Call for Artists and Writers - Civic Square Temporary Public Art

The theme of the Civic Square Hoarding Project is Transitions.

Submitted works are encouraged to engage with this theme in a way that feels meaningful to the artist or writer. This may include reflecting the city’s multicultural strength, honouring its past, or gesturing toward future possibilities. Artists are welcome to explore one or more of these ideas or interpret “Transitions” in their own unique way.

The artwork will be printed on a 48” X 48” panel and will include a brief title (artist name, artwork title and year of creation) underneath the image. The artwork must adhere to the following specifications:

• Visual artwork must be scalable to a maximum of 44” width and 34” height or less. The artwork may be presented in landscape or portrait orientation but may not exceed the maximum dimensions.
• Visual artwork must be supplied as a high-resolution digital image suitable for printing.
• Writing pieces must be 150 words or less. Please consider formatting
• requirements of your submission (i.e., if your submission requires multiple line
• breaks, spacing, etc. the word count should be reduced to allow space for this).
• Suitable for presentation in a public space, for all ages (i.e., the artwork may not contain profanity, hate speech, graphic imagery, etc.).
• Be easily legible to pedestrian traffic, artwork that incorporates text must adhere to AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) guidelines.
• Artwork cannot contain imagery resembling traffic signals or directional signage.
• Artwork may not include logos, company names, etc.
• The artwork must be original and cannot infringe on the copyright of any other individual/company.

Eligibility

This project is open to Burlington-based artists and writers as well as artists and writers that are members of Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Six Nations of the Grand River, regardless of current residency. Artist collectives and/or artist-led teams are also encouraged to apply.

The Civic Square Hoarding project strongly encourages applications from equity-seeking communities, from individuals who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Persons with Disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ and/or persons living at intersectionalities.

Artist Fee

The artist fee for this project is $400 (CAD, exclusive of HST). Successful artists will need to supply the City of Burlington with a digital artwork file ready for printing and the right to reproduce the artwork for the purpose of Transitions: Civic Square Hoarding project.

The City of Burlington will pay for all costs related to production, installation, and maintenance of the signs.

Artwork Location

The artworks will be installed on construction hoarding along Brant St at the front of City Hall. The Civic Square Hoarding Project will take place in conjunction with the renewal of Burlington’s Civic Square.

The Civic Square Renewal project aims to refresh the area surrounding City Hall, including Civic Square, City Hall’s front entrance and facade, and the streetscapes of Brant Street and Elgin Street in the immediate area.

Estimate Project Timeline: 2026

Application Deadline and Receipt

All applications are due on or before Friday, May 22, 2026 by 11:59 p.m.

Applications must be submitted online using the online application portal Submittable. Incomplete applications or those received after the deadline will not be accepted.

All applicants will receive notice via email that their application has been received/ if you do not receive a verification email following the submission of your application (don’t forget to check your junk mail first), please contact publicart@burlington.ca or 289-208-4699.

The City of Burlington reserves the right to not recommend any application, proposal or finalist and to terminate or re-advertise any project.

Application Package

Applications must be submitted online via Submittable. To use Submittable, you will need to register for a free account.