Winter Stations

The beach exhibition may be closed, but you can still get to know this year’s artists! CHIMERA by @denys.horodnyak and @enzozaklux.xyz takes this year’s theme, Mirage, by exploring the fragmentation of physical and digital realities and the tension between control and security that defines modern life The Berlin-based Ukrainian and German duo brought the piece to life with support from @ontariopipetrades and fabrication partner @chardcourtney a UA Local 46 pipe welder and metal artist based in Georgetown, Ontario.

Last weekend of Winter Stations 2026 🧊 As winter begins to melt into spring, the beach exhibition will wrap for another year. The season and landscape humbles us every time. Raw, unpredictable, and somehow the perfect place for community to come together around art. A million thanks to our artists and everyone who shows up and supports our small-but-mighty team’s work. Catch it before deinstallation on Monday, March 30! Photo credit: @joelgale.imaging

Thinking back to Opening Day on Family Day. Our biggest kickoff yet! 🚀 With that many people on the beach, it almost felt like summer…almost. Thank you to our 2026 jurors, @jasonthorne_rpp and @katcampitelli for speaking on the power of public art in winter. To this year’s artists, Winter Stations exists because of your creativity. To this year’s sponsors who make bold public art experiences possible. 
And to our community who keeps braving the cold year after year to gather and share public art! Winter Stations runs until March 30th. Bundle up and come by! Photography by @joelgale.imaging

This year’s Winter Stations Opening Night Reception was one for the books! ✨ We laughed, we drank, and we heard incredible presentations from this year’s winning artists and student teams. Thank you to RAW Design for lending us your stunning Geary space, to all the party people who brought amazing energy, and to our beverage sponsors @junctioncraft , @woodhousebeer , and @cottagesprings — we especially couldn’t have done it without you!  The exhibition is already up on the beach! ❄️  Artists: CHIMERA by @denys.horodnyak @enzozaklux.xyz SPECULARIA by @kralc_werdna @tornado.soup EMBRACE by @willcuthbert.3d CREST by @f__rmlab GLACIATE BY @dastorontomet Photography by @joelgale.imaging

Need some colour to brighten the winter doldrums? Join us on Family Day (Feb 16) for Winter Stations Opening Day at Woodbine Beach! Opening remarks begin at 10:45 AM at this year’s installation CHIMERA by @denys.horodnyak and @enzozaklux.xyz Hear from @katcampitelli (Public Art Officer, City of Toronto) and @jasonthorne_rpp (Chief Planner, City of Toronto) as they reflect on the role of public art in shaping our city. Courtney Chard, pipewelder and metal artist, who helped fabricate CHIMERA in partnership with our sponsor @ontariopipetrades , will also share insights into the craft behind the installation. Afterwards, join us for an exhibition tour with four of this year’s artists and school teams! SPECULARIA by @kralc_werdna @tornado.soup EMBRACE by @willcuthbert.3d CREST by @f_rmlab @uofwaterloo GLACIATE by @dastorontomet @torontomet @mcu1957 See you all on the beach! ❄️

📣The official unveiling of Winter Stations 2026 is happening this Family Day Monday (February 16, 2026 starting at 11am) down on Woodbine Beach 🥳! Are you planning to join in to check out the new installations?! ❄️ This year marks the twelfth year of the Winter Stations competition, and the theme this time is “Mirage”, playing with our perceptions of what is seen and what is real. There are 5 winning designs, and we can’t wait to see them in-person! ❄️ We encourage you to go and celebrate these incredible pieces of public art with the family, and we invite you to join our returning collaborative Winter Stations photo contest 📷! Presented by @winter.stations , @eastendartsto , and @makewaves.to , we’re asking community members to take a photo or photos with this year’s Winter Stations installations, and post them on Instagram with the hashtag, #WinterStations2026! ❄️ For participating, TWO winning photographers will receive some great prizes 🤩: —First place will receive Winter Stations merch valued at $50, and a $70 gift card to local Beach BIA restaurant. —Second place will receive Winter Stations merch valued at $20, and a $70 gift card to a local Beach BIA restaurant! ❄️ There will also be 8 honourable mentions chosen for their creative approach to photographing this year’s stations. To qualify as a winner of our contest, you must be following Winter Stations, East End Arts, and the Beach BIA on Instagram! The stations will be up from February 16th – March 30th, 2026, and the winners of the photo contest will be chosen by end of April and announced on social media✔️. We hope to see you down on the beach this winter! ❄️ #EastToronto #TheBeachesToronto #WoodbineBeach #winterstations

It’s hard to believe that our friend Conrad has been repping KCFF26 in Springer Market Square for just over a week! Going into the weekend, we thought we would share some behind-the-scenes of Conrad’s setup! 🦝✨ Thanks to our Broom-mates @rawdesignto and thanks as well to @winter.stations @downtownkingston ❄️ A special thank you to Conrad’s designers: Novak Djogo @novakdjogo and Daniel Vanderhorst @vanderhorstdan | Conrad is fabricated by: @anex_works Song by Kingston’s own Good Fortune @goodfortunemusic

It’s a big day for us today… CONRAD HAS ARRIVED TO KINGSTON!!! 🦝🦝🦝 Many more posts and stories to come about our 2026 mascot 🍿🎬🎞️ Special thanks to: our Broom-mates @rawdesignto and also thanks to @winter.stations @downtownkingston @city.of.kingston Conrad is designed by Novak Djogo @novakdjogo and Daniel Vanderhorst @vanderhorstdan and fabricated by @anex_works ✨ Visit kingcanfilmfest.com to learn more about Conrad!

