City of Toronto public art opportunities and updates on commissions, installations and unveilings.
The Etobicoke Civic Centre (ECC) is a new civic centre in the former suburb of Etobicoke located on a 13.8 acre property bounded by Kipling Avenue to the west, Bloor and Dundas Streets to the north and the TTC/CPR rail corridor to the southeast. The ECC is situated on the Ancestral territory and gathering place of the Anishnaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Tionontati (Petun), the Wendat, and the treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Locally known as the Westwood Theatre Lands and “spaghetti junction,” the notoriously complicated “Six Point Interchange” where Kipling Avenue, Bloor Street and Dundas Street intersect is currently undergoing a major reconfiguration. Situated at the heart of the new community being built, the ECC will replace the existing municipal buildings at 399 The West Mall and incorporate a new civic hub and a civic square.
Following an international competition, design of the civic centre was awarded to internationally acclaimed architect, Henning Larsen and Adamson and Associate Architects and PMA Landscape Architects (the “Design Team”). Completion is expected for the winter of 2027/2028.
Four public art commissions are in design development having been awarded to Indigenous artists.
Conceived as an “integrated civic hub” this mixed-use development will feature municipal offices, a Council Chamber, civic offices and a citizen services centre, multi-purpose meeting rooms, a daycare centre, a community recreation centre with a pool and running track, a Toronto Public Library District Branch, an art gallery, and a large outdoor civic square surrounded by ample new sustainable landscaping. CreateTO, in collaboration with the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture division and the Indigenous Affairs Office initiated the Public Art Program as an integral component in the design and development of the new ECC. The project is now being implemented by Corporate Real Estate Management of the City of Toronto, with the assistance of advisors Karen Mills and Rebecca Baird.
Ward 3: Etobicoke-Lakeshore
Deadline for submissions: Closed
The spectacular Atrium has been designed as a warm, active, welcoming space that reflects the character of the community and that serves as the central hub leading visitors to the wide array of services and activities provided in the ECC. The atrium will be a community gathering space: full of light and featuring a strong connection to the natural environment in terms of materials and views.
The Library will serve residents and visitors. As a hub for learning, the library will symbolize learning and personal enrichment.
The Artworks should:
Artworks must be integrated into their locations with attention to design and technical considerations such as weight, UV resistance, ease of maintenance, use of fire rated materials and impact on facility operations.
The Artworks must be unique. We will not consider acquiring editioned works or versions of existing works.
The City of Toronto is committed to reflecting the diversity of all Canadians and especially the residents of Etobicoke, in this public art program. Our goal is to strengthen the connection between public art and civic engagement ultimately striving to build connectedness amongst our communities.
The City’s 10-Year Public Art Strategy aims to harness the potential of public art to advance city-building priorities such as equity and inclusion, environmental resiliency, reconciliation with Indigenous communities, and place-making, among others. We welcome and encourage artists with lived experience as a member of Indigenous, Black, or racialized communities to apply for this opportunity to help contribute to the vision of public art in Toronto that is accessible and reinforces neighbourhood character.
Professional, experienced artists born or living in Canada are hereby invited to submit their qualifications as the first stage in a two-stage process to commission public art for the ECC.
Proponents must be experienced professional artists with a strong history of public exhibition, a background including training as artists including equivalent informal or traditional training, and curator, community or peer recognition as artists.
Architects and designers / design studios are not being considered for this project.
To secure the Application Form please contact: eccpublicart@gmail.com
Request for Qualifications – deadline July 7, 2022, 5 p.m.
Artists are invited to submit their credentials for the consideration of the art expert Selection Panel who will identify Finalists to advance to the second, Concept Stage. No ideas nor submission of existing works will be considered.
Concept Stage
Up to 4 pre-qualified candidates will advance as Finalists for each opportunity. The Finalists will be paid for their complete and compliant Concepts. Finalists will be provided with an Opportunity Brief prior to development of their Artwork Concepts.
Kindly email eccpublicart@gmail.com to receive the Application Form and to be considered.
Online “How to Apply” sessions will be conducted on June 14 from 9 to 9:30 a.m. and June 15 from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Email us for an invitation.
The City of Toronto invites professional artists to submit proposals for a public artwork as part of the renovation of 610 Bay Street. The heritage building and former bus terminal will be repurposed as an interim Toronto Paramedic Services station.
The building renovation scope includes: conversion of the existing bus bays garage into ambulance bays garage; renovation of the two-storey Dispatch building at Edward Street and Elizabeth Street into staff areas; and renovation of select interior areas within the historic bus terminal building into staff areas. Heritage details of the existing building, including the facades, pillars and canopies, will be kept intact.
