A year ago, DesignTO launched our first fundraising campaign, which helped us sustain our annual festival and public programs.
With the support of more than 200 contributors, and partners such as Yabu Pushelberg and Akb Architects who hosted us in their beautiful spaces, we were able to raise over $28K, giving us the opportunity increase the public’s knowledge and appreciation of design and its role in creating a sustainable, just and joyful world.
Over the last year, we were able to:
- Present over 100 free exhibitions and events across Toronto at the 10-day, city-wide DesignTO Festival, with 29 storefront window installations, numerous talks like ‘Design in Canada Now’ with The Globe and Mail, and unique exhibitions like ‘TAPE’ curated by Jamie Wolfond and ‘Pou-au-feu’ presented by Ensemble at the plumb.
- Share the work of hundreds of Canadian artists and designers annually, including the digital exhibition ‘S.A.D.’ with new works by Steven Beckly outdoors at Sankofa Square, and the exhibition ‘Traces’ with Hangama Amiri, Sonny Assu, Meena Chowdhury, Nilojan Jegatheeswaran, Jenn Kitagawa, Dennis Lin, Rose Nordin, Anahita Norouzi, Waard Ward, and Abhishek Wagle, exploring the weight of migration, forced relocation, and preserving culture and identity.
- Mentor equity-deserving youth through a free youth program, increasing opportunities for arts appreciation and design education, with 60 local youth participating online in a 6-week program in 2025 and 8 youth presenting how art and design are tools for conscious change in the ‘Otherworld’ Showcase at the 2026 DesignTO Festival. Established in 2019, DesignTO Youth has served over 200 youth and counting.
- Expand public access to design programming and education with films exploring the environmental weight of architecture, exhibitions showcasing new materials, an opportunity to explore fabrication shops and creative studios, and guided house tours.
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Futures Fund, we’re inviting you to support design with lasting impact by making a one-time donation or becoming a recurring donor. Monthly giving, in particular, helps us sustain the organization more confidently, support artists more consistently, and continue offering accessible cultural programming to the public. As a recently minted charitable organization, you will receive a charitable tax receipt for the full donation amount, which is automatically emailed through our secure online portal.
We want to thank everyone who donated to our first fundraising campaign. As we continue growing as a charity, your support helps strengthen the long-term future of an organization advocating for design in Canada, bringing accessible, inspiring design experiences to everyone.
Every dollar matters. Every gift keeps us going.
