Collecting and exhibiting art is a long-standing tradition in the City of Toronto. As early as 1847, the municipal government sponsored the first annual exhibition of the Toronto Society of Arts. Today, close to 2500 works of art, including sculptures, paintings, watercolours, prints and drawings are administered by the Market Gallery, a program of the City of Toronto’s Culture Division, Arts Services. From 19th century views of Toronto and portraits of civic leaders to contemporary interpretations of our city today, these works have been collected, preserved and exhibited for over 150 years.

Public access to the collection is a primary objective for the City of Toronto. At this time, more than 400 searchable entries are available through this site, with additional submissions being made regularly.

In keeping with copyright laws, the City of Toronto has endeavoured to contact artists and holders of copyright for permission to feature images of art and work on this site. If we have been unable to contact you, please accept our regrets and contact us to discuss copyright. Thank You.

Thank you for your interest in the City’s art collection.

For more information on the Art Collection, or for inquiries regarding reproduction, please contact the Market Gallery.