This year’s festival invites us to explore how queerness, nature, imagination, and community reclaim what has been tamed.

Nuit Rose: Rewilding is Toronto’s festival of queer art and performance, presented by the Throbbing Rose Collective.

Nuit Rose: Rewilding is the 7th edition of the festival, with exhibitions, performances, screenings, public art, and community activations across the Church-Wellesley Village and beyond.

  • The 2026 festival runs from May 23 to July 5, 2026, culminating in a night-long art festival on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 5 to 11 p.m. across the Church-Wellesley Village.

    This year’s programme includes more than 20 exhibitions, performances, and events created by 55 Canadian and international queer artists working across a wide range of media.

    All Nuit Rose: Rewilding events are free unless otherwise noted.

Art Exhibitions

  • The Green Hours | Opening: Thursday, June 4, 6 to 9 pm | Exhibition runs to: June 27
    Akasha Art Projects, 204D Carlton Street, Toronto

    Curated by SweetThings, James Fowler and Pearl Van Geest.

    Artists: Vincent Bonney-Livingston, Alana Bartol, Mimmo Baronello, Troy Brooks, Genevieve Flavelle, James Fowler, Grant Heaps, Zachari Logan, Liam MacKenzie, Walter Segers, Cai Sepulis, Pearl Van Geest, Sarah Hunter.

  • Going Rogue | Opening: Friday, June 5, 7 pm | Exhibition runs to: June 27, 2026
    Gagné Contemporary Project Space, 136 Brooklyn Avenue, rear lane, Toronto

    Curated by James Fowler, P. Elaine Sharpe, and Pearl Van Geest. This group exhibition starts at the act of deviation: from expected practice, inherited genre, and the sanctioned image.

    Artists: Francisco Alvarez, Kristy Boyce, James Fowler, Pearl Van Geest, Sarah Hunter, Cai Sepulis, P. Elaine Sharpe, Walter Segers, John Rubino.

  • The Wilding West | Opening and Festival Launch | Thursday, June 18, 7 to 10 pm | Exhibition runs to: July 1, 2026
    Youngplace Art Centre, Second Floor, 180 Shaw Street, Toronto

    Curated by Francisco Alvarez. A group exhibition with Canadian and international queer artists selected from the Call for Submissions and members of the Throbbing Rose Collective.

    Artists: Andi Syme, Francisco Alvarez, James Fowler, Joey Bruni, Mimmo Baronello, Pearl Van Geest, Schem Rogerson Bader, Stephen Olivier, Tara B. Patterson, Walter Segers.

  • John Simone’s Photographic Voyages | Opening: Thursday, June 18, 7 to 10 pm | Exhibition runs to: July 5, 2026
    Youngplace Art Centre, Third Floor, 180 Shaw Street, Toronto

    Curated by Kelly McCray. A retrospective exhibition presenting 300 images from 50 countries and five continents.

  • Rewilding Unbound: We Won’t Be Tamed | Opening: Friday, June 19, 6 to 8 pm | Exhibition runs: June 3 to July 9, 2026
    Pegasus on Church, 489B Church Street, Toronto

    Curated by Walter Segers: Four artists explore nature and transformation. Cameron Tania performs June 19 at 8 pm | June 20 at 9 pm

    Artists: Alex Scott, Eden Kinkaid, Matthew Moloney, Salim Ali

  • Rewilding Group Exhibition | Opening: Saturday, June 20, 5 to 7 pm | Exhibition runs to: June 27, 2026
    Foy House, 92 Isabella Street, Toronto.

    Curated by James Fowler, John Rubino, Pearl Van Geest: This group exhibition features queer artists from Canada and abroad, selected through the Call for Artists and the Throbbing Rose Collective.

    Artists: Christian Bernard Singer, Rose Cullis, Claire Forsythe, Eric Chengyang, Geoffrey Lok-Fay Cheung, Hunter Cascagnette, James Fowler, John Anthony Rubino, LOVED Collective: Charlie Hunter and Mike Wyeld, Michel Dumont, Rory Perras, Mimmo Baronello, Pearl Van Geest, Per Wilt, Peter Wilde, Sarah Hunter, Terry Dame, Walter Segers, Zachari Logan.

