Public art opportunities

The City of Calgary Public Art Program invites members of the Tsuut’ina First Nation to apply for this paid mentorship opportunity. Individual artists who are interested in curation are encouraged to apply. Prior curatorial experience is not required. This opportunity is open to Tsuut’ina nation members.

The selected individual will work closely with the Indigenous curator, public art conservator, public art liaison, and collections specialist to curate a Tsuut’ina-specific, loanable exhibit that will be available for communities and schools to host. The mentorship will include all aspects of working on a public art exhibit, including but not limited to budgeting, artist visits, exhibit design, curatorial writing, etc. The curator will work with artists from the community to reflect their voices through the exhibit. The curator’s own artwork will not be eligible for the exhibit.

The curated exhibit must be created within a set budget and will include between 4 and 12 artworks/art objects. The curatorial mentee will work under the guidance of the Indigenous curator to create a theme and select artworks to be purchased for the exhibit. They will also work with the public art team to create a portable exhibit and protect the artworks during moves/travel.

Submit all questions in writing to indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca before 4:00 p.m. MST on April 11, 2025.

This project will:

• Create opportunities for schools and communities to learn about and connect with Tsuut’ina culture through art
• Engage with Tsuut’ina artists
• Grow the public art collection
• Create a loanable exhibit that schools and communities can host for 3 to 6 months at a time.

For those interested in applying, free online and in-person artist information sessions are available. Please email indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca for dates, times, and locations. Attendance is not mandatory to qualify for this opportunity.

The curatorial mentee receives an all-inclusive, maximum budget of $7,000.00 + GST (if applicable) inclusive of travel and expenses. This does NOT include an artwork purchase budget.

The total budget includes, but is not limited to supplies and materials, consultation, time for public engagement, travel, insurance and design fees.

The mentee will be responsible for their project budget and will be paid based on deliverables as per their Scope and Fee contract.

Eligible submissions will contain:

1. Letter/email of interest (maximum of 1500 words) including:
   • Your interest in this position.
   • Description of how your Indigenous identity and/or cultural understanding will contribute to this work.
   • A statement of interest in learning curatorial work.
   • Connection to your community.
   • Contact information (phone number, alternate number and email address).

* Your submission will be rated out of a possible 100 points as outlined in the evaluation criteria below.

2. OPTIONAL: Up to 10 images of your artwork or artwork that interests you. This is optional and is for us to get to know you more.
3. Three references: Include contact name, company, current telephone number, address, and email address. You may use past clients, Elders, and community members familiar with you.

*The City reserves the right to contact references without prior notification.
*References from The City of Calgary staff members will not be counted as part of the required references.

Email indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca and attach all the required documents. Submissions are accepted in electronic form only.

Please note the following:

• Email subject line should include "Tsuut’ina Curator"
• The maximum file size for an email is 10 MB. You may submit multiple emails to ensure all files are received.
• Links to past exhibits/curatorial writing will be accepted.
• Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered.

All eligible submissions are reviewed by a selection panel and are stewarded by a City business unit representative. A member of the Curatorial Panel, an Indigenous member of the public, and city representatives may be on the selection panel.

Applicants may be invited to an in-person or online interview with the selection panel.

Submissions will be rated out of a possible 100 points according to the evaluation criteria below.

*The selection panel has the right to not award any of the submissions, and The City reserves the right to cancel/reissue this opportunity at any time.

1. Understanding of the project <50 points>
   • Why this opportunity appeals to the applicant.
   • How the applicant’s knowledge of art and Tsuut’ina world view will contribute to this project.
   • Connection to the Tsuut’ina community.
   • Effective communication.
2. Skills & interests <40 points>
   • Clear writing/speaking and understanding of their own culture.
   • Clear interest in art and supporting artists from their community.
   • Cultural and artistic knowledge
3. Public art experience <10 points>
   • Public art experience is an asset but not required.
   • Experience curating an exhibit is an asset but not required.
4. Bonus points: Extra points may be scored if the applicant can:
   • Provide proof of verifiable Indigenous ancestry (20 points).
   • Provide examples of being connected to communities with letters of reference or providing phone numbers for members of Tsuut’ina who can speak to your connection and presence in the community (up to 20 points).

To ensure the public art project meets project goals and the requirements of the Public Art Program, the artist or artist team will be required to work closely throughout the project with Public Art Program staff and other stakeholders.

Before the confirmation of the award, the selected artist or artist team will be required to:

• Provide proof of verifiable Indigenous ancestry.
• Complete a Scope and Fee contract defining project deliverables and payment schedule.
• Sign a City of Calgary Artist Agreement, which includes Artist General Terms and Conditions.

The commissioner for this project is:

The City of Calgary
Box 2100, Station M, Calgary, AB, Canada T2P 2M5
Mail code #63

• There will not be any public opening of submissions.
• There is no cost to the applicant to provide a submission.
• Submissions must currently be provided in English.