We’re excited to announce the winners of the 2026 Winter Stations public art competition!  This year’s theme, Mirage, invited proposals that play with the boundary between what is seen and what is real in the age of AI, and explore public art as infrastructure that gathers people in shared reality. 
  CHIMERA by Denys Horodnyak & Enzo Zak Lux: @denys.horodnyak @enzozaklux.xyz    Embrace by Will Cuthbert: @willcuthbert.3d    SPECULARIA by Andrew Clark (TORNADO SOUP): @kralc_werdna @tornado.soup    Crest by University of Waterloo: Clay te Bokkel, Isabella Ieraci, Matthew Lam, Sasha Rao, Simon Huang, Oskar Peng, David Shen @uofwaterloo @f__rmlab   Glaciate by Toronto Metropolitan University in collaboration with Ming Chuan University: Finn Ferrall, Nicholas Kisil, Marko Sikic, and Vincent Hui @dastorontomet @torontomet @mcu1957   Huge thanks to everyone who applied! All of your ideas and passion for bringing new art into public space keeps us motivated year after year.   Endless gratitude to all our sponsors, the creative, urbanist minds of our competition jurors, and shoutout to the scrappy Winter Stations team who have all made this year’s exhibition possible.     See you all on the beach! ❄️    
🏖️ Woodbine Beach  🚀 Launches Family Day, Feb 16  🗓 On view until March 30

Sneak peek: Winter Stations at YZD 👀 As part of Hangar Skate, we’re excited to share an exclusive early look at Embrace, a winning installation from Winter Stations 2026, designed by William Cuthbert (@willcuthbert ). Emerging from the winter ground, Embrace reveals two sculptural forms that shift as you move — at first subtle, then monumental. Like outstretched hands, the installation plays with scale, reflection, and perspective, inviting visitors to pause, look closer, and experience the space differently. A prismatic reflection of warmth and light, even in the coldest months. Presented at YZD ahead of its debut at Toronto’s Beaches, Embrace is part of this year’s Winter Stations theme, Mirage, exploring the intersection of the digital and physical through illusion and wonder. The dazzling piece Solair joins it from last year’s Winter Stations exhibition, created by students from @dastorontomet . Come skate, explore and see Embrace as part of Hangar Skate at YZD — on now through February 16. Free admission. Link in bio for tickets and more details.

⏳ 3 days left to apply to Winter Stations 2026! All week long, meet the jury of experts in art, design, architecture, and urbanism who will select this year’s winning stations. 🧶 Meet Janna Janna Hiemstra is a leader in Canada’s craft and design sector with extensive experience supporting artists, makers, and designers through exhibition, advocacy, and professional development. As Manager, Craft & Design at Harbourfront Centre, she oversees programming that fosters innovation, interdisciplinary exchange, and excellence in contemporary making. Previously, as Executive Director of Craft Ontario, Janna guided the organization through renewal and strategic growth, strengthening its role as a vital network for craft professionals across the province. Her work bridges art, design, and community, with a focus on celebrating material intelligence and the impact of creative practice in shaping cultural and built environments. — Winter Stations 2026 submissions close November 3 at 11:59 PM EST! #winterstations #publicart #designcompetition #architecturecompetition

⏳ 4 days left to apply to Winter Stations 2026! All week long, meet the jury of experts in art, design, architecture, and urbanism who will select this year’s winning stations. ✈️ Meet @amerky As the Director of Programming & Placemaking at Northcrest Developments, Alana Mercury draws on over 20 years in the events industry designing impactful experiences that connect community, art, and youth. She does this through innovative artistic activations and philanthropic initiatives.

Her leadership spans the private, public, and non-profit sectors, with clients including Samsung Canada, SickKids Foundation, the City of Toronto, Canada Basketball, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, and Hudson’s Bay. Known for her strategic vision, Alana has overseen iconic events, including Nuit Blanche Toronto which draws over a million attendees. She excels in delivering large-scale, immersive experiences – from VR concerts to nationwide event series—ensuring each resonates powerfully with diverse audiences. At Northcrest, Alana drives programming and placemaking with precision and purpose, creating moments that leave a lasting impact. This year Northcrest returns as a main sponsor and Winter Stations is delighted to preview a station at YZD during this year’s Hangar Skate! — Winter Stations 2026 submissions close November 3 at 11:59 PM EST! #winterstations #publicart #designcompetition #architecturecompetition