With Ontario in a state of emergency due to COVID-19, Canada\u2019s largest design festival is moving most of its exhibitions online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deborah Wang, DesignTO\u2019s artistic director, said the team made a decision to move partially online when they realized that the pandemic would not be dying out anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce we hit September, it was very clear that we would have to be mostly online,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd if not online, the things that could be seen in-person, like the window installations, would have to be viewable from the outdoors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wang said the festival has not had any virtual exhibitions since it began in 2011. This year, however, more than 40 of its exhibitions are taking place online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over 30 other exhibitions are \u201cwindow installations:\u201d pieces of design scattered around Toronto that can be seen at a distance and from outdoors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the new constraints, Wang said she\u2019s still excited about the festival. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor me and the team, we’ve discussed how important it is to still connect the community, to still be supporting the design community in Toronto,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ontario\u2019s changing lockdown rules have caused uncertainty for the DesignTO team. Wang said the festival website<\/a> is updated often, as exhibitions are pushed back or moved online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI’ve become accustomed to that uncertainty and the fact that things are always changing,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have to just keep adapting and doing what we can under the present health guidelines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n DesignTO opens today; find its Festival Schedule here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meet some of the designers at the festival through the interactive interviews below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n