The Toronto International Art Fair (TIAF) Joins MMPI Canada

The Toronto International Art Fair (TIAF) has merged into Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI Canada), joining the MMPI family of art fairs, including Art Chicago, NEXT, Volta Basel and Volta NY, and The Armory Show in New York.

Under the terms of the agreement, TIAF staff, including Linel Rebenchuk, Director, will join the MMPI Canada’s management team and continue to base their operations in Vancouver. The TIAF is the only major contemporary gallery art fair in Canada and this past October attracted 18,000 collectors to view and purchase art from 100 international exhibiting galleries. The 2008 Toronto International Art Fair will be held October 2 – 6, 2008 at the Metropolitan Toronto Convention Centre.

TIAF has strategic relationships with The Art Gallery of Ontario, The Power Plant, and the Museum of Contemporary Art (Toronto).

MMPI Canada, a division of Chicago-based trade show and property management firm MMPI, is involved in the fields of design, craft, real estate and construction and produces more than 50 events and conferences annually in Canada and more than 200 in the USA, including The Interior Design Show, The One of a Kind Show, The Real Estate Forums, Buildex, Construct Canada and IIDEX-NeoCon.

“Joining MMPI gives TIAF reach to new collectors, reach to new gallerists and marketing strategies that are best in class,” said Linel Rebenchuk, Show Director. “I look forward to working with Paul Morris of The Armory Show, Kavi Gupta of Volta Basel and Tony Karman of Art Chicago. We have a great team.”

“This is a unique opportunity for MMPI Canada and TIAF. Together, we will enhance an already exciting event that, for the next edition, will be packed with great art dealers, speakers, events and special features. TIAF, now entering its ninth successful year, will exhibit in the beautiful Metropolitan Toronto Convention Centre. We will give Linel a tremendous amount of collegial and material support to build on the already successful event he co-founded,” said Steven Levy, senior vice president, MMPI Canada.

Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) is a trade show and property management firm, specializing in managing buildings devoted to wholesale showrooms and commercial office space. MMPI produces more than 300 trade shows, market events and conferences each year.

MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart and 350 West Mart Center in Chicago; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York in New York; the Boston Design Center in Boston; the L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and the Washington Design Center and Federal Center Southwest in Washington D.C.

Vornado Realty Trust, owners of MMPI, based in New York City, is a fully integrated equity real estate investment trust. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO.

MMPI Art Group,is comprised of Art Chicago, NEXT, The Armory Show, Volta Basel, Volta NY and the Toronto International Art Fair, all owned and produced by Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.

MMPI Canada produces and manages over 50 seminars, conferences, trade and consumer shows every year, with events in Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle. MMPI Canada’s industries include construction, design, craft, art, real estate, furnishings and others.

The TIAF is the only major contemporary gallery art fair in Canada and this past October attracted 15,000 visitors to visit and view 110 international exhibiting galleries.

Media enquiries:
Jessica Goldman
Applause! Communications
T: (416) 217-0700 ext. 304
E: jessica@applausecommunications.com

Lauren Dando
Applause! Communications
T: (416) 217-0700 ext. 301
E: lauren@applausecommunications.com