehicular traffic from Bellair St to Hazelton Ave. The theme of this years event is “No Empty Spaces,” promising to entertain visitors every step of the way.
Bringing the community together, this cultural event celebrates contemporary public art and will include exciting initiatives such as large-scale murals, interactive installations, inflatables, pop-up retain containers, art talks, and more, including the annual Block Party on the rooftop of the 128 Cumberland Parkade.
Custom Wall Murals in Toronto
Yorkville Murals focuses on making Bloor-Yorkville a landmark neighbourhood, in Toronto, for contemporary muralism, and as a designated Tourist Destination, provides the perfect backdrop for those visiting our community. Adding to the vibrancy of our neighbourhood, Yorkville Murals helps amplify our stunning streetscape and unique architecture.
This year, guests will find a series of murals and/or large scale art installations location at The Four Seasons Hotel, The Anndore House Hotel, Yorkville Village, the Manulife Centre, and the courtyard of 99 Yorkville Avenue.
Over the last few seasons, Yorkville Murals brought in renowned artists such as Kirsten McCrea, Mr. Brainwash, Sage Barns, Ben Johnston, Jason Zante, & Dalkhafine.
Top Street Artists 2023
This year, new works include murals and art installations by local and international artists, including Elvis Mourao (Brazil), Kirsten McCrea (Berlin), Sage Barnes (Kansas City), Dalkhafine (Montreal), Pony (Montreal), Doras (Montreal), Jordan Sook (Toronto), Julia Monson (Toronto), Ben Johnston (Toronto), Nesslee (Toronto), Victoria Sequerira (Toronto), Jarus (Toronto), Mony Zhakhour (Toronto), and Paul Jackson (Toronto).
Event Highlights: ART on Yorkville Avenue
Yorkville Avenue will be closed to traffic and transformed into a series of art installations , pop-up shops, and interactive games. Be sure to stop by each of the activations!
Pop-ups
Container I | YVM Merch
Container II | Free temporal tattoos and lounge presented by the W Hotel
Retail Cube I | Creative Jewelry by Steff Eleoff
Retail Cube II | Artsy sustainable products by CYRC Design
Pop-up truck | Colorful beauty treatments by Majesty’s Pleasure
Mini golf : Challenge your friends with this exciting mini golf course created in collaboration with Berlin based artist Kirsten McCrea and presented by Perrier. The brand will be offer free sips to those who participate!
Live Painting area I : Draw cute tattoos on funky characters designed by Montreal based artist Dalkhafine
Live Painting area II : Get inspired by watching Brazilian artist Elvis Mourao paint a collection of amusing monsters infront of your eyes.
Sculptures: A fun collection of contemporary sculptures by Vancouver based artists David and Jorden Doody will take over different sections of Yorkville Ave and 148 Cumberland Parkade and add excitement to the neighborhood.
Games: Life size chess and Tic-Tac-Toe games will available for festival visitors to play against each other outdoors!
Dance & Music: Local DJ’s will play inside a Hummer truck and animate Yorkville Ave during the duration of the festival. In addition, break dancers will enhance the visitor’s festival experience on a vibrant stage placed next to the DJ’s! This initiative is presented by Red Bull.
Inflatables: Two giant eyes will be overlooking all the action on Yorkville Ave! The inflatables will be installed on Majesty’s Pleasure rooftop patio located at 102 Yorkville Ave.
Hopscotch on Bellair
Grab your friends and family and head to Bellair Street (from Cumberland to Yorkville Ave) and join in a challenging and interactive larger-than-life game of hopscotch. The game will be open 24 hours per day during the festival and runs alongside the fabulous Bellair Street CafeTO patios, so be sure to stop by one of our six Bellair Street restaurants for refreshments.
Yorkville Murals Block Party
Of course, Yorkville Murals isn’t complete without their annual Block Party! Celebrate art and summer nights at this great community event. Taking place on the rooftop of the 144 Cumberland Street Parkade, guests can enjoy views of Bloor-Yorkville while taking in art, music, and food. The block party takes place on August 26th from 5 pm – 11 pm.
There are a number of additional initiatives taking place including art talks and exhibitions. To learn more about each of the events and artists, please visit the Yorkville Murals event page.
images c/o Yorkville murals