40 Years of Labour Arts

When Mayworks was first conceptualized in the early 1980s,  it signified the beginning of meaningful collaborations and exchange between artists, workers, and organizers. Audiences were invited to celebrate the rich cultural life of labour organizing and to work towards shared visions: better working and living conditions for all. 

Our newly launched archival collection includes digitized programs from each year since Mayworks’ inaugural festival in 1986. Each program contains details about the artists, workers, collaborators, volunteers, and participants that make Mayworks possible. The descriptions of events and exhibitions lend themselves to a non-exhaustive database for deepening our understanding of labour arts. We invite you to utilize this database to reflect on the past, present, and future of labour arts in Toronto and beyond.