Explore free self-guided public art walking tours on the STEPS Public Art App and experience artworks across Toronto with behind-the-scenes information, artist quotes, and stories!

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The STEPS Public art App is a digital web and mobile platform where users can find public art activations by Canadian artists, take free public art tours to discover art in new neighbourhoods, and meet the talented artists and creators behind the projects! Learn about the self-guided tours currently available you can take in Toronto and the GTA today with more to come across cities!

Please note the tours are best experienced via the free mobile apps

1. Riverside BIA free public art tour (Toronto East)

Artist credit: You Were Here by Meghan Cheng
Photo credit: Selina McCallum

This self-guided walking tour takes you along Queen Street East and through the art-filled streets of the Riverside neighbourhood! As part of Inspired Art Impact, a STEPS and Toronto Metropolitan University research project that studies the impact of public art on main streets, the walking tour will lead you through STEPS projects and public artworks initiated by the Riverside BIA. Discover the historic and vibrant neighbourhood just across the bridge from Toronto’s downtown core!

Tour highlights

• Learn about the artists behind Riverside’s iconic murals and public activations, from the Queen Street Viaduct to Jimmie Simpson Park!
• Read the artists’ statements describing the meaning of the Women Paint Riverside Murals
• Discover the local businesses that took part in Riverside BIA’s annual Window Wonderland contest
• Explore You Were Here, an interactive public art installation and Inspired Art Impact pilot project by artist Meghan Cheng (also as part of her 2022 CreateSpace Public Art Residency project)

Inspired Art Impact is made possible through our partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University. We would like to acknowledge the generous support of the City of Toronto, MITACS, RBC Royal Bank, the Government of Ontario, Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. The City of Toronto’s Main Street Innovation Fund is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

2. Beyond the Plate free public art tour (Brampton, Ontario)

Artist credit: Kamayan Feast by Meegan Lim
Photo credit: May Shi

Calling all foodies! Take a tour of Brampton’s exciting food scene with storefront exhibits that showcase some of the area’s prominent cuisines, and reflect on the histories and significance of different meals. The Beyond the Plate tour, part of the Brampton Main Street Window Activation Pilot Project, visits six storefront animations by Brampton-based artist Meegan Lim, with AR animations created by artist Jenn Liv!

Each storefront has one or two windows that come to life with animations and sounds through the Artvive App in augmented reality (AR). With over 15 community stories prompted by the question “What does cuisine mean to you?”, the AR animations by artist Jenn Liv (and original artwork by Meegan Lim) integrate memories, connections and unique experiences between food and the Brampton community. Explore this multimedia project in full on the STEPS app!

Tour highlights

• Bring the art alive with animated Augmented Reality (AR) elements
• Dive into the food stories from the Brampton community
• Hear about the behind-the-scenes process and inspirations from the project’s artists

Special thanks to project partners the City of Brampton and Brampton Arts Organization (BAO). Beyond the Plate is also supported by My Main Street funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

3. The Mane Event free public art tour (Little Jamaica, Toronto)

Artist credit: Our Crowns by Curtia Wright
Photo credit: Maia Hay

Take a behind-the-scenes tour of The Mane Event series led by entrepreneur D’Andra Montaque, from in-person intergenerational hairstyling workshops to the final community mural by artist Curtia Wright! The Mane Event is a community arts series in Toronto’s Little Jamaica that speaks to the importance of hair in Black culture, recognizing hair as an art and an expression of identity.

The Mane Event hosted six community arts and hairstyling workshops, culminating in Our Crowns, a vibrant 1,300 sq ft mural by artist Curtia Wright located at 529 Oakwood Avenue in Toronto’s Little Jamaica and Oakwood Village that breathes new life into this public space. Take the free tour and discover the amazing creatives behind this project!

Tour highlights

• Listen to interviews with the creative partners and workshop facilitators, including D’Andra Montaque (Empress Mane), Anesia Loobie and Aisha Loobie (Crown N Glory), TK (Textured Hair EDU), and Franceta Johnson
• Watch video clips from the 2022 summer-long workshop series
• Hear artist Curtia Wright discussing the process and significance of the Our Crowns Mural

The Mane Event led by D’Andra Montaque was made possible with the support of Empress Mane, The Black Business and Professional Association, The Oakwood Village BIA, Roman’s N Care, Morales’ Barber Shop, and Reset Community Centre, with mural production support from the Toronto Arts Council and Dulux Paints.

4. The Daily Migration Public Art Tour (Yorkdale, Toronto)

Artist credit: Daily Migration Entrance Mural by Shalak Attack with artist mentees Edan Maxam and Kseniya Tsoy
Photo credit: May Shi

Take a guided tour of the Wilson TTC subway station in Toronto’s North York and learn more about the narrative tunnel murals and the 1,400 square-foot entrance illustration created as part of the Daily Migration project!

Daily Migration started in the summer of 2020 through a series of community in-person and virtual engagement sessions where lead Canadian-Chilean artist Shalak Attack andSTEPS worked with 100 local residents and community members in the area. Collaborative art workshops aimed to forge a sense of connection during the pandemic, especially for participants who identified as newcomers. The project culminated in the creation of a mural that transformed Wilson TTC Station into a vibrant cultural space to be enjoyed by 17,000+ daily visitors. Take a look at the community artworks and mural designs in the self-guided free public art tour today!

Tour highlights

• Hear from the Community participants and check out the project’s Online Gallery
• Watch video footage of the mural progress, with lead artist Shalak Attack
• Listen to interviews with artists assistants Edan Maxam and Kseniya Tsoy discussing what the Daily Migration Murals mean to them

This tour was done in collaboration with Neighbourhood Arts Network as a part of their Newcomer Week. Daily Migration was made possible with the support of StreetARToronto, a program by the City of Toronto, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Councillor James Pasternak, funding by the Government of Ontario, and Dulux Paints.

About the STEPS Public Art App

The STEPS Public Art App is a free mobile and web application with an interactive map of STEPS projects, self-guided walking tours and artist profiles. This app is updated regularly with new photos, videos and projects to help you explore your city and virtually visit public art projects in other cities! Explore the free tours on the app and share your feedback to help us enhance your experience.

The STEPS Public Art App is best experienced on your mobile device via the App Store or Google Play (also accessible via the Web App on your browser). Please rate and review to help spread the word and enhance your experience with the digital platform.