2026 DesignTO Thematic Exhibition Call for Submissions

Thematic Exhibition: ‘Traces’

In today’s world, where people are being uprooted by the climate crisis, war, economic hardship, and social unrest, creative expression has become a vital way to make sense of displacement. This exhibition explores how artists, designers, and architects respond to these realities by capturing the emotional weight of migration, the impact of involuntary relocation, and the ongoing struggle to preserve culture and identity.

Acts of creative expression offer new ways of understanding what it means to lose a home, rebuild a life, and imagine belonging in unfamiliar places. From architecture shaped by conflict to art that gives voice to personal histories, the exhibition brings together powerful, human-centred perspectives on one of the defining issues of our time.

DesignTO invites submissions from artists and designers working in all mediums and formats. Submissions of existing work or realized projects are preferred; however, we will consider submissions of new work and speculative projects.

The exhibition runs January 23 – February 22, 2026, as part of the DesignTO Festival, January 23 – February 1, 2026.