Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to feature new exterior mural inspired by waterfront community’s diversity and creativity

TORONTO, ONTARIO – Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is pleased to announce that it is dedicating a space on the exterior of its passenger terminal to a new mural. The project, supported by the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto program and realized by Jakarundi Graphics, continues and enhances the airport’s longstanding commitment to reflecting the vibrancy and diversity of Toronto through unique public art displays.

As part of the initiative, the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre is hosting a stencil-making workshop, facilitated by Jakarundi Graphics and open to the general public, on February23, which will serve as inspiration for the finished mural. For Jakarundi Graphics skill-sharing and collaboration are central to their work. They value, as we do, community partnerships as a way of bringing art into everyday life. The workshop will explore imagery from nature and the geography of the Great Lakes, while reminding all that Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport sits on Indigenous lands and waters.

“All of the art on display in our passenger terminal has been developed by local artists and reflects the vast depth, breadth and diversity of experiences in Toronto,” said Neil Pakey, President and CEO, Nieuport Aviation. “For this latest initiative, undertaken in cooperation with the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto program and Jakarundi Graphics, we’re effectively crowd-sourcing inspiration from waterfront residents and students to develop a striking mural that will be visible from the waterfront and reflective of the people who live, work, play and study there.”

“At Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, we’re committed to celebrating the vibrant and diverse spirit of our city,” said RJ Steenstra, President and CEO, PortsToronto. “This mural is a unique opportunity to showcase the creativity of our waterfront community while honoring the heritage of the land on which we operate. Through this collaboration with the StreetARToronto program and Jakarundi Graphics, our partners Nieuport Aviation are not only adding a visually striking piece of art to the passenger terminal but also creating a connection between the airport and the people who call this area home."

“The ecosystem of the island has been a very special place in my life, as a landing point during times of transition and a refuge within the city," said Caitlin Taguibao, mural artist working with Jakarundi Graphics Collective on the mural project. "In the midst of our developing city, I am excited to be a part of this project that will bring together some of the many voices and stories of our shared waterfront.”

The mural is expected to be completed by Jakarundi Graphics by summer 2025. For more information on Jakarundi Graphics’ upcoming workshop, and to register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/community-art-making-workshop-tickets-1228013283789?aff=ebdsoporgprofile.

About Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

Offering service to more than 20 cities in Canada and the U.S., with connection opportunities to more than 100 international destinations via our airlines’ networks, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is an important international gateway that will deliver a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance facility in 2025. The airport is a key driver to Toronto’s economy, generating more than $2.1 billion in total economic output and supporting 4,450 jobs, including 2,080 directly associated with the airport’s operations. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has served its community for 85 years from its iconic location on the Toronto waterfront, where it facilitates healthcare for Ontarians by providing a base for medevac services connected to local hospitals. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is committed to achieving its vision of cleaner, greener and quieter operations, and is renowned for its unique travel experience, efficiency, and customer service, having won a host of passenger-driven and environmental achievement awards. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is owned and operated by PortsToronto. Nieuport Aviation owns and operates the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. To learn more, please visit www.billybishopairport.com.

About StreetARToronto

StreetARToronto (StART), an initiative of the City of Toronto’s Transportation Services Division, is a suite of innovative programs intentionally designed to demonstrate the positive and powerful impacts of reconciliation, diversity, equity and inclusion, foster community engagement and civic pride, add colour and vitality to neighbourhoods, encourage active transportation, showcase Toronto artists and contribute to their skills development, mentor emerging talent, and create opportunities for positive engagement among residents, business owners and operators, artists and arts organizations.   Follow StART on X at https://x.com/StART_Toronto, Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/start_streetartoronto and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/StreetARToronto.