Avant Garde hosts brand activations, corporate events, product launches, workshops, fashion shows, weddings and private celebrations for up to 152 guests, across three floors of a contemporary art gallery. The venue is at 218 Merton Street in Toronto, a few minutes from downtown and steps from Davisville subway station.
Seminars and company events
The three levels give a company a choice of scale. Ground suits a launch, a client reception or an evening with speeches, with gallery lighting and daylight from a skylight. Underground, a 5,000-square-foot room with sound isolation, takes music events, film shoots and immersive formats where noise and light must be controlled. Aboveground, at 1,000 square feet, is sized for a workshop, a team session or a wellness gathering of up to 28. Dyson, Nintendo, TikTok, Walmart and Under Armour appear among the clients the gallery lists, as do several Toronto universities. A loading dock on the ground floor helps with set builds and equipment.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings and private celebrations are part of the venue's program, and its event gallery shows a wedding ceremony and a formal dance. With white walls, high ceilings and changing art, the space works as a neutral base that a couple can dress as they wish. The site does not say whether two levels can be combined for a ceremony and a reception, so ask the team.
Rooms and capacities
Ground holds up to 152 people. It has textured walls, brick and beam details, adjustable lighting, a skylight, a shelving area, a loading dock and one restroom. Underground holds up to 148 people in 5,000 square feet, with polished concrete floors, high ceilings, secured storage, adjustable lighting and three restrooms. Aboveground holds up to 28 people in 1,000 square feet, with floor-to-ceiling windows, Venetian plaster walls, hardwood floors, privacy curtains and two restrooms. The site does not split seated and standing figures, so the setup for a dinner should be agreed with the events team.
Catering
The site does not describe a catering service or a list of approved caterers. Planners should ask the team which caterers and bar services can work in the gallery.
History and setting
Avant Garde is a working contemporary gallery as well as an event venue. It runs exhibitions and an artist residency, sells work through a shop and accepts artist submissions. The building on Merton Street once housed other galleries and creative spaces that were part of the Toronto arts scene, and the gallery presents itself as carrying on that history. Gallery visits are by appointment, Tuesday to Thursday.
Getting there
The gallery is at 218 Merton Street, steps from Davisville station on Line 1 and minutes from downtown Toronto. Toronto Pearson International Airport serves the city for guests flying in.
