A free, multi-week long outdoor exhibition activating empty storefronts
as temporary public art spaces. NEW EXHIBITION DATE: MAY 2027
The Project
Pretty Vacant is a community-based public art initiative of the Parkdale Residents Association (PRA). The project will transform vacant storefront windows along Queen Street West, between Dufferin Street and Roncesvalles Avenue, into temporary public art installations, creating an outdoor gallery that celebrates local artists while bringing new life to underutilized commercial spaces.
The exhibition will feature six (6) artists with site-specific works for vacant storefront windows over a two-to-three-week period in May 2027. Gallery 1313 will serve as the project hub, hosting artist talks, community gatherings and related programming. Beyond presenting art, Pretty Vacant is about strengthening relationships between artists, property owners, businesses and the community while demonstrating how temporary public art can contribute to neighbourhood vitality.
How Pretty Vacant Evolved
Pretty Vacant did not begin as a standalone exhibition. It grew out of a series of Parkdale arts initiatives led by the Parkdale Residents Association over the past three years. Beginning with The Parkdale Art Thing in 2023, followed by the Artists in Flux 1 and 2 symposiums in 2024 and 2025, these projects explored the changing relationship between artists, creative space and community in Parkdale. Through conversations with artists, residents, community organizations and cultural partners, a common theme emerged: the need to move beyond discussion and demonstrate how art can actively contribute to neighbourhood vitality.
Pretty Vacant is the next step in that evolution. By transforming vacant storefront windows into temporary public art installations, the project turns ideas into action – supporting artists, animating the public realm, and creating new connections between property owners, businesses, community organizations and residents.
Pretty Vacant gratefully acknowledges the support of the Toronto Arts Council and the City of Toronto.
Funders:
