Toronto's Past, Present, Future: Toronto Street Photography Group Exhibition Open Call

About this call

Toronto's Past, Present, Future is a juried street photography group exhibition at Worth Gallery in Toronto, Canada, curated by Jen Lee as part of CONTACT Photography Festival, running April 29 to May 9, 2027. As Toronto goes through rapid redevelopment, shifting demographics, transit expansion and changing public spaces, the show asks artists to document, question and imagine the city, including York, East York, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough, the downtown core and its neighbourhoods. Digital, analogue and alternative processes are welcome, including cyanotype and other process-based work, and phone photography that meets print quality. The definition of street photography is open: public spaces, transit, accessibility, lived experience, natural or urban landscapes, architecture, everyday moments, candid scenes and documentary approaches, indoors or outdoors, urban or rural. Works are judged on theme relevance, original artistic authorship, and exhibition fit and cohesion. Submission is free; fees apply only to accepted works.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Photography
• Free entry
• Photographs of Toronto (each entry asks the Toronto location where it was taken). Submit up to 5 images; the gallery selects up to 3 works per artist. Works must be original photographs created by the submitting artist; archival work is welcome if produced or photographed by the artist; AI-generated images or work sourced from others are not accepted; works previously exhibited at Worth Gallery are not eligible. Files: JPEG, sRGB, minimum 3000px on the long side, max 10MB each, with title, year, dimensions (in inches), Toronto location, photographic medium and selling price (write "Not for Sale" if not for sale); plus name, preferred pronouns, artist name as it would appear in the show, email, phone, an artist bio (max 100 words), a brief artist statement (max 150 to 200 words) and optional website or social media. The form also asks you to confirm you are the creator and copyright holder of all submitted photographs and that accepted work will be delivered ready to hang. Submit through the online form, or email the PDF application with images embedded to photojenny.lee@gmail.com. Submission is free; accepted works pay $40 for the first piece and $10 for each additional piece, plus $10 for works over 20" and $20 over 36" on the longest side including the frame (standard size is up to 20"). By submitting, artists grant permission for accepted works to be used for exhibition promotion, social media, press materials and documentation, with credit. Sales in CAD, 12% gallery commission, processed after the exhibition closes. Works must be hang-ready with hardware attached, hanging from a single screw (artists supply and explain any alternative hanging system); works on paper framed or mounted; works not meeting installation requirements may be rejected. Artists are responsible for printing, packaging, transportation, delivery and pickup (the gallery does not accept shipped items); drop-off at Worth Gallery April 17 and 18, 2027, time to be determined; pickup in May 2027, date and time to be determined. The gallery is not responsible for loss or damage. Notification early January 2027.