IMATS Toronto 2010

Posted by Tamara in event | 5 comments

For those of you who have been following me for a while, you might remember that I attended the first IMATS hosted in Toronto last year.  I had a great time last year, and I’m definitely planning to head back this year to see the many changes from last year.  This year boasts a new venue, a number of new vendors, more speakers, the student competition and of course the usual makeup related awesome’ness that goes along with trade shows.  The show takes place over two days (November 6 & 7) with different speakers and shows to watch each day.

The International Make-Up Artist Trade Show is the make-up world’s biggest gathering. Thousands of make-up artists, vendors and enthusiasts discuss, display and collect the best the industry has to offer. Make-up pros from fashion and film (including Oscar, BAFTA and Saturn award winners) provide education and demonstrations at IMATS, and new products often debut there. IMATS also features a make-up museum and an Afterglow party, where trade-show guests can socialize.

Before IMATS, there were no trade shows specifically designed for make-up artists, although cosmetic companies had expressed a desire for such an event. In response, Make-Up Artist magazine publisher Michael Key held the first IMATS in August 1997 in Los Angeles. It allowed artists to customize what they wanted to see and it offered a diverse mix of products, demonstrations and education from industry leaders.

Like Make-Up Artist magazine, IMATS continues to educate and connect make-up artists from around the world.

IMATS has expanded over the last year, and now has six shows that are held all over the world.

• London, England (January)
• New York, United States (April)
• Los Angeles, United States (June)
• Vancouver, Canada (July)
• Sydney, Australia (September)
• Toronto, Canada (November)

IMATS is open to the public, so there is no need for any professional credentials – all are welcome.  If you’re planning on attending you can buy your tickets in advance online; which will be less expensive than purchasing them at the door.  Currently the tickets are $35 for one day or $60 for two days.  These pre-sale prices are in effect until November 4th.

For any other inquiries, check out their FAQ page.