The City of Calgary Public Art Program invites members of the Blackfoot Confederacy to apply for this curatorial opportunity. Individuals with curatorial experience are encouraged to apply. This opportunity is open to Blackfoot/Blackfeet curators. Individual artists or artist teams/collectives are eligible.

The selected curator/curatorial team will work closely with the Indigenous curator, public art conservator, public art liaison, and collections specialist to curate a Blackfoot-specific, loanable exhibit that will be available for communities and schools to host. The curatorial opportunity will include all aspects of working on a public art exhibit, including but not limited to budgeting, artist visits, exhibit design, curatorial writing, etc. The curator will work with artists from the community to reflect their voices through the exhibit. The curator’s own artwork will not be eligible for the exhibit.

The curated exhibit must be created within a set budget and will include between 4 and 12 artworks/art objects. The curator will work with the Indigenous curator to create a theme and select artworks to be purchased for the exhibit. They will also work with the public art team to create a portable exhibit and protect the artworks during moves/travel. 

Submit all questions in writing to indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca before 4:00 p.m. MST on April 11, 2025.

This project will:

• Create opportunities for schools and communities to learn about and connect with Blackfoot culture through art
• Engage with Blackfoot/Blackfeet artists 
• Grow the public art collection
• Create a loanable exhibit that schools and communities can host for 3 to 6 months at a time.

For those interested in applying, free online and in-person artist information sessions are available. Please email indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca for dates, times, and locations. Attendance is not mandatory to qualify for this opportunity.

The curator receives an all-inclusive, maximum budget of $12,000.00 + GST (if applicable) inclusive of travel and expenses. This does NOT include an artwork purchase budget.

The total budget includes, but is not limited to supplies and materials, consultation, public engagement, travel, insurance and design fees.

The curator is responsible for their project budget and will be paid based on deliverables per their Scope and Fee contract. 

Eligible submissions will contain:

1. Letter/email of interest (maximum of 1500 words) including:
   • Your interest in this position.
   • Description of how your Indigenous background will contribute to this work.
   • A statement of your curatorial work.
   • Experience in project management.
   • Contact information (phone number, alternate number and email address).

* Your submission will be rated out of a possible 100 points as outlined in the evaluation criteria below.

2. Up to 10 images of past curated exhibits. You can include curatorial statements, support material, or exhibition catalogues. Links will be accepted. Please ensure links are active.
3. Three references: Include contact name, company, current telephone number, address, and email address. You may use past clients, Elders, and community members familiar with your work.

*The City reserves the right to contact references without prior notification.
*References from The City of Calgary staff members will not be counted as part of the required references.

Email indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca and attach all the required documents. Submissions are accepted in electronic form only.

Please note the following:

• Email subject line should include "Blackfoot Curator"
• The maximum file size for an email is 10 MB. You may submit multiple emails to ensure all files are received.
• Links to past exhibits/curatorial writing will be accepted.
• Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered.

All eligible submissions are reviewed by a selection panel and are stewarded by a City business unit representative. A member of the Curatorial Panel, an Indigenous member of the public, and city representatives may be on the selection panel.

Applicants may be invited to an in-person or online interview with the selection panel.

Submissions will be rated out of a possible 100 points according to the evaluation criteria below.

*The selection panel has the right to not award any of the submissions, and The City reserves the right to cancel/reissue this opportunity at any time.

1. Understanding of the project <25 points>
   • Why this opportunity appeals to the curator.
   • How the curator’s knowledge of art and Blackfoot world view will contribute to this project.
   • Cultural and/or artistic knowledge.
   • Connection to the curator’s community.
   • Effective communication.
2. Curatorial statement <20 points>
   • Responsiveness to community engagement and understanding of the project’s cultural context for and in the community.
   • Clear writing and understanding of their own curatorial practice.
3. Project experience <45 points>
   • Demonstrated excellence and experience in curating exhibits.
   • Demonstrated experience working to a schedule and demonstrated ability to deliver a project on time.
   • Demonstrated ability to meet a set budget and deliver a project on budget.
   • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with project teams and other interested parties and engage with the community.
   • Demonstrated artistic excellence in project management through past projects.
   • Demonstrated flexibility of practice and responsiveness to contextual opportunities.
4. Public art and community experience <10 points>
   • Previous public art experience is an asset (5 points)
   • Demonstrated excellence in delivering public-facing projects (5 points)
5. Bonus points: Extra points may be scored if the applicant can:
   • Provide proof of verifiable Indigenous ancestry (20 points).
   • Provide examples of being connected to communities with additional letters of reference or providing phone numbers for members of Piikani, Siksika, Kainai, and Amskaapi’pikun who can speak to your connection and presence in the community (up to 20 points).