The existing open bus bays facing Edward Street to the north and Elizabeth Street to the west will be infilled with new metal wall panels in order to create a secure and enclosed garage environment for paramedic vehicular parking.
As an upcoming development will likely change the function of the site, the artwork will be installed for a temporary period of approximately five to 10 years, though the piece may have the potential to be adapted to future locations.
This project is a collaboration between the City’s Economic Development & Culture Division, Toronto Paramedic Services, uoai architects, and a general contractor with the aim of completion by December 2022.
Ward 11 – University-Rosedale
Deadline for Submissions: Closed
The experience of this new public infrastructure will be enhanced by a project by a professional visual artist or an artist-led team, selected through an open competition. The budget of $20,000 (+HST) artist fee is for design and consultation services (including contract administration, travel and other incidental expenses) for the duration of the project. Fabrication, printing, installation and other costs related to installation will be the responsibility of the general contractor.
The artwork will be installed along Edward Street, and potentially Elizabeth Street, integrated into the new raw black metal panels of particular bus bays, specifically: five existing bus bays facing Edward Street and one existing bus bay facing Elizabeth Street. The selected artist or artist-led team will be responsible for providing digital files of their work to the metal fabricator and overseeing production quality. This work is intended to take place between September and October 2022.
The City of Toronto’s new Public Art Strategy outlines the City’s commitment to public art created for, and with the input of, Toronto communities, and to create opportunities for artists of diverse backgrounds, experience and practice. We welcome submissions from Indigenous, Black, and racialized artists, and artists with relevant experience who may not have previously worked in the public realm. A specially convened Selection Panel composed of arts professionals and community members will be established for this competition.
The intent of this call is to have interested artists develop a graphic concept design for the project. Artists are welcome to submit preliminary ideas on potential technical methodologies, though this is not a requirement. The final technical requirements for the artwork, including how it will be integrated into the metal panel work, will be determined by the selected artist in consultation with the architect and selected metal fabricator.
The artwork could be one continuous design that spans all five existing bays along Edward St, or could be five complementary designs, one design per bay. The complete length of the artwork along Edward St, not including the existing stone piers, will be approximately 32.5 metres (107 feet), over five individual bays of approximately 6.5 metres (21 feet 4 inches) length each bay. Optionally, the artwork may continue to the one existing bay along Elizabeth St., with an approximate length of 4.5 metres (14 feet 9 inches) Please contact Katriina.Campitelli@toronto.ca for the reference documents and dimensioned drawings, which indicate the recommended area of artwork, including anticipated height. Note that there is a continuous horizontal seam in the metal panels that should be considered in developing the artwork. As indicated in appendix E, the lower and upper metal panels angle out slightly to meet this horizontal seam. It is recommended that the artwork be located above this seam, though other approaches by the artist(s) will be considered.
Applicants may consider one or more of the following themes in their submission: the heritage of the building (see appendix F); the history of the surrounding neighbourhood or land; and the function/use of the past or future building.
The artwork is primarily intended to be integrated into the raw black metal panels through a pattern of perforations. Some considerations related to potential methods include, but are not limited to:
Perforations:
Other methods may be explored with the architect and selected metal fabricator such as etching / machining / CNC / surface-treatment.
In all cases, the commissioned artist will work closely with the City’s Economic Development and Culture Division, Paramedic Services, uoai architects, the metal fabricator and other partners to develop and complete the project.
This is a one-stage, open, international competition for professional artists (per the Canada Council’s guidelines).
Professional artists are invited to submit proposals to be reviewed by the Selection Panel. Proposals will be reviewed by City staff for eligibility and will be presented anonymously to the Selection Panel. The Panel will select one (1) proposal to be executed, based on artistic excellence and the proposal’s suitability to the overall design scheme and context.
The contract will be awarded in September 2022.
Submissions must be received by July 30, 2022 at 4 p.m.
The City of Toronto invites local, national and international artists to respond to this RFP by submitting two files in pdf form:
File 1: This document must be labeled with the name of the artist or artist-led team and include:
File 2: This document must not include the artist’s name (as this file will be shared with the selection panel), and include:
Interested artists should contact Katriina.Campitelli@toronto.ca for the artwork templates and reference documents.
Email submissions to: publicartcompetitions@toronto.ca
Incomplete submissions will be subject to disqualification. All applicants will receive notification of the outcome of the competition within 8 weeks of closing.
Please direct questions to Katriina Campitelli (she/her), Public Art Officer at Katriina.Campitelli@toronto.ca.
In early 2021, artist Brandon Vickerd was awarded the contract for the Duke Heights BIA Landmark Public Artwork. The winning artwork, entitled ‘The Heights’ was selected by a specially convened Selection Panel composed of arts professionals and community members.