Festival
Night

Saturday, June 20
5 to 11 pm
Church-Wellesley Village, Toronto

 

Festival Night brings together exhibitions, public art, performances, screenings, music, and community events across multiple venues and public spaces.

The evening includes:

- Rewilding Group Exhibition at Foy House

- Queer Street Art: Rewilding Public Space on Church Street

- Village Art Crawl & Light Parade: Walk on the Wild Side

- screenings, interactive projects, and musical performances at The 519

- exhibitions and events at Pegasus on Church, The ArQuives, and other festival venues

- the Rewilding After-Party at Foy House

Attendees are encouraged to wear glowing, light-emitting, or WILDly expressive attire for the Village Art Crawl and Light Parade.

Festival Night Highlights

  • Queer Street Art: Rewilding Public Space

    All evening

    Church Street, Toronto

    Curated by John Rubino and Joey Bruni.

    Street art and wheat-paste murals promoting queer visibility across Church Street, including work banned as propaganda in the United States, assembled by artist Jeremy Novy.

  • Village Art Crawl & Light Parade: Walk on the Wild Side

    6:30 to 11 pm

    Various locations, Church-Wellesley Village

    Co-curated by Michael Venus.

    An evening-long art crawl and light parade linking festival venues and public art across the neighbourhood. Attendees are encouraged to wear glowing or light-emitting attire.

    6:30 pm Kick-off show at Foy House, including performance by Allysin Chaynes and wearable art fashion show by The House of Venus
    7 pm Light Parade and Art Crawl begins at Foy House
    7:15 pm Performances by Conjunctivisis and TTC at The ArQuives, 34 Isabella Street
    8 pm Performance by Cameron Tania at Pegasus
    8:30 pm Performances by isa farah and Astoria at The 519

  • The 519 Church Street Community Centre

    7 to 11 pm

    519 Church Street, Toronto

    Curated by John Rubino.

    The 519 hosts a screening room with short films, interactive projects, and musical performances in the Ballroom.

    Artists: Evan Tapper, Iain Downie, James Knott, Kim Fullerton, Nina Vroemen, Pablo Muñoz, Simone Jones, MW Thompson, RT Collective, Alek Phan.

    Performances:

    • Counterpoint Community Orchestra, 7 to 8 pm

    • isa farah, 8:30 to 9:15 pm

    • Jonathan Gejtman & Astoria, 9:45 to 11 pm

  • Events at The ArQuives

    7 to 10 pm
    34 Isabella Street, Toronto

    Glory Hole Gallery
    Project by: Emily Peltier

    A micro-gallery that promotes the creativity of 2SLGBTQ+ people and communities! 

    The Wild & the Weeds
    Curator: McKenna Gray

    Artists: Morris Fox, Morgan Sears-Williams, Patrick Stochmal

    A group exhibition exploring the queer, historic landscape of Hanlan's Point.

  • Rewilding After-Party

    10 pm to late

    Foy House
    92 Isabella Street, Toronto

    Attendees are encouraged to dress WILDly. Cash bar, music, and fun. 18+ only.

  • Foy Talks

    Post-Festival

    Sunday, June 21, 2026, 2 to 4 pm

    Foy House
    92 Isabella Street, Toronto

    Free

    Curators and artists in Nuit Rose: Rewilding present short talks about their work and lead conversations with audience members.

Volunteer

Volunteers are welcome to help at any event.

To sign up, visit:

throbbingrose.ca/volunteer

Sponsors, Partners and Funders

Nuit Rose: Rewilding is supported by funders, venue partners, and community partners.

  • Toronto Arts Council,

    Canada Council for the Arts,

    Community One Foundation

    Foy House

  • 401 Richmond Street West

    The 519 Church Street Community Centre

    Pegasus on Church

    Akasha Art Projects

    Gagné Contemporary Project Space

    Youngplace Art Centre

    Foy House

    The ArQuives

    Red Head Gallery

  • Church-Wellesley Village BIA,

    Pride Toronto