Toronto Biennial expands beyond city for first time with water-themed fourth edition
The fourth edition of the Toronto Biennial of Art, named Things Fall Apart, is scheduled from September 26 to December 20, 2026. This event will showcase 30 artists and collectives, featuring 17 new commissions. For the first time, it collaborates with partners from both Canada and the U.S. Curator Allison Glenn focuses on waterways, particularly the Great Loop system, as a key theme. Main exhibitions will take place at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, complemented by programming at the Royal Ontario Museum, Aga Khan Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, and unique venues like Toronto Pearson Airport. Collaborating partners include the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the Musée des Beaux-arts de Montréal. Director Patrizia Libralato underscores the biennial's significance and its ties to public life.
Key facts
- Fourth Toronto Biennial of Art runs 26 September-20 December 2026
- Features 30 artists/collectives with 17 new commissions
- First time expanding beyond Toronto to multiple Canadian and US locations
- Curator Allison Glenn cites Detroit upbringing and Great Lakes as inspiration
- Title Things Fall Apart references rupture during conflicts in Lebanon and Iran
- Main exhibition at Art Museum at University of Toronto with 10+ venue partners
- Includes non-traditional sites like Toronto Pearson Airport and Scarborough Gurdwara
- Five 2026 participants also involved in Venice Biennale
Entities
Artists
- Kent Monkman
- Rebecca Belmore
- Bonnie Devine
- Dawoud Bey
- Coco Fusco
- Nani Chacon
- Julien Creuzet
- Brendan Fernandes
- Dala Nasser
- Antonio Obá
- Solange Pessoa
- Dawit L. Petros
- Charisse Pearlina Weston
- Allison Glenn
- Patrizia Libralato
- Rouzbeh Akhbari
- Céline Semaan
- Jean-Marc Bullet
- Dawit L Petros
- Andrés Ramírez Gaviria
- Cameron Harvey
- Carole Harris
- Carolina Fusilier
- Chiedza Pasipanodya
- James Perkins
- Julianknxx
- Lindsay Katsitsakatste Delaronde
- Nanibah "Nani" Chacon
- Naotaka Hiro
- Nirbhai (nep) Singh Sidhu
- Raphaël Barontini
- Regina de Miguel
- Simranpreet Anand
- Skawennati
- Taqralik Partridge
- Tetsuya Yamada
- Wen Liu
- Chinua Achebe
Institutions
- Toronto Biennial of Art
- The Art Newspaper
- Art Museum at the University of Toronto
- Royal Ontario Museum
- Aga Khan Museum
- Art Gallery of Ontario
- Toronto Pearson Airport
- Scarborough Gurdwara
- Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
- Musée des Beaux-arts de Montréal
- Remai Modern
- University of Victoria
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Anchorage Museum
- Times Square Arts
- Venice Biennale
- National Curatorial Advisory
- CN Tower
- Sankofa Square
- CF Toronto Eaton Centre
- Harbourfront Centre
- Mercer Union
- Gallery TPW
- The Scarborough Gurdwara
- Canvas
Locations
- Toronto
- Canada
- Detroit
- United States
- Great Lakes
- Lake Erie
- Lake Ontario
- Mississippi River
- Gulf of Mexico
- Atlantic coast
- Halifax
- Montréal
- Saskatoon
- Victoria
- Vancouver
- Alaska
- Anchorage
- New York City
- Lebanon
- Iran
- St Louis
- New York
- Greater Toronto Area
- North America
- SWANA region
- Caribbean
- South America
- Great Lakes region