Mike Toll was born in Ipswich, Suffolk in 1936. He trained at the Lowestoft School of Art, the Norwich School of Art and the Central School of Art, London. Before assuming teaching positions in London and Norwich, Mike was an assistant to sculpture students at the Slade School of Art and a National Registered Designer with the Council of Industrial Design. He was Head of Art, Design, Photography and Textiles at a Norwich Comprehensive School from 1969-1993.

Mike has been very active in the East Anglian artistic community for many years. He has been a member of the "Norwich Twenty Group" of artists since 1971. He has acted as both Secretary to the Group and Chairman. Mike was also Chairman of the Advice Arcade Gallery in Norwich from 1987-1999 and a founder member one of the city's other principal galleries, the Contact Gallery. From October 2000 to December 2001 Mike was Director/Curator of Gissing Arts.

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