Submission Deadline
Friday, September 19, 2025
DesignTO x Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer
Artist-in-Residence Program
DesignTO and Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer are excited to launch a new Artist-in-Residence Program that will culminate in a public exhibition as part of the 2026 DesignTO Festival.
The successful applicant will immerse themselves in the environment of Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer over the course of a two-week stay in October 2025. During this time, the artist will develop a proposal for an artwork to be displayed in the hotel lobby. The final artwork will be exhibited for the duration of the DesignTO Festival (January 23-February 1, 2026), and will be the focus of a reception hosted by Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer and DesignTO during the Festival.
See submission requirements and artist fees below.
DesignTO is a non-profit arts organization that curates exhibitions, presentations and educational programming to increase the public’s knowledge and appreciation of design and its role in creating a sustainable, just and joyful world. DesignTO is best known for the DesignTO Festival, Canada’s leading and largest annual design festival that celebrates design as a multidisciplinary form of creative thinking and making, with 100+ free exhibitions and events forming Toronto’s design week every January.
Pioneer of the boutique hotel concept in Canada, Le Germain believes in the importance of staying small and intimate. Known for unparalleled comfort and attention to detail, we ensure every guest enjoys a warm welcome and attentive and personalized service throughout their stay. Whether in Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec, Charlevoix or Ottawa, we offer our guests a luxurious experience on a human scale. Our hotels are refined and elegant, yet always unpretentious. Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer is a refined boutique hotel situated in the heart of Toronto’s vibrant Entertainment District. Located at 30 Mercer Street, it offers guests a serene urban oasis within walking distance of the city’s premier attractions, including the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, and the theatres of King Street West.
Selected artist will receive:
- Up to 14-night complimentary accommodation at the Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer, including breakfast and dinner each day ($12,000 value);
- In accordance with the CARFAC 2025 fee schedule for Exhibitions with Art for Sale, the artist will be paid both an exhibition fee (Section 1: A.1.6) of $571 and an installation fee (Section 4: C.7.0) of $536 x 2 days;
- Material allowance up to $1,500;
- Exhibition at Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer from January 23 – February 1, 2026; and
- Promotion of final exhibition through DesignTO Festival channels:
- A listing on the online DesignTO Festival Schedule
- A listing on the Festival mobile app
- Inclusion in one ‘What to do’ daily e-newsletter
- DesignTO venue signage (e.g. Festival window cling, not project-specific)
Site Details
The artwork will be displayed in the Lobby of Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer. There are multiple ways the artwork could engage with its environment. Here are 3 possible sites for the artwork, however the selected artist would not be limited to these sites:
The platform above the fireplace is roughly 8 feet wide by 15 feet long with the chimney in the middle. This platform can be seen from the concierge desk and from the Library Bar area.
This area is roughly 24 feet long by 18 feet high and is composed of 84 individual cubes.
The new lobby shelving is composed of an L-shaped shelving unit that is roughly 10 feet long by 8 feet wide.
Key Dates
Applications due.
Early October 2025
Submissions reviewed by Le Germain & DesignTO. Selected artist notified.
Late October 2025
Up to 14-night artist residency at Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer. Exact dates to be determined with the artist and the hotel.
Early November 2025
Artwork proposal to be reviewed and accepted by Le Germain & DesignTO.
November – December 2025
Artwork production by artist, with photographic documentation by Le Germain.
January 19-22, 2026
Artwork installation by artist.
January 23-February 1, 2026
Exhibition of artwork in the Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer Lobby, with a reception (date TBD) during the run of the exhibition.
February 2-5, 2026
Artwork deinstallation.
Submission Requirements
All submissions must include the following:
- Contact information;
- CV;
- Website;
- A short bio on you and/or your creative practice (max. 300 words);
- A brief proposal concept for one (or more) of the 3 locations identified in the Site Details (max. 300 words);
- 6-10 images of past work; and
- A concept image or sketch (optional).
Deadlines
Submissions are due Friday, September 19, 2025 by 11:59pm ET.
Eligibility
Applicants must be current residents of Canada.
FAQ
There is no fee for this submission.
Successful submissions will be notified by email in early October 2025.
Email questions to Robyn Wilcox, Head of Programming, at [email protected] with this subject line: Artist Residency + your name.
