Art Toy Con Brings Designer Art Toys to Cali This Weekend
Collectibles & Culture
A wave of designer art toys reaches Cali this weekend as Art Toy Con brings its international convention to the city for the first time, filling Comfandi Campus E Centro with limited-edition figures, live painting and the collectors who chase them.
A Different Kind of Art Fair
Art Toy Con is not a traditional gallery opening or a mass-market comic convention. It is an event built entirely around art toys, those limited-run sculptural figures that sit at the crossroads of fine art and childhood memory.
The convention has run in Colombia since 2016 under the Artefacto Inc banner, led by Iván Darío Espinel. For its Cali debut it is co-organised with the local collective El Sótano Fanzine.
Each piece on display is a designer object, often hand-finished and produced in small batches. The scene draws illustrators, sculptors, graffiti artists and graphic designers who pour their visual language into three-dimensional form.
What Exactly Is an Art Toy?
An art toy is a collectible figure designed as a canvas for artistic expression rather than a plaything. The category emerged from the Hong Kong vinyl scene in the 1990s and has since spread to cities from Tokyo to São Paulo.
The pieces blend contemporary art, pop-culture references, illustration and a heavy dose of nostalgia. A single figure might reference a classic cartoon, a street-art character or a purely abstract shape, and it is typically produced in a numbered edition that makes each unit feel like a small treasure.
Collectors often describe the hunt as addictive. Finding a rare colourway or a sold-out collaboration carries the same thrill as tracking down a limited sneaker release or a first-edition print.
The Centre Sets the Stage
Art Toy Con sets up at Comfandi Campus E Centro, a cultural and events venue at Calle 8 #6-23 in central Cali. The choice puts the convention within easy reach of the city centre rather than a distant fairground.
Entry is free, but organisers ask visitors to register online in advance. Doors run from midday to 8pm across both Saturday and Sunday.
The two-day format keeps the event social and browsable. Visitors can drift between exhibitor tables, watch artists work and return to haggle over a figure they have been eyeing all afternoon.
Toy Melo and Cali’s Homegrown Scene
Art Toy Con arrives on ground that local creators have already prepared. Since 2024, the homegrown Toy Melo fair has staged free editions in Cali’s bohemian San Antonio neighbourhood, giving the city its first dedicated art-toy gathering.
That grassroots festival, with its colonial houses and independent cafés as a backdrop, built the collector base and the artist network that a bigger convention can now tap. The two events are separate, but they feed the same growing scene.
Together they signal how quickly Cali has embraced a niche that once felt confined to Tokyo or New York.
What Visitors Can Expect
The convention brings together exhibitor tables, live painting sessions and plenty of chances to talk directly with the artists. Free entry lowers the barrier for anyone curious about the scene.
Attendees can browse figures that range from palm-sized vinyl characters to larger resin statement pieces. Prices vary widely depending on the artist’s profile, the edition size and the complexity of the sculpt, so there is usually something for a modest budget as well as high-end collector pieces.
Beyond the shopping, the convention works as a social gathering for a subculture that spends most of the year connecting online. Seeing a figure in person before buying, and the spontaneous trades between collectors, are a big part of the draw.
Why Art Toys in Cali Matter for the Region
Cali has long been known internationally for salsa, but its creative economy is diversifying. Events like Art Toy Con add a new layer to the city’s cultural identity, one that connects it to global design trends while keeping the flavour distinctly local.
For expats living in Colombia and professionals considering a move, this kind of cultural activity is a quiet signal. It shows a city with enough creative density and disposable income to sustain a scene built around beauty and collecting for the joy of it.
The convention also strengthens the corridor between Colombia’s creative hubs. Artists who show in Cali often appear later at events in Bogotá or Medellín, and that cross-pollination helps build a national market for designer objects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Art Toy Con in Cali?
Art Toy Con is an international designer art-toy convention that comes to Cali for the first time on 8 and 9 August 2026. It gathers independent artists, illustrators and sculptors who show and sell limited-edition collectible figures that blend pop culture with contemporary art.
Do I need a ticket to attend Art Toy Con in Cali?
Entry is free, but organisers ask visitors to register online in advance. The event runs from 12:00 to 20:00 on both days at Comfandi Campus E Centro, Calle 8 #6-23.
What can I buy at Art Toy Con?
The convention offers designer vinyl and resin figures, often produced in small numbered editions. Shoppers can also find prints, stickers and other artist merchandise, with prices spanning affordable souvenirs to higher-end collector pieces.
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