It was a dream come true. For many years, artist Stephanie Avery had an idea to bring together a group of artists to transform abandoned buildings around the city of Toronto. She used to do a lot of urban exploration at a time when there were a lot of cool abandoned buildings around the city. Over the last few years, she has become immersed in the mural art scene and mural community which she describes as “an amazing community of supportive and generous people.” In the summer of 2023, she had started a conversation with a development company about an artist takeover of a building that was set to be demolished, but in the end the conversation didn’t go anywhere. In the summer of 2024, when she heard about 91 Barton Avenue, a home in her neighbourhood that was slated for demolition, she contacted the development company Green Street Flats directly via email proposing that her mural collective turn the space into an immersive art installation. She wasn’t expecting to receive a response and though she had talked about doing a project like this before, there wasn’t an official collective. To her surprise, she received a positive reply less than 30 minutes later. Shortly after that conversation, mural friends were made aware via group chat that they were now part of a mural collective and Art on Barton was born. Proceeds from a yard sale and $1000 from the Toronto Awesome Foundation helped with start up costs.
Avery made sure to introduce herself and the project to curious neighbours early on, letting them know that everything was being undertaken with consent from the developers. Beyond the art, the project was a way for her to engage with more people in her neighbourhood. She’s lived in the area for several years and knows her immediate neighbours but didn’t feel much of a connection to the larger community prior to Art on Barton. Though there were varying feelings about the upcoming development itself, neighbours were supportive of the artist involvement with the house before demolition.
What started as a handful of artists evolved into over 40 muralists who were given creative freedom to respond to the space and incorporate the history, textures, and objects in different ways, creating artwork on the house, in the house, the backyard, and the garage behind the house.
I had the opportunity to visit the site in mid July (about three and half weeks before the open to the public dates of August 10-18) and see the collaborative, artist clubhouse vibe in action. It felt like I was witnessing something special. It was exciting to revisit the house in August and see the outcome of works that were in progress and spaces that were previously untouched.
When I spoke to Avery mid project, she said that she thought a lot of people would be interested in seeing it and that if it went well, there was a possibility it could become a blueprint for future similar projects. She was right. Crowds of people came through to take part in the free immersive experience.
91 Barton was demolished in early spring. Excitement for the project was kept alive through a group exhibition in March at Worth Gallery, curated by Worth Executive Director, Jenneen Marie Beattie. Featured artists participated in an artist talk where they reminisced about their experiences and answered audience questions. Also on the panel was photographer Mark D Segal who documented all the high-quality mural art and other artistic objects created inside and outside 91 Barton. A prototype of a proposed Art on Barton book was on display in the gallery along with a form where expressions of interest were being collected. The book will only be published if there are enough expressions of interest to make it commercially viable. Visit Mark’s site to see sample photos and to add your name to the expressions of interest list.
Worth Gallery
Art on Barton exhibition at Worth Gallery
Art on Barton book prototype
So, what’s next? Stephanie Avery was awarded Best in Show at this year’s Artist Project, an annual art fair in Toronto of over 250 artists. She has also started a placemaking and mural project company called Common Ground Solutions with Art on Barton project manager Bobby Beckett. The company offers a variety of bespoke services designed to create, support and promote the arts in Toronto.
Did you attend Art on Barton? What were your favourite parts?
For the full list of artists and to see the progress from the beginning right through to demolition, visit the project Instagram page.
Story by Glodeane Brown.
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