Toronto Toy Riot

I am thrilled to announce that I will be a vendor at the first Toronto Toy Riot next weekend at the Tranzac Club. I can’t wait to show what I made!

Toronto Toy Riot is a not-for-profit, artist run event that showcases the work of 30+ vendors, all of whom create handmade, small run art and designer toys. As an emergent 21st-century art form, art toys are couched between the intersections of appropriation art and popular culture. Toys are among the most ubiquitous media around the world: they are often the first objects that children encounter, acting as an aesthetic awakening that connects them to the broader imaginaries of popular culture, narrative universes and symbolic thinking.

The art toy movement is something I am very fond of, and I’m bringing my own tribute to Canada’s greatest Science Fiction film ever, the film that beat “Raiders of the Lost Ark and “Dragon Slayer” for best special effects at the 1982 SCTV People’s Global Golden Choice Awards.

Toronto Toy Riot is a free event and one where you are encouraged to come create your own kitbash figures, it’s awesome, come have fun!

#torontotoyriot #arttoy #sctv #plaidstallions #toyventures #odeontoys #zontar

ABOUT TORONTO TOY RIOT

Outlaw Plastic Syndicate

Toronto, Ontario.

Contact: Skot Deeming

torontotoyriot@gmail.com

https://torontotoyriot.ca

March 18th, 2026

For Immediate Release:

New Toronto Event Celebrates the World of Handmade, Independent Art Toys!

Toronto Toy Riot brings 30+ Toy Artists from across North America!

A new Toronto event celebrating the creative practices of Independent, Art Toy makers is on the horizon! With its inaugural edition coming on May 2nd and 3rd, Toronto Toy Riot brings together artists working in plush, plastic, resin, and vinyl for a two day expo, featuring artists from the GTA, distant parts of Canada, and several regions of the U.S.

Toronto Toy Riot is a not-for-profit, artist run event that showcases the work of 30+ vendors, all of whom create handmade, small run art and designer toys. As an emergent 21st century artform, art toys are couched between the intersections of appropriation art and popular culture. Toys are among the most ubiquitous media around the world: they are often the first objects that children encounter acting as an aesthetic awakening that connect them to the broader imaginaries of popular culture, narrative universes and symbolic thinking.

 In 2025, adult collectors became the larger demographic of toy consumers, outpacing youth demographics for the first time. Through their emergence, art and designer toys have been crucial in the medium’s shift from consumer playthings to collectible works of pop art. Toronto Toy Riot celebrates the creative work of artists who have embraced the medium of toys; playing within the rebellious edges of play, appropriation, punk aesthetics and popular culture.

Toronto Toy Riot is presented by the Outlaw Plastic Syndicate, a collective of Toronto-based artists and toy makers dedicated to raising the visibility of the art toy movement, supporting fellow artists, and making the practice accessible to audiences of any age and demographic. Part of this ethos of accessibility comes through our decision to make the event free to attend, as well as our “kit bash table”, a space where event patrons can make their own art toys as well as packaging from provided toy pieces and materials.

The Outlaw Plastic Syndicate is a Collective of Indie Toy creators (Skot Deeming, Jay Bragg and Dominic Spina), dedicated to boosting the visibility of the Art Toy movement through public outreach and event planning. It is our belief that toys are a ubiquitous and accessible media form that serves as fertile ground for cultural discourse and critical inquiry.

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https://www.toyventuresmag.com

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