Toronto Street Art – Culture, Colour and Community
In every city I explore I can’t help but seek out its street art. Whether it’s Athens street art full of mythological figures or Bansky in Bristol, or Chicago’s quirky murals, street art can tell a lot about a city. It speaks to what the people feel about politics to how they express love. Toronto street art is just as eclectic as any other city. Maybe even more so as it’s one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world. From Chinatown to Mid-town you’ll find a wide array of pieces and forms.
While street art can be found across the city, here are the top ten areas to find the best of Toronto street art.
Where to Find Street Art in Toronto
Graffiti Alley
Toronto’s most well-known hot spot for street art is Graffiti Alley. So much so, it’s even on Google Maps! Graffiti Alley is a one kilometre laneway south of Queen Street West, that’s chalked full of colour. From classic cartoon characters to haunting pieces and even an entire building in an underwater theme. I may be biased by I think it’s one of the most photogenic laneway ever!
Ossington Lane
Further west is Ossington Lane, located north of Queen Street. Here you’ll find another laneway, running north of Queen and west of Ossington Avenue. While it’s not as prolific as Graffiti Alley, it is still full of character pieces. Actually this entire neighbourhood is littered with cool street art.
Kensington Market
Home to bohemian chic shops, cool cafes, and a very hippy-artsy vibe, Kensington Market is home to some beautiful street art, with an air for whimsy. Look down alleyways and above store fronts for pieces with very feminine curves and full of colour. There’s even a car turned street art!
Underpass Park
In the east end of Toronto’s downtown, just north-east of the Distillery District, lies an urban park. A park that makes the most of the concrete and pillars of an overpass. Here you’ll find a strange jungle gym, a basketball court, and skateboarding ramps. And you’ll find some more diverse Toronto street art.
To one side it appears the community are holding up the overpass – literally pillars of the community. While to the other side colours come alive and bring light to this otherwise dark area.
Related Post: Where to Find Street Art in Ontario
Mid-Town
Walking up Yonge Street towards Mid-Town you’ll find a scattering of large murals. Like a massive piece of some iconic singer-songwriters. And one of the city’s newest pieces, City Man, located just off Saint Clair Avenue West. Created by one of the world’s top street art artists, Pleghm. This massive piece, while in the shape of a crouching man – is made up of all of Toronto’s iconic sights and its diverse neighbourhoods.
East Toronto Chinatown
For any local or traveler to Toronto you’ll love these epic murals in Toronto’s East end Chinatown. Dubbed the New7Wonders of the World murals, you’ll be transported to iconic sights like the Taj Mahal, Christ the Redeemer, The Great Wall, The Colosseum, Petra, Machu Picchu, and Chichen Itza.
The murals can be found along Gerrard Street East near Broadview and were created by over 20 of Toronto’s most talented artists.
Leslieville & Riverside
Another couple of great neighbourhoods to find awesome Toronto murals are Leslieville and Riverside which can be found in the city’s east end across the Don Valley. All along Queen Street East you’ll find an array of murals from colourful ones to historic ones.
These Toronto murals should not be missed! The Tkaranto Past/ Tkaranto Future mural is by Odinamaad as the lead artist in partnership with Chief Lady Bird and Dave Monday Oguorie. It wraps around 650 Queen Street East, on both the front and side of the building. The bold and colourful Alquimia Mural by Jacquie Comrie is on the side of Pizza Nova at 714 Queen Street East.
Here you’ll find another Nick Sweetman piece, The Riverside Pollinator Mural has a lot to say, it celebrates the founding member of the Riverside BIA who was a local jeweller, it highlights natural and hidden gems in Riverside, and of course the importance of bees. You can find The Riverside Pollinator Mural at Queen Street East and Saulter Street.
Then of course there are a bunch of murals saying Leslieville, they are what the Hollywood sign is to LA. But one in particular was a staple until it was redesigned. Both the old and the new one features the author Alexander Muir whose poem “The Maple Leaf Forever” used the words Leslieville, a Maple Tree, and the name of the neighbourhood itself. It’s located at Queen Street East and Jones, on the side of Meating on Queen.
Toronto Wall
If you’re looking for a now iconic piece of Toronto street art then you’ve got to head to Strange Love Coffee. On the south side of the building you’ll find Toronto in stacked lettering along with ‘we don’t take naps’. If you’re lucky to find it without a vehicle or other’s lingering than snap your Instagram shot!
101 Spadina Avenue
Love Letters to the Great Lakes
The Love Letters to the Great Lakes initiative through the power of art and activism hopes to promote awareness of the many environmental issues that the Great Lakes face. There are a scattering of pieces across the city by numerous artists. You can find pieces at Stackt Market, Spadina and Queen, Ossington and Queen, at the Bentway, and the mouth of the Don River.
Stackt Market
Toronto’s Stackt Market, located at 28 Bathurst Street, is in my opinion the hipster version of the Distillery District. With an artsy vibe it’s not surprising that it’s littered with cool street art. A couple of pieces that stood out to me were the large Keep Going bold and colourful piece by Toronto based artist Bareket Kwezar, the birds piece by FATS Patrol who is an Indian-Canadian artist born and raised in the Middle East, and the incredible piece on the ground leading into the Market by Jason Botkin which is one of the Love Letters to the Great Lakes murals in Toronto.
More Toronto Street Art
Have you discovered street art in Toronto yet? Do you have a favourite?
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