Brandon Vickerd is a sculptor whose site-specific interventions, public performances and object-based sculptures act as a catalyst for critical thought and engagement with the physical world. Purposely diverse, his studio work straddles the line between high and low culture, acting as a catalyst for critical thought and addressing the failed promise of a modernist future predicated on boundless scientific advancement. Whether through craftsmanship, the creation of spectacle, or humor, the goal of his work is to provoke the viewer into questioning the dominate myth of progress ingrained in Western world views.
The Heights, installation forthcoming, is a partial representation of the Elia Public School that once stood on the northeast corner of Keele St and Finch Ave West, rendered in Corten steel and cantilevered forty feet above the ground. With its innovative use of symbolic architecture, The Heights highlights the continuity between the past and the present. The sculpture evokes the history of the Keele and Finch area while celebrating the vibrant future of the community. This large-scale artwork incites a conversation around the evolution of the neighbourhood from its semi-rural history, to its life as an industrial centre, to the rapidly expanding urban centre that residents experience today. The Heights is specifically designed to enhance the experience of commuters along Keele Street and Finch Avenue West, whether they are viewing the artwork from a passing car, the sidewalk below, or the bike lanes.
Situated at the northernmost part of the city of Toronto, DUKE Heights is one of the highest points of the city. Nestled between Downsview Park and York University, the area has great potential and is home to a wide variety of uses from residences through to an innovative mix of businesses. With the TTC, GO transit, the under-construction Finch West LRT and various highways surrounding the BIA, the community is better positioned than any other business area for strategic and planned growth.
DUKE Heights BIA began as the Dufferin Finch BIA in 2014. This newly created Business Improvement Area elected a group of business leaders who had a new vision for the area. A vision of change. Of opportunities and untapped potential. The DUKE Heights BIA is Ontario’s second largest BIA with over 2500 businesses employing over 32 000 people.
The DUKE Heights BIA’s primary objective is to promote the potential of the area, provide support to businesses in the area and inject new resources to tap into the potential of the community.
These goals will be expressed in physical form through a permanent work of art to be placed in the substantial median at one of the busiest and most important intersections in Toronto at Keele Street and Finch Ave. The site has been identified and is governed by specific requirements for placement, loading and public safety.
The completed commission will be part of the daily experience for commuters and area residents and workers and will be experienced by a vast audience. It will symbolize the dynamism of the DUKE Heights BIA.
Above all, it is expected to: engage the community at large in the urban and employment neighborhood; serve as a memorable and welcoming landmark; serve as a source of pride for the community.
In June 2022, a specially convened Selection Panel composed of arts professionals and community members met to evaluate the applications. Of the submissions, the panel determined a shortlist of 7 artists/artist teams to proceed to the second stage of the competition. The selected artists will have their proposals evaluated in mid-fall 2022.
Rebecca Baird (Toronto)
Steven Beckly (Toronto)
Katharine Harvey (Toronto)
Kellen Hatanaka (Toronto)
Simon Hughes (Winnipeg, MB)
Tsēmā Igharas (Smithers, BC)
Jihee Min (Toronto)
Ward 12 – Toronto-St. Paul’s
The Davisville CAC is a capital project of the City’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division (PFR), in partnership with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The new City facility is located on the Davisville Junior P.S. site and will share space with the new school. The school will have access to the City swimming pools and the City will have access to the school’s gymnasium and underground parking garage.
The new City aquatic centre will be located in the Davisville Village neighbourhood, near the intersection of Yonge Street and Davisville Avenue. Designed by CS&P Architects, the centre will provide residents with a three-storey recreational aquatic facility, including a 6-lane, 25-metre lane pool, a leisure/tot pool with gender neutral washrooms and change rooms, multi-purpose spaces, and an active roof.
It will be a valued community space, inclusive and accessible to multi-generational residents that encourages health and well-being through its sports and recreational programming, informed by community consultation to date.
The City of Toronto intends to design and construct a Net Zero Energy Building to attain Net Zero Energy operations through incorporating strategies to deliver Energy, Water and Waste reduction.
The site of the new Davisville CAC is located just north of the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, the Kay Gardiner Beltline Trail and two ravines within the Don River Watershed: the Vale of Avoca to the south (where the remains of Yellow Creek flow), and the Moore Park Ravine to the east, home to Mud Creek. The building’s design and materials were inspired by the ravines, and artists are asked to continue with this broad theme as they consider creating artwork for this project. Artists should also think of ways to engage with community members during the development and/or creation of their proposals. Specific artwork locations include the main stairway, elevator bays, and a two-storey atrium.
Katriina Campitelli
Public Art Officer
437-881-2998
Katriina.Campitelli@toronto.ca
The City of Toronto invites practicing artists (including artist teams) to submit their Expression of Interest for the first stage of a competition for public art as part of the new Western North York Community and Child Care Centre (WNYCC).
Up to three artists will be selected for three opportunities through an open, two-stage competition for artists residing in Canada.
Ward 7 – Humber River-Black Creek
Submission deadline: December 20 (closed)
The WNYCC is a project by the City’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division and Children’s Services, and is being designed by the collaborative team of Maclennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects (MJMA) as the prime consultant and landscape designer, and architectural sub-consultant Bortolotto, responsible for the Child Care Centre. The new WNYCC will provide residents with a state-of-the-art community and recreation facility, a licensed daycare and a new park. It will include an aquatic centre, a gymnasium with a walking track, a fitness centre with dance and aerobic studios and flexible multi-purpose rooms. It will be a place for the community to gather and socialize; a place that cultivates creativity, health and well-being, inclusivity and accessibility for all ages.
The City of Toronto intends to design and construct a Net Zero Energy Building to attain Net Zero Energy operations through incorporating strategies to deliver energy, water and waste reduction.
The site is in close proximity to the Humber River and the project aims to make connections with the surrounding neighbourhoods and parks, including the Humber River Trail.
The site of the new WNYCC is in the Humber River-Black Creek ward, an area defined by its waterways. It is located just east of the Humber ravine and river, a continuous ecological corridor connecting to Lake Ontario to the south, and to the river’s headwaters northwest of the city. The Humber River and valley also formed part of the Toronto Carrying Place Trail, an important navigational route used for thousands of years by Indigenous people making the journey from Lake Ontario to the west branch of the Holland River, near Lake Simcoe.
Thematically, artists are asked to broadly consider the history and ecology of the area and the surrounding community. Artists should consider the social impact of their work and how they can engage with community members during the development and/or creation of their work. Community engagement will be a requirement for the selected artist, and interested artists should outline how they intend to do so within their submission.
There will also be a paid mentorship opportunity, with details to be provided to the short-listed artists.
Summer 2021: Design Development
Summer 2023: Construction Start
Winter 2025: Project Completion
Running from Bob Yuill Drive in the north to Starview Lane in the south, the promenade connects two neighbourhoods and formalizes a path through the site which the community already uses to move through the neighbourhood.
The promenade links the north and south entrances to the site, and runs along the parking lot, another point of arrival for many visitors to the Centre.
Specific artwork locations are not yet defined, but a series of three-dimensional works would be appropriate for this linear site, which many visitors will experience sequentially.
The intention for this opportunity is to commission a work which incorporates water. Site B, an outdoor terrace connected to the interior Aquatic Hall by sliding doors, is the proposed location, but may be replaced by another outdoor location. All detailed site information, as well as technical and thematic requirements for including water in the artwork, will be confirmed for Stage 2.
The finalists for Opportunities 1 and 2 will be awarded a design-build contract, and a project budget which includes all costs directly associated with the artwork: all fees for design, fabrication, installation, engineering and professional services, insurance, travel and other incidental expenses.
Artist may apply for one or both of these opportunities.
A 240m walking track encircles the perimeter of the community centre’s second floor, which provides users with exterior views of the surrounding park as well as interior views of activities happening inside the centre. This site is for two-dimensional work on the walls around the track.
The finalist for Site C will be awarded a design contract and will be paid a fee of $20,000 (+HST), for design and consultation services (including contract administration, project management, travel and other incidental expenses), working closely with relevant project partners and stakeholders to refine their concept proposal to the requirements of the site and other conditions for project realization.
This is a two-stage, open, national competition for practicing artists residing in Canada.
The City of Toronto’s Public Art Strategy outlines the City’s commitment to public art created for, and with the input of, Toronto communities, and to create opportunities for artists of diverse backgrounds, experience and practice. We welcome submissions from Indigenous, Black, and racialized artists, and artists with relevant experience who may not have previously worked in the public realm.
A specially convened Selection Panel composed of arts professionals and community members will be established for this competition.
An internal panel, made up of design team members and relevant City staff, and external advisors, as required, will review all submissions and identify a long-list of qualified artists, based on artistic excellence and demonstrated or perceived ability to create and execute an innovative, engaging public artwork that is complementary to the overall design scheme and community context.
The long-listed artists’ submissions will be reviewed by the external selection panel to select up to four artists for each opportunity to proceed to the second stage.
A detailed Terms of Reference project document will be provided to guide short-listed artists in the preparation of their proposals.
Short-listed artists for Opportunities 1 and 2 will be paid a fee of $3,000 (+HST) for this stage and will present their proposals to the selection panel in September 2022. Whether presentations will be in-person or online will be determined based on current health and travel guidelines when the selection panel is scheduled.
