Nuit Blanche, Toronto’s free all-night celebration of contemporary art, returns for it's 20th year on October 3, 2026, transforming public spaces into extraordinary landscapes.
As a hub for Nuit Blanche Toronto, Humber Polytechnic Lakeshore Campus in Etobicoke is now accepting Independent Project applications. These are self-produced projects that can be installed in traditional and non-traditional spaces, such as parks, window vitrines, courtyards, parking lots, laneways, and more. Applicants from any artistic discipline are eligible, but proposals should have a strong visual component and be rooted in contemporary art practices. Proposals should also address and integrate Nuit Blanche Toronto’s 2026 curatorial theme, Tomorrow’s Memories, in their project and must be located on Humber Polytechnic's Lakeshore Campus.
For the 20th anniversary, the 2026 theme, Tomorrow’s Memories, looks back to the artists, curators, communities and places that defined Nuit Blanche and hold its histories. This milestone edition offers both a reckoning and a reimagining, reflecting on not only where it has been, but on where it is now and where it might be going next.
Artists are welcome to propose new projects that consider personal and collective memory and histories as a tool for storytelling, reflection and dreaming of possible futures. Proposals may also explore ideas around memory itself, nostalgia and ephemerality.
The Independent Project program is only open to all Humber Polytechnic students, faculty, alumni, and staff. All applications will be reviewed by a Selection Committee comprised of Humber Galleries, Humber Polytechnic, and City of Toronto staff.
Click below to view and download this year's Independent Project Application and Guidelines
APPLICATION GUIDELINES*
Deadline for student and alumni applications - Friday, May 22 2026 @11:59pm est
*Please note: this Guideline document refers to different dates and mentions a previous call. Please disregard these details.
Watch the 2025 IP Call Info Session below: