Submission Deadline
Friday, September 27, 2024 by 11:59pm ET

Group Exhibition
‘Hurry Up and Wait’

In the energetic environments of commercial districts, shopping centres and transit hubs, slowing down our movement becomes a necessity for replenishing our minds and bodies at the beginning and end of long days.

‘Hurry Up and Wait’ is an industrial design exhibition that offers innovative solutions to slowing down in the hustle and bustle of Union Station – Canada’s busiest transportation hub with more than 300,000 daily visitors. What does unwinding amidst the rush of urban travel look like? How can longevity, durability and viability be incorporated into our living and work environments? How do you use function and materiality to implement sustainability into your design practices?

We are looking for innovative designs experienced during transit journeys. This could look like environmentally rejuvenating objects or thoughtful investments in your personal well-being, such as furniture intended to help you recharge before your next train ride or to create meaningful connections. How can sustainable design evolve for our on-the-go routines or inspire us to slow down?

The group exhibition runs January 24 – February 2, 2025, in the West Wing of Union Station in downtown Toronto, as part of the 15th annual DesignTO Festival.

About Toronto Union

Union is committed to reflecting the diversity of Canadians in all our programs and operations. Our programming vision encourages and celebrates creativity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Our goal is to strengthen the connection between public art and civic engagement ultimately striving to create connectedness amongst our communities.

Call for submissions

We invite submissions from artists and designers working in all mediums and formats. BIPOC artists and designers are encouraged to apply.

Submissions of existing work or realized projects are preferred; however, we will consider submissions of new work and speculative projects.

As Union Station experiences high levels of pedestrian traffic, exhibited works may be subject to wear and tear during the course of the show. Artists should also be aware that artwork in public spaces can be a target for vandalism. DesignTO and Union Station will aim to mitigate these risks, but applicants should be aware that the risk of damage cannot be entirely eliminated.

Submission Requirements

• A description of the project or work (max. 150 words) — please be sure to include the following details: title, materials/format, dimensions, year;
• A description of how your object or work connects to the exhibition theme (max 300 words);
• A short bio on you and/or your creative practice (max. 150 words);
• 1-3 images of the project or work (max. 1MB per image); and
• Your contact info (name, email, phone number, mailing address), CV, and website URL (if available).

Deadline

Submissions are due Friday, September 27, 2024 by 11:59pm ET.