TCAF moves into a new home!
The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF), one of the most important comics events in North America, has just announced its 2025 dates (June 7-8) and will take place at the Mattami Sports Center at City University of Toronto (50 Carlton Street) Held in new venue. It became necessary to move the beloved Toronto Reference Library when it was announced that it would be closing for two years for renovations.
Mattami Sports Center was formerly Maple Leaf Gardens, and yes, it is considered one of the “Cathedrals of Hockey” – the Maple Leafs played here from 1931 to 1999 and won 11 Stanley Cups at its rink champion.
While moving from a library to a hockey rink may seem like an odd move for an exhibition that celebrates the art and creators of international comics, the new venue is larger and will ultimately allow for larger, more complex exhibitions. The total number of gaming tables will increase by 25%, allowing publishers to have more than three gaming tables and have more space for signature lines and more preparation time.
In a statement, the organizers looked back and looked forward:
In 2024, TCAF welcomed more than 28,000 attendees and 350 artists from around the world. It was such a great time if you weren’t there. However, with the Toronto Reference Library scheduled to undergo renovations over the next two years, TCAF will need to find new space for 2025 and beyond. We are very excited to have found a new home at City University of Toronto’s Mattami Athletic Centre, but we also wanted to take a moment to say thank you to TPL. We are grateful for the valuable support the Toronto Public Library has provided over the past 15 years, and we look forward to our partnership with the Toronto Public Library in 2025 and beyond.
The Mattami Athletic Center at City University of Toronto, once known as Maple Leaf Gardens, is a National Historic Site of Canada. The building is famous not only for hosting sporting events, but also for hosting hundreds of concerts and political rallies. Our festival will launch a new ice rink (built on top of the old one), basketball court and rink hall with approximately 280 tables to accommodate cartoonists, groups and publishers. Hosting TCAF at the Mattami Sports Center at City University of Toronto keeps the festival centrally located in downtown Toronto and closer to our hotel partners.
Reading between the lines, it sounds like TCAF may not be returning to libraries when they reopen. Although the scene was popular, it was quirky: the show took place while library regulars were minding their own business, the setting was difficult, and the tables were small. That being said, these issues never seemed to hurt enthusiasm for the event or the comics presented there. But change is something that is happening.
Another change: Library and Education Day will return for its 25th year. The event and other activities for educators, students, academics, librarians and comics professionals will be held on Friday, June 6 at nearby locations, and other off-site events and workshops will also be held.
More details: Exhibitor applications and program submissions are opening soon.
In keeping with the program’s legacy of inclusivity, TCAF remains committed to the values of equity, diversity and inclusion.
We encourage applications from members of historically disadvantaged and marginalized groups, including but not limited to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), people with disabilities, and women and/or 2SLGBTQ+ people.
We are also pleased to announce that we have streamlined participation in the Access TCAF program. The program waives table fees for creators who identify themselves as belonging to the above groups.
All of the above happened under the guidance of TCAF’s new producer Amy Wright. While I don’t know what locals will think of the new venue (I’m sure they have a lot to say about Maple Leaf Gardens), as a visitor, it all sounds promising. If you want to visit a beloved old pancake shop, the Mattamy Athletic Center is located in downtown Toronto, about a mile away from Old Town. It’s very close to the headquarters hotel where I stayed the last time I went there (in 2023) – to be honest, the trek from the hotel to the library is a bit of a chore, especially if you’re carrying a stack of new graphic novels, which you do often . As a potential visitor, this sounds promising, especially considering all the added space.
TCAF is definitely one of the best shows in North America for a graphic novel publisher. Over the years it has built a culture that celebrates cartoonists from around the world, education and comics as a vibrant art form. Hopefully this continues for many more years to come.