Short-listed artists for Opportunity 3 will be paid a fee of $1,000 (+HST) for this stage and are not required to present their proposals. The selection panel will adjudicate written proposals.
The selection panel will choose a finalist for each opportunity whose proposal responds best to the site, both conceptually and technically, and who has the ability or perceived ability to conceive and realize a public artwork on this site.
The selected artists will be notified in September 2022.
ArtworxTO, the City’s Year of Public Art, will take place in 2021-2022 as part of the City’s commitment to artists and art as part of COVID-19 recovery. All new commissions will be included in the ArtworxTO program wherever possible.
Catherine Machado
Public Art Officer
(416) 397-5328
Catherine.Machado@toronto.ca
The City of Toronto invites professional artists (including artist teams) to submit their Expression of Interest to the first stage of a two-stage competition to develop artwork as part of the George Street Revitalization Project (GSRP).
The revitalization project combines community, social and health supports and housing services in one connected city block. The proposed facility will replace the Seaton House emergency shelter and renew some vacant heritage residential sites such as the historically-significant Fegan House, with a new facility that will contain a City-operated long-term care home, transitional housing with supports, a transitional shelter for women and men, an emergency shelter for men, and a community hub for residents and neighbours. Construction is anticipated to start in summer 2022 and end in 2026.
Ward 13: Toronto Centre
Submission deadline: August 30 at 4 p.m. (closed)
The City of Toronto’s new Public Art Strategy outlines the City’s commitment to public art created for, and with the input of, Toronto communities, and to create opportunities for artists of diverse backgrounds, experience and practice. We welcome submissions from all artists including those who are Indigenous, Black, and/or racialized; those with various intersectional social identities; those with lived experience of mental health issues and/or housing insecurity and artists who may not have previously worked in the public realm. ArtworxTO, the City’s Year of Public Art, will take place in 2021 as part of the City’s commitment to artists and art as part of COVID-19 recovery. All new commissions will be included in the ArtworxTO program wherever possible.
The George Street Revitalization Project is located in the Garden District neighbourhood of Toronto’s downtown core, stretching from Allan Gardens in the north to Moss Park in the south, and includes the connecting George and Pembroke Streets. The GSRP lies within the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is currently home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit. The area continues to be significant to urban Indigenous communities and is the location of many Indigenous-focused resources and service providers including The Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto, Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training, Anishnawbe Health Toronto and more. George Street intersects with the proposed Indigenous Business District (on Dundas Street East between Church and Jarvis Streets), as well as Allan Gardens, which is an Indigenous gathering place.
There are five public art opportunities in the GSRP Public Art Program titled, “Accommodations”. The GSRP will create public infrastructure that aims to provide private space to those who are underhoused or experience housing insecurity and income precarity. Accommodations implies a place to live or settle as well as an approach that makes accommodations to site, context and personhood. We envision artworks that accommodate an understanding of the long history of this place as land, knowledge and community. And we anticipate artworks that are human-centred, accommodating differing and shared ways of life, movement and identification. We are seeking to work with artists who use socially-engaged approaches within their art practices, equalizing process and production in a manner that defines engagement with one or more communities as an essential aspect of determining the parameters of the final artwork.
Project 1: Exterior Gathering Space for the shelter and transitional housing clients
$500,000 total art budget
Project 2: Interior or Exterior Gathering Space for the long-term care residents
$500,000 total art budget
Project 3: Orientation
$250,000 total art budget
Project 4: Transition
$250,000 total art budget
Project 5: Interiors
$250,000 total art budget
This is a two-stage, open, international competition for professional artists as defined by the Canada Council for the Arts.
A specially convened selection panel, composed of a majority of practicing arts professionals as well as community members, will be established for this competition, which will be co-chaired by curators Jenifer Papararo and Lisa Myers.
Stage 1: Request for Expression of Interest: July 19 – August 30, 2021
Stage 1 is an open call to artists, requesting an Expression of Interest (EOI) submission as outlined in the full EOI document. A shortlist of approximately five (5) artists will be selected for each art opportunity, based on artistic excellence and demonstrated or perceived ability to create and execute an engaging public artwork that considers the site and context.
Online information sessions will be scheduled in late July and mid-August (dates to be confirmed) and will be open to all prospective artists.
Stage 2: Request for Conceptual Approach: September 22 – November 8, 2021
Short-listed artists will be notified in late September 2021 and invited to submit a proposal outlining their conceptual approach including their area of focus and their proposed research and/or engagement process. A detailed design proposal will not be required at this stage. Stage 2 requirements will be provided along with an Artist Resource Dossier containing some initial research and information about the site and context. Short-listed artists will be paid a fee of $2,000.00 (+HST) for this stage. Travel for site visits would be through a separate budget. Travel is still to be confirmed and will consider pandemic restrictions.
