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Free gifts will be dropped all around Toronto this weekend

Everyone likes something for free and this Saturday, people in Toronto just might get lucky.

March 12 is the second annual international Art and Found Day, a day when artists around the world wrap up pieces of their art and leave them in their community for people to find.

It's kind of like a huge Easter Egg hunt but for adults.

This year, more than 125 artists in Toronto and the GTA are participating, Toronto artist Courtney Senior tells blogTO.

The idea actually started in Toronto seven years ago before Senior found her footing in the art world. She decided to find homes for her work by giving them away.

Senior packaged her original artworks and left them around different neighbourhoods in Toronto for people to find. She added a note in each piece and dozens of people have contacted her to say how excited they were to get a piece for free.

So Senior decided to expand the concept and now there artists giving away their work all around the world. This year over 950 artists in 38 countries will participate, she says.

The idea is simple, artists choose one or more artworks - it could be a painting, photograph, drawing or handmade item; each piece is packaged up safely and clearly marked with the hashtag #ArtandFoundDay. The packages are then dropped in the artists' communities on March 12.

People who drop the art and those who find it can tag photos at @ArtandFoundDay.

The art should be placed in high traffic areas such as busy streets, transit hubs, parks and condo or retail lobbies. They should be visible and protected from the elements.

Lead photo by

Art and Found Day


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