DesignTO Launch Party 2026

Join us for the official 2026 DesignTO Launch Party at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, as we kick off our 16th Festival and celebrate DesignTO’s legacy of showcasing and sparking vital conversations about design’s role in shaping a better world.

This event brings together Toronto’s creative community and serves as a fundraiser for our charitable organization. Ticket proceeds will support our purpose of advancing the public’s appreciation of the arts by bringing people together to see how design can build a better future.

Kick off the 10-day Festival while experiencing three floors of art with the ‘Jeff Wall Photographs 1984–2023’ exhibition, with sounds curated by local·global featuring Isabel Okoro and Adeola Abegunde. This extensive selection of light box transparencies and photographic works traces four decades of Jeff Wall’s influential practice, offering the opportunity to experience the full scope of his contributions to contemporary photography. Be inspired by art and architecture, connect with the creative community, and dance the night away.

Tickets

Tickets will be for sale in advance and at the door.

General Admission (until Jan 11, 2026): $30 + HST

General Admission (between Jan 12-23, 2026): $35 + HST

Admission includes full access to the Jeff Wall exhibition (value of $14). DesignTO Members get 10% off and DesignTO Premium Members 20% off their Launch Party tickets until Jan 11, 2026, with promo code.

This is a 19+ event. Please bring government-issued identification for access. Cash bar: debit and credit accepted.

About local·global

local·global is a creative studio documenting, developing, and archiving stories from African communities around the world. Through visual art, sound, and community programming, the collective facilitates cross-cultural exchanges of ideas and values between unique geographies.

ISA (Isabel Okoro) is a Nigerian, Toronto-based visual artist and DJ playing sounds from across the diaspora, with a focus on Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Afro-House. 

Adeola Abegunde is a DJ based in Toronto with roots in Abuja, Nigeria. His sets move easily between Afrobeats, dancehall, R&B, and global sounds, always focused on creating a good vibe and a genuine sense of connection. Since 2022, he has played everything from local nights to brand events, bringing people together through music that feels warm, familiar, and full of life.

___

The ‘DesignTO Launch Party’ is organized by DesignTO, with venue partner the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, media sponsor The Globe and Mail, and media partner AZURE Magazine. The DesignTO Festival is supported by the Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto.

About DesignTO

DesignTO is a charitable arts organization celebrating 16 years of designing a sustainable, just, and joyful future. From January 23-February 1, 2026, the DesignTO Festival features 100+ free events and exhibitions across Toronto, showcasing hundreds of artists and designers. As Canada’s largest annual design festival, DesignTO has welcomed over 1 million attendees, reached 2.6 billion people through media, supported 7,000+ artists and designers, and generated $159 million in tourism impact since 2011.

About the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto

The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto (MOCA) is at the heart of the art ecosystem. It is ambitiously inclusive, interdisciplinary, and internationally renowned through our work with artists. Located in the Auto BLDG, it is a place for everyone to explore that provokes ideas and discussion and challenges the current cultural moment.

About the Auto BLDG

Built in 1919 and designed by architect John W. Woodman of Winnipeg, this building was once the tallest in Toronto. Active until 2006, it was originally a factory that produced aluminium products for World War II and later made items such as kitchen tools, bottle caps, and car parts. When it opened, this building was considered innovative because it pioneered a new structural approach called concrete flat slab architecture. Each floor is a slab of reinforced concrete and is supported by “mushroom” concrete columns, distributing the weight to the floor below.