July 19, 2021: Expression of Interest issued
August 20, 2021 at 4 p.m.: Deadline to register and for questions to be submitted
August 30, 2021: Submissions due
September 22, 2021: Short-listed artists notified
November 8, 2021: Stage 2 Conceptual Approach proposals due
Late November 2021: Artist selection
December 2021 to December 2026: Art developed and delivered (subject to GSRP building schedule)
To register for this call and to receive the full EOI document with project descriptions and submission requirements, and links and dates for the online information sessions, please send an email to: info@workshopto.ca
CreateTO in collaboration with the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division and the Indigenous Affairs Office, is inviting Indigenous artists (Indigenous artists born or living in Canada) to submit their qualifications to the first stage in a two-stage process to commission public art through collaborations with members of the project Design Team (Henning Larsen and Adamson, and Associate Architects and PMA Landscape Architects) for the new Etobicoke Civic Centre (ECC). This call also includes opportunities for Indigenous artists to participate in a paid mentorship program.
The new ECC, will be located on a 13.8 acre property bounded by Kipling Avenue to the west, Bloor and Dundas Streets to the north and the TTC/CPR rail corridor to the southeast. The ECC is situated on the Ancestral territory and gathering place of the Anishnaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Tionontati (Petun), the Wendat, and the treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Conceived as an “integrated civic hub”, this mixed-use development will feature municipal and civic offices, a Council Chamber, a citizen services centre, multi-purpose meeting rooms, a wedding chapel, a daycare centre, a community recreation centre with a pool and running track, a Toronto Public Library District Branch, an art gallery, and a large outdoor civic square surrounded by ample new sustainable landscaping.
Following an international design competition, design of the civic centre was awarded to internationally acclaimed architect Henning Larsen and Adamson, and Associate Architects and PMA Landscape Architects (the “Design Team”). Completion is expected for the summer of 2025.
Ward: Etobicoke – Lakeshore
Extended submission deadline: April 26 at 6 p.m. (closed)
There are three opportunities for commissioned Indigenous artists to collaborate and work with select members of the Design Team in developing design concepts. Two paid mentorships to enable emerging artists to learn more about public art are also offered. Goals for the Indigenous artwork are to honour the ongoing Indigenous presence on Turtle Island and invoke Indigenous Peoples’ connection to Mother Earth; engage the community at large, including local and regional Indigenous communities and the general public, fostering connection and dialogue; serve as welcoming elements inviting exploration by visitors and staff; and serve as intuitive wayfinding landmarks. The artworks should be iconic, impactful, durable and require minimal maintenance.
Ultimately, the Indigenous art program aims to respect and honour all Indigenous people, First Nations, Inuit and Metis people, their elders, their knowledge keepers, both young and old, their ancestors and their valuable past and present contributions to this land.
The artworks must be unique. Editioned works or versions of existing works will not be considered.
Please note, funding for the design and construction of ECC and all public art is subject to City Council’s approval. In the event that the ECC does not proceed, all artists commissioned work will be concluded and artists will be compensated for all work completed up to the date work has been suspended.
Design Fee: $25,000
The opportunity consists of the development of a program of bas-relief Indigenous imagery relevant to this territory, to be inscribed into boulders and large stone elements that are placed in key locations around the ECC. The choice of stone materials and placement within the site will require collaboration with the Project Landscape Architect.
Design Fee: $50,000
Opportunities One and Two will be a collaboration with the Landscape Architect and will also entail periodic review by an Elder.
Design Fee: $50,000
A co-created, wall mounted indoor artwork is proposed for the interior of the wedding chapel. The artwork design and planning will be led by an Indigenous Artist and executed by a team of Indigenous participants (artists and craftspeople) assembled by the lead artist.
The lead artist will act as the coordinator and visionary for the development of a concept, and an execution budget, managing and leading the creative process for design, assembling and managing the team of Indigenous participants (artists and craftspeople) who will execute components of the design. Artists and craftspeople who are interested in participating as an artwork “Maker” in this collaborative, co-created project may contact eccpublicart@gmail.com for details.
Two paid mentorship opportunities are available to emerging artists who have an interest in learning more about public art as a discipline. The selected artists will learn about the processes involved in collaborating with architects, engineers, project managers, fabricators, public servants, and the community. The purpose of these mentorships is to increase the skills and knowledge of Indigenous artists who seek to pursue future public art opportunities. Final details of the scope and timing of these mentorships are to be determined.
