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Artist Project Toronto 2026
Discover, Connect, Collect Discover and connect with over 250 independent artists at Artist Project in Toronto from March 26-29, 2026. Experience a stimulating environment designed to ignite enriching conversations and foster a personal connection with art. Explore thousands of artworks, large scale installations, enjoy curator led art tours and take home that special work that
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TOAF Award
Best of Art Fair Goes to… Melika Saeeda Our hearts are still full and warm from the memories we created together during TOAF64. Now, we are ready to share highlights, inspiring stories, and a closer look at some of the most outstanding artists of the Fair. This time, we’re breaking tradition, we are opening with
Education and Certificates
- Arts Management, Centennial College, Toronto, ON
- Master of Visual Communication, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, 2010
- Bachelor of Painting, Shahed Art University, Tehran, Iran, 2008
Professional Experience
- Art Educator, Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto, ON, 2025–Present
- Art Educator, Blank Canvases, Toronto, ON, 2025 – Present
- Freelance Illustrator, BMI Group, City of Stratford
- Commissioned to create a series of 8 illustrations capturing everyday life scenes across the City of Stratford
- Stratford, ON, March 2025–Present
Public Art and Mural Projects:
- Ground Mural, Cabbagetown BIA, Toronto, Canada, June 2024
- Outside the Box Mural Project, StARTS, Toronto, Canada, 2024
- Mural Art Facilitator, Access Alliance, Toronto, Canada, 2024
- Vinta Music Band Beacons‘ Cover Album Design, Toronto, Canada, 2022
- Red Deer Mural Festival, Calgary, Canada, 2022
- Cycle Road Mural, City of Mississauga, Canada, 2022
- Member, Moonlight Murals Collective, Toronto, Canada, 2021–Present
- Sherlock Holmes Walk Mural, Toronto Reference Library, Canada, 2022
- Pirate’s Life Mural on Chairs, Toronto, Canada, 2021
- Church Village BIA Floor Mural, Toronto, Canada, 2021
- Bell Box Mural Project, 50 Brock Ave., Toronto, Canada, 021
- Outside the Box Mural Project, Toronto, Canada, 2021-2024
- Concrete Barrier Mural Project, Richmond St., Toronto, Canada, 2021
- 37 Pole, 37 Artist Mural Project, Mount Pleasant BIA, Toronto, Canada, 2021
- Window Wonderland Mural Project, Toronto, Canada, 2020-2024
- Concrete Barrier Mural Projects, Scarlett Rd. & York University, Toronto, Canada, 2020
- Live Painting, TIFF Festival, Toronto, Canada, 2020
Exhibitions and Awards
- Best of Art Fair Award, TOAF, Canada, 2025
- RBC Space Award, Canada, 2024
- Tomie DePaola Illustration Award, SCBWI, USA, 2022
- Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF), Toronto, Canada, 2021 to 2024
- “Koyama Provides” Award, Toronto, 2022
- “Resilience; Redefined!” Group Exhibition, Artscape Youngplace, Toronto, Canada, March 2020
- RBC Award, Toronto, Canada, 2019
- SCBWI Portfolio Showcase, Montreal, Canada, 2019
- Toronto Arts Council Award, Toronto, Canada, 2018
- CANSCAIP Illustration Exhibition, Toronto, Canada, 2018
- 10 Years Bell Box Murals Group Exhibition, Toronto, Canada, 2018
- Nami Concours for Picture Book Illustrations, South Korea, 2015
- Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, UAE, Sharjah, 2014
Memberships
- Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
- Canadian Society of Children’s Book Writers, Illustrators, and Performers (CANSCAIP)
Invited Talks and Presentations
- “Beyond the Frame: The Impact of Illustrated Narrative”, University of Toronto, Canasa, April 4, 2025
- “Finding Opportunity in Public Realm”, March 2024, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
- StreetARToronto & Worth Gallery
- Panel Discussion, Just Us Mural Project, Kansas City Art InstituteFebruary 2024
- “Exploring New Avenues in Illustration”, November 2023, 2024