It’s incredible to think that in just a few weeks, we’ll kick off the 15th annual DesignTO Festival—a milestone we’re affectionately calling our 15th Birthday. Why? Because birthdays feel more festive than anniversaries! From January 24 to February 2, 2025, Toronto will shine as a vibrant hub of design and creativity, with over 100 free events and exhibitions. Check out the full Festival Event Schedule to plan your visit.
This year’s festivities have an extra spark thanks to our partner, DUER, a Vancouver-based clothing brand known for stylish and versatile workwear-inspired apparel. DUER’s commitment to performance and sustainability through the use of natural and recycled fibres aligns with the values that drive DesignTO.
A Look Behind the Scenes: How We Make It Happen
The weeks leading up to the Festival are some of the busiest in our calendar. There’s the last-minute fine-tuning of programs, the installation of exhibitions, and constant movement from one venue to another. It’s a time of creative energy and collaboration that demands flexibility, focus, and stamina.
Our team thrives in this dynamic environment. Whether it’s coordinating logistics, collaborating with creatives, or troubleshooting on-site challenges, we’re fueled by a shared passion for design and community. This year, our workwear has been upgraded to meet the demands of this hustle, ensuring we’re as comfortable as we are ready to tackle anything that comes our way.
Celebrating 15 Years of DesignTO
Fifteen years ago, DesignTO started as a small project with one idea: to make design for everyone. We are Canada’s leading and largest design festival, with over one hundred thousand attendees each year. Our 15th Birthday is not just a milestone; it celebrates the community that make us strong.
What’s New at DesignTO 2025
This Festival has over 100 free exhibitions, installations, and events to show how design makes the world better—more sustainable, just, and joyful. Explore the full Festival Event Schedule here.
Kick off the 15th DesignTO Festival at our official Launch Party at Harbourfront Centre! Mix and mingle at the event that brings Toronto’s creative community together. As a fundraiser for the non-profit Festival, all proceeds will go to help achieve our purpose to bring people together to design a better future.
Witness ‘Winter Waiting’ by Ruth Wickremesooriya at DUER’s Ossington store (44 Ossington Ave, Toronto). Through woven and paper works crafted from discarded textiles, the exhibition explores what winter trees can teach us about how to avoid despair when there are no signs of life around us.
Explore Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge-Dundas Square) for ‘At the conjuring of roots, I wished to meet Me…’ a photo exhibition by Toronto-based, Ghanaian-Nigerian photographer and visual artist Delali Cofie on five digital screens.
Experience ‘Dwell’, a design exhibition that offers opportunities to slow down and connect in the hustle and bustle of Union Station – Canada’s busiest transportation hub. Five artists and designers explore what taking pause amidst the rush of urban travel looks like.
Learn about design responses to the climate crises from a perspective of abundance at ‘DesignTO Talks: Net Positive’, a half-day event that brings together ten multidisciplinary experts at Toronto’s Ace Hotel.
Enjoy large-scale lobby installations at Yonge + St. Clair including, ‘Yes, And’, ‘Narcissus Falls’, ‘Tangled Paths’, ‘Bubble Quilt’, ‘Beyond the Body’, ‘Homing (Pigeon Store)’ and ‘Yes, And’, or join us for ‘DesignTO Tours: Dualities’ to hear from some of the artists behind these artworks.
Meet the designers and celebrate 5 exhibitions and installations at the Design Collection @ STACKT Launch Party, on January 25, 2025.
And if you see Deborah, Robyn, Michael, or Jeremy running between events, stop and say hello!
Join the Celebration!
Our 15th Birthday is almost here, and we are excited to celebrate with you! Whether you are a long-time fan or a new visitor, this year’s Festival is one you won’t forget. Come explore, listen to inspiring talks, and enjoy the energy that makes DesignTO special.
Let’s make this moment unforgettable. See you at the Festival!
About DesignTO
DesignTO is a non-profit arts organization celebrating 15 years of designing a sustainable, just, and joyful future. From January 24-February 2, 2025, the DesignTO Festival features 100+ free events across Toronto, showcasing hundreds of artists and designers. Known as Canada’s largest annual design festival, DesignTO has welcomed over 1 million attendees, reached 2.6 billion people through media, supported 6,500+ creatives, and generated $120 million in tourism impact. “DesignTO isn’t just a festival; it’s an anti-loneliness machine,” co-founder Christina Zeidler remarked, underscoring the organization’s power to foster belonging and spark vital conversations about design’s role in shaping a better world.