Interested Indigenous artists, born or living in Canada, are invited to submit their credentials for consideration as part of the first stage of a two-stage public art process. Recognition as an artist and Indigenous person by the Indigenous community and ability to demonstrate learnings from their own journey and teachings received are of importance.
Please note, these opportunities entail Indigenous Artist collaborations with the designated Design Team member. Non-Indigenous team submissions will not be considered.
Proponents must be Indigenous professional artists with a history of public exhibition as artists, a background including training as artists including equivalent informal or traditional training, and curator, community or peer recognition as artists.
Architects and designers/design studios are not being considered for this project.
Three to five candidates will be selected to advance as finalists for each commission opportunity, including the mentorships. Selection will be made by the ECC Public Art Jury and Working Group. Finalists will be invited to participate in juried interviews with an honorarium paid to finalists for their participation.
March 16: Call for artists
March 19: Release of the application forms*
March 23 at 8 a.m.: Deadline to secure the “Call to Artists” package of information and submission forms*
March 25 and 27 at 11 a.m.: “How to Apply” online information session**
April 26 at 6 p.m.: Extended submission deadline
*Please contact Karen Mills at eccpublicart@gmail.com to request the application forms and an invitation to participate.** Please email Karen Mills at eccpublicart@gmail.com to register for the online event.
“How to Apply” online information sessions will be held on Thursday, March 25 and Saturday, March 27 at 11 a.m. An additional session may be scheduled at a later date.
To request the application forms and to secure the “Call to Artists” package, please contact Karen Mills at eccpublicart@gmail.com.
Late submissions will not be accepted.
The City of Toronto invites professional artists (including artist teams) to submit their Expression of Interest to the first stage of a competition for a public artwork or artworks as part of the design of a new park for the Lawrence Heights neighbourhood.
The art component of this new public space will be selected through an open, two-stage competition, with a net budget of approximately $475,000 (+HST). The project budget includes all costs directly associated with the artwork: all fees for design, fabrication, installation, engineering and professional services, insurance, travel and other incidental expenses.
The design, by Dillon Consulting, is currently underway, and construction is planned for completion in 2023.
Ward: Eglinton – Lawrence
Submission Deadline: March 1 at 5 p.m.(closed)
The City of Toronto’s new Public Art Strategy outlines the City’s commitment to public art created for, and with the input of, Toronto communities, and to create opportunities for artists of diverse backgrounds, experience and practice. We welcome submissions from Indigenous, Black, and racialized artists, and those who may not have previously worked in the public realm.
Lawrence Heights is an historical neighbourhood that is home to a strong, diverse, and engaged community. Artists are asked to consider the social impact of their work and how they can engage with community members, both long-time residents and those newer to the area, during the development and/or creation of their proposals. Community engagement will be a requirement for the selected artist and as such, interested artists should be prepared to outline how they intend to do so within their submissions.
The primary site for artists to consider is the south west edge of the park, along the new Deep Roots Terrace, where a series of locations is possible in a linear promenade, accessible to the street as well as the park. Other sites may be available at the entrances to the park and at several sites within the park itself. It is an option for artists to work at one or a combination of sites. The sites will be described in detail in the Terms of Reference for short-listed artists.
This is a two-stage, open, international competition for professional artists. Per the Canada Council’s guidelines, a professional artist is defined as someone who:
A specially convened selection panel, composed of practicing arts professionals and community members, will be established for this two-stage competition.
The selection panel will review all submissions and meet in late February, 2021 (date TBC) to identify a short-list of five (5) artists, based on artistic excellence and demonstrated or perceived ability to create and execute an innovative, engaging public artwork that is complementary to the overall design scheme and community context.
The short-listed artists will be notified shortly after the selection panel’s first meeting, and invited to submit a conceptual design proposal. A detailed Terms of Reference document will be provided to short-listed artists, with all of the detailed information required to prepare and submit their proposals. Short-listed artists will be paid a fee of $3000.00 (+HST) for this stage.
All proposals will undergo a technical review by City staff and Design Team members, in order to assess them for safety and maintenance concerns. Each artist will receive their technical feedback notes, and have time to incorporate them into their proposals, if necessary, and all technical reviews will be circulated to the selection panel. Proposals which are deemed not technically viable will not advance to the interview stage.
Short-listed artists will attend an interview (interviews may be conducted online) and present their proposals to the selection panel in June, 2021 (date to be confirmed). The panel will choose a finalist whose vision for the site best suits the overall scope and intent of this project, and has the ability or perceived ability to conceive and realize a public artwork on this site.
The short-listed artists will be notified of the competition results by the end of June, 2021.
ArtworxTO, the City’s Year of Public Art, will take place in 2021 as part of the City’s commitment to artists and art as part of COVID-19 recovery. All new commissions will be included in the ArtworkTO program wherever possible.