To ensure the public art project meets project goals and the requirements of the Public Art Program, the artist or artist team will be required to work closely throughout the project with Public Art Program staff and other stakeholders.

Before the confirmation of the award, the selected artist or artist team will be required to:

• Confirm status as a company (or sole-proprietorship);
• Provide proof of verifiable Indigenous ancestry
• Confirm a Commercial General Liability (“CGL”) insurance policy for bodily injury (including death) and property damage in an amount of not less than TWO MILLION DOLLARS ($2,000,000.00) inclusive limit for any one occurrence;
• Complete a Scope and Fee contract defining project deliverables and payment schedule;
• Sign a City of Calgary Artist Agreement, which includes Artist General Terms and Conditions.

The commissioner for this project is:

The City of Calgary
Box 2100, Station M, Calgary, AB, Canada T2P 2M5
Mail code #63

• There will not be any public opening of submissions.
• There is no cost to the applicant to provide a submission.
• Submissions must currently be provided in English.

The City of Calgary’s public art program is inviting Indigenous artists to submit existing digital artwork and illustrations. This program offers artists the opportunity to have their digital artwork licensed for use on The City’s website, temporary publications, and public-facing artist calls and posters. Ten artworks will be selected.

Artwork will be licensed for one year and may be used up to three times. After 12 months, the artwork will no longer be used. However, there may be an opportunity for the license to be extended.

In 2024, artists were able to showcase their work during Canada Day on billboards and a print exhibition at the Confluence. Similar opportunities may arise for the selected artists in 2025.

Indigenous artists from Treaty 7, Metis Region 3, and Indigenous artists currently living in or with connections to Moh’kinsstis at any stage of their career are encouraged to apply.

We will accept all sizes of digital work. Be aware that if the work is too small, it may not be suitable for certain additional opportunities, such as billboards or large-scale print. 

This project will:

• Support Indigenous artists, businesses and organizations.
• Allow for more opportunities for Indigenous artists.
• Reflect Indigenous experiences and existence in Moh’kinsstis.
• Encourage a diverse Indigenous representation of artists, art practices, ideas, and topics.

For those interested in applying, free online and in-person artist information sessions are available. Please email indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca for dates, times, and locations. Attendance is not mandatory to qualify for this opportunity.

The artist or artist team receives an all-inclusive maximum budget of $1,000.00 CDN (excluding GST).

The total budget includes, but is not limited to artist fees, supplies and materials, consultation, artist time for public engagement, travel, insurance and studio fees.

The artist/artist team is responsible for their project budget and will be paid based on their Artist Agreement. 

Eligible submissions will contain:

1. Letter of interest (maximum of 600 words): An introduction to the artist, description of the artwork, date of the artwork, and connection to Moh’kinsstis/Calgary.
2. Images (maximum of 10): One image per page. Detail images of the singular artwork are welcome.

Please ensure your submission package responds to the evaluation criteria in the selection process section of this call.

The submission package will be evaluated based on the evaluation criteria.

Email Jessica at indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca and attach all the required documents. Submissions are accepted in electronic form only.

Please note the following:

• Email subject line should include "Indigenous digital artwork"
• The maximum file size for an email is 10 MB. You may submit multiple emails to ensure all files are received.
• Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. This is non-negotiable.

All eligible submissions are reviewed by a selection panel consisting of the curator and members of the Indigenous public art team.

Artists or artist teams may be invited to an in-person or online interview with the selection panel.

Submissions will be rated out of a possible 100 points according to the evaluation criteria below.

*The selection panel has the right to not award any of the submissions, and The City reserves the right to cancel/reissue this opportunity at any time.

1. Letter of interest <30 points>
   • Why this opportunity appeals to the artist.
   • How the artist’s Indigenous background and practice will contribute to this project.
   • Knowledge of or connection to Calgary and/or the project’s place.
2. Artwork <70 points>
   • Suitability of the artwork to print
   • Suitability of the artwork to web
   • Connection of the artwork to diversity of ideas/identities
   • The image is 300dpi or a 300dpi copy is available after the selection process.

Submit all questions in writing to indigenouspublicart@calgary.ca or via phone (403-268-2994) before 4:00 p.m. MST on Feb. 12, 2025.

To ensure the public art project meets project goals, as well as the requirements of the Public Art Program, the artist or artist team will be required to work closely throughout the project with Public Art Program staff as well as other stakeholders.

Before the confirmation of the award, the selected artist or artist team will be required to:

• Provide verification of Indigenous ancestry.
• Sign a City of Calgary Artist Agreement which includes Artist General Terms and Conditions.

The commissioner for this project is:

The City of Calgary
Box 2100, Station M, Calgary, AB, Canada T2P 2M5
Mail code #63

• There will not be any public opening of submissions.
• There is no cost to the applicant to provide a submission.
• Submissions must currently be provided in English.