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Public art can be defined, most simply, as art that is in the public realm. It might be a landscape installation made to delight passers-by; it might be aural or visual, functional, as well as inspirational. Public art can be permanent or temporary; it can be woven seamlessly into the city’s fabric or stand out as a unique and arresting detail or event.

Located throughout Toronto are more than 200 City-owned pieces of outdoor public art and historical monuments. Situated in City parks, streets, squares and subway stations, and on the grounds of municipal buildings, these works enrich the urban landscape with both an artistic and historic layer.

The ever-growing City of Toronto collection is diverse in medium and form. The earliest piece in the collection, The Canadian Volunteers Memorial, dates back to 1870 and new pieces are being added to the collection each year.