December 17, 2020: Expression of Interest issued
March 1, 2021: Submissions due
Mid-March, 2021: Selection panel meeting
Mid-March 2021: Short-listed artists notified
Mid-May 2021: Proposal deadline
Late May 2021: Technical review
June 2021: Artist interviews and selection
Artists are invited to respond by submitting a single PDF document with the following information:
The PDF application must be labelled with the name of the artist and project (Last Name First Name_ LHTriangle), and should not exceed 20 MB total size.
The document should be emailed to publicartcompetitions@toronto.ca with subject line “LH Triangle Park EOI Submission”. The submission deadline is 5 p.m., March 1. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Katriina Campitelli
Public Art Officer
647-458-5657
Katriina.Campitelli@toronto.ca
The City of Toronto invites professional artists (including artist teams) to submit their Expression of Interest to the first stage of a competition for a public artwork or artworks along the newly redesigned Humber Bay Shores Trail. The trail runs from the Humber River to the east, through Humber Bay Shores park and the Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat, and connects to the Humber Bay East and West parks to the west.
The artwork for this site will be selected through an open, two-stage competition, with a budget of approximately $350,000 (+HST). The project budget includes all costs directly associated with the artwork: all fees for design, fabrication, installation, engineering and professional services, insurance, travel and other incidental expenses.
Ward: Etobicoke – Lakeshore
Submission Deadline: February 22 at 5 p.m. (closed)
The City of Toronto’s new Public Art Strategy outlines the City’s commitment to public art created for, and with the input of, Toronto communities, and to create opportunities for artists of diverse backgrounds, experience and practice. We welcome submissions from Indigenous, Black, and racialized artists, and those who may not have previously worked in the public realm.
The creation of a new plaza along the trail provides a highly public site for an art work or works on the shore of Humber Bay. The open space is designed as a rest area for trail users, with a wide view of the bay, lake and the Toronto skyline to the east. The site will also be visible to those passing by on the trail, as well as from the surrounding condo towers.
Thematically, artists are asked to broadly consider the history and ecology of the area. The new plaza at the foot of Palace Pier Court is named after the Palace Pier dance hall, which stood on the site from the late 1920s until it was destroyed by fire in 1963. After the pier’s demolition, the section of the bay where it stood was filled to create the current site, along with other modifications to the shoreline over the 20th century which included the creation of the Humber Bay parks.
In a recent community survey, the majority of respondents cited the proximity to nature, the water, and the area’s biodiversity as its most important characteristics. They envisioned an art work which complements and acknowledges the area’s unique natural features and history.
Artists are asked to consider the social impact of their work and how they can engage with community members during the development and/or creation of their proposals. This will be a requirement for the selected artist, and interested artists should outline potential opportunities for community engagement in their letter of interest.
This is a two-stage, open, competition for professional artists.
Per the Canada Council’s guidelines, a professional artist is defined as someone who:
A specially convened selection panel, composed of practicing arts professionals and community members, will be established for this two-stage competition.
The selection panel will review all submissions and identify a short-list of five (5) artists, based on artistic excellence and demonstrated or perceived ability to create and execute an innovative, engaging public artwork that is complementary to the overall design scheme and community context.
The short-listed artists will be notified in March (date to be confirmed), and invited to submit a conceptual design proposal. A detailed Terms of Reference project document will be provided to help short-listed artists prepare their proposals. Short-listed artists will be paid a fee of $3,000 (+HST) for this stage.
Short-listed artists will attend an interview and present their proposals (online presentations may be required) to the selection panel in May, 2021 (date to be confirmed) The panel will choose a finalist whose vision for the site best suits the overall scope of this project, and has the ability or perceived ability to conceive and realize a public artwork on this site.
The selected artist will be notified by the end of June, 2021.
ArtworxTO, the City’s Year of Public Art, will take place in 2021 as part of the City’s commitment to artists and art as part of COVID-19 recovery. All new commissions will be included in the ArtworkTO program wherever possible.
January 2021: Expression of Interest issued
February 22, 2021: Submissions due
March 2021: Selection panel meeting
March 2021: Short-listed artists notified
May 2021: Proposal deadline
June 2021: Technical review
June 2021: Artist interviews and selection
Artists are invited to respond by submitting a single PDF document with the following information:
The PDF application must be labelled with the name of the artist and project (Last Name First Name_ HumberBay), and should not exceed 20 MB total size.
The document should be emailed to publicartcompetitions@toronto.ca with subject line “Last Name, First Name_HumberBay”. The submission deadline is 5 p.m., February 22. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Katriina Campitelli
Public Art Officer
647-458-5657
Katriina.Campitelli@toronto.ca