Over the course of 3 years. MakerRoom partnered with Union Station to plan and co-curate four 4-month-long exhibits sponsored by TD.

Union approached MakeRoom Inc. to co-curate a series of annual public art displays launching during Black History Month. The exhibits would be on display in the high-traffic West Wing of Union Station, and would be active for 4 – 6 months each.

MakeRoom Inc. developed an artist procurement strategy with the Union Team, as well as theming for each exhibit which MakeRoom then facilitated. Our goal was to co-create a public art that celebrated black artists in the city, while connecting with the broader Toronto community. This also included developing repeatable processes that selected artists in a fair and equitable way.

For each exhibit, artists were procured through an open call process through MakeRoom’s online platform. Each call for submissions had 150 – 200 artist submissions, and had 100,000+ views in each channel that the call was posted.

Each open call had a jury that consisted of members of MakeRoom Inc, The Unions Team, TD Bank, as well as members of the Toronto arts community to ensure fairness and representation of the public’s interest.

The submissions were scored based on agreed upon criteria and guidance that the MakeRoom team developed.

During the first week of every exhibit, there is a scheduled opening night and media day. Opening Night consisted of an open to the public event held at Union Station. The event hosted a discussion and Q&A session to acquaint the public with the artists.

Media day was usually the day before opening night, which included interviews with journalists and TV personalities with the artists, Union Team, and representatives from MakeRoom.

Black Dreams and Aspirations – 2024

A Transit Through Time – 2025

A Transit Through Time – 2025

I Am Still Here: Black Joy is Resistance – 2023

The exhibits achieved a significant amount of press, including a MakeRoom feature in Forbes. 

By Byron Armstrong

By Chris Dart

Forbes 06/2025  | How This City’s Private Sector Is Rewriting The Rules Of Public Art

CityTV 03/2025  |  Union Station exhibit celebrates Black Canadian artists

CBC Arts 02/2025  |  Exhibition brings large-scale artworks by Black artists into Toronto’s Union Station

CBC Radio Canada 02/2025  |  Union Station Transforms for Black History Month

CTV News 02/2025  |  2 new art displays are populating Toronto’s Union Station

Addicted Magazine 02/2025  |  Union Station Exhibit Shows Blackness in a Transit Through Time

SHIFTER 02/2025  |  UNION STATION ART EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS SEVEN TALENTED BLACK CANADIAN ARTISTS

Afro 02/2025  |  Union Station celebrating Black artists and cultural legacy

ByBlacks 04/2024  | Black Dreams & Aspirations

NOW TORONTO 04/2024  |  Union Station has a free public exhibit with dreamy artwork from Black artists you don’t want to miss

CBC Arts 02/2023  |  I Am Still Here: Union Station’s new public art exhibition celebrates Black joy and resistance

Toronto Star 02/2023  | Union Station exhibit puts Black joy at the centre of downtown Toronto

ByBlacks 02/2023  |  Stop And Stare: A New Art Exhibit At Toronto’s Union Station Features Black Joy As Resistance

View The Vibe 01/2023  |  MakeRoom and Union Station launch an exhibit for Black History Month