Toronto is home to some of Canada’s most spectacular street murals, including those found in Graffiti Alley, the Ossington laneway, and along Queen Street West.
The STEPS Public Art program in Toronto supports artists and the creation of murals and graffiti throughout Toronto, adding culture, colour and connection to the streets.
Anjuli Solanki, program director of STEPS Toronto, said she enjoys how the work the program produces brings communities together throughout Toronto.
She said one particular memory stands out to her, a 23-story mural painted on the side of Parkside Student Residence in downtown Toronto.
“You create these projects and you know, you’re so embedded in them and then you kind of like let them fly and you don’t always know the impact that they’re going to have,” she said.
STEPS Toronto is a community service program offering artists a way to connect with commission projects and have their art legally displayed throughout the city.
STEPS’ official website said it partners with different local and government initiatives to allow these murals to be painted.
STEPS Toronto allows colourful and community oriented murals to be commissioned throughout the city. Mural on private residence in Leaside, Toronto. Photo credit: Natasha Dichpan
“We kind of bring communities together and really use art as a way in which to reflect the different needs of the community and also reflect the communities that are in different areas,” Solanki said. “In many ways, we’re really committed to bringing underrepresented voices, residents and artists to the floor.”
Solanki said she had seen the impact of their work firsthand while she was interviewing a current employee for their position on the team.
She said he told her after seeing one of their LGBTQ+ murals, he said he wanted to work at STEPS.
“He felt that he had moved to a city and a country where he was allowed to be himself,” Solanki said. “You don’t always know the impact of the projects and what aspect will stand out and move somebody.”
Natasha Dichpan poses with her work, painted for a private client in The CUBE club. Photo credit: Natasha Dichpan
Natasha Dichpan, a mural artist in Toronto, said her work with STEPS has been transformative.
“I’ve worked with the people that organized the mural jams, which is when they get 10 to 12 artists to transform a laneway in Toronto,” Dichpan said.
Dichpan said mural jams are a way for artists to connect with the help of STEPS, to work together and transform a tagged laneway on the Toronto streets.
Dichpan said she would describe her style as bold, she loves to use vibrant colours, such as red and blue, to bring her work alive.
“I like portraying animals and humans because there’s a lot of similarities,” she said. “I love to do portraits and colours that are very striking.”
Dichpan is one of many artists that STEPS has worked with in Toronto. Solanki said STEPS has worked with more than 350 artists across the country in 2023 alone.
Graffiti and murals have not always been legal in Toronto, but following a government initiative in 2012, the StreetARToronto (StART) program allowed for new pieces to be commissioned through government and community funding.
The city said StreetARToronto (StART) successfully reduced graffiti vandalism and replaced it with vibrant, colourful, community-engaged street art.
Toronto said the StART program strives to deter vandalism by allowing murals in spots prone to graffiti tagging and crime-related art.
Programs like StART and STEPS work to showcase the talent of Toronto artists and allow respectful and welcoming graffiti and murals.
Growing up in both Russia and Israel, Dichpan said she honours the artistic opportunities she has had in Toronto.
“There’s more ways to make a living as an artist, whether it’s in traditional arts, or I worked in animation as well,” she said. “I just find there’s way more opportunities here than I was presented with.”