Call to Emerging Artists: Public Art Banner Program

This is a public competition open to emerging artists, illustrators, and artist teams residing in Canada. Students, including art, design and architecture students, and established gallery artists looking to expand their practice into public art are encouraged to apply. 

* The City defines an emerging artist as an artist in the early stage of their professional career who may have specialized training (not necessarily gained in an academic institution) and has created a modest independent body of work that may include professional exhibitions, commissions, presentations and/or installations. 

The City seeks to commission artwork that encourages community well-being, belonging, and social trust, including artwork that: 

• Creates a sense of optimism, joy, trust in one’s neighbours, and belonging, in the viewer 
• Engages Mississauga’s diverse local communities and celebrates local pride and togetherness 
• Brings more colour, vibrancy, and beauty to city streets 

Applying artists are encouraged to review past banner installations and find opportunities to present new thinking, new art forms, or new topics. 

The commissioned artist(s) is responsible for: 

• Creating and submitting high-resolution digital files of six (6) art designs 
• Writing a brief statement for each art design and for the overall series 
• Working with the City through design review, including providing up to three (3) revisions 
• Supporting fabrication, installation and interpretive signage, in an advisory capacity 

The City will work directly with a contractor to fabricate and install the banners. Directly overseeing and managing this contract are not included in the commissioned artist(s)’ scope of work or budget. 

The commissioned artist(s) will receive an artist fee of $10,000 + HST Canadian Dollars.*  

This fee does not include contractor fabrication and installation costs. 

*This fee includes (but is not limited to): contract execution; development of artwork and/or design; submission of artwork in required form; design review and revisions (up to three revisions); supplying artist and project statement, bio, headshots and suggested didactic text; attendance at meetings; and insurance as required by the City. 

It is expected that the commissioned artist(s) will comply with the project’s general timeline dates, as highlighted in the table below: 

Drop-in virtual office hours: The City’s Public Art Program will host virtual open office hours on Monday, February 23 between 4:00-6:00 p.m. During this session, attendees will have the chance to meet one on one with a curator to review their application or answer any specific questions.  

Submission portal demonstration: The City’s Public Art Program will provide a live virtual demonstration to our submission portal on Tuesday, February 24 between 12:00-1:00 p.m. Attendees can also ask specific technical questions.  

 Please email public.art@mississauga.ca to attend either one of these sessions or email with your questions and we will get back to you by email. 

Additional information about the City’s public art program can be found at mississauga.ca/publicart.