The mission of the City of Burlington's Public Art Program is to enhance the quality of life in Burlington through the rich context of the arts. The program strives to bring artwork by both established and emerging artists to the city centre and the neighbourhoods throughout Burlington, Ontario. The Public Art Program provides cultural opportunity, guides the evolution of a vibrant artistic character for the City’s emerging public places, and ensures a visual legacy for all to enjoy.
Call for Indigenous Mural Artists! Indigenous Gathering Space, Mountainside Recreation Centre, City of Burlington
Deadline: Monday January 27, 2025
Award: $15,000
The City of Burlington invites First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists, groups and artist-led teams living in Halton Region (Burlington, Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills) to submit an expression of interest to create a permanent mural inside the Mountainside Recreation Centre.
The City is partnering with the Burlington Indigenous Talking Circle to create a gathering space at Mountainside Recreation Centre (2205 Mt Forest Dr.). This room will provide space for First Nations ceremonies and Indigenous activities, such as beading and skirt-making. The goal is to create dedicated space for local Indigenous arts and culture to flourish in Burlington, honouring the history and importance of the Indigenous community in Burlington.
The mural will help to set the tone and intention of the space and ignite reflection and conversation. It will help nurture connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, serving as a publicly accessible site available for hosting a variety of recreational and educational opportunities.
Mural design proposals are not required at this time. The selected artist(s) will be given time to develop their artwork concept. This will include a site visit and collaboration with the Burlington Indigenous Talking Circle.
How to Apply
Important! Please download and read the full Call to Artists document as this contains important project information. Click HERE to download the Call to Artists document (PDF)
Applications are due on or before January 27, 2025 (11:59 p.m.). Applicants will receive an email confirmation once their application has been received. Please contact us if you do not receive confirmation.
Please submit the following information:
1. Artist Information: Name, preferred pronouns (optional), address, phone, email, website, social media handles. If submitting as an artist team, please complete for the Lead Artist (primary contact).
2. Artist Biography: Highlight the background, artistic journey, experiences and qualifications of the artist or artist team. This may be submitted in written format (maximum 500 words) or can be submitted as a recorded video/audio (3 minutes maximum).
3. Letter of interest: Describe your interest in this project and how it relates to your artistic practice. While mural design proposals are not needed at this stage, we encourage artists to describe their artistic approach and preliminary concepts for this project (i.e., your preliminary thoughts on the style and subject matter of the artwork). This may be submitted in written format (maximum 500 words) or can be submitted as a recorded video/audio (3 minutes maximum).
4. Artwork Samples: Submit up to ten (10) images of your past artwork.
5. Artwork List: Dimensions, date, materials and location (if applicable) of Artwork Samples.
Contact Us
We are here to help! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need assistance or accommodation with the application process.
Kim Selman
Arts and Culture Planner,
Recreation, Community and Culture
T: 905-515-9334
About Community Public Art
Are you interested in creating a public art project in your neighbourhood? The City of Burlington public art program is committed to supporting community-led projects by providing public art advice and, where applicable, access to City-owned parks and facilities.
Important! Please read the complete application package (click here) before proceeding with the online application.
What kinds of projects can be considered?
A wide variety of projects will be considered. The goal of this program is to support community and/or artist-led projects that happen in public space. Community public art projects can include, but are not limited to:
- Murals (interior or exterior)
- Two-dimensional works such as mosaics, surface treatments, etc.
- Free-standing sculpture
- Temporary art installations
- Video and LED artworks (digital projections and lighting)
- Artist-designed functional art (benches, bike racks, light standards or other streetscape amenities)
How do I apply?
If you would like to lead a community public art project, the first step is completing this application package (click here to download full document). A staff member will then contact you to outline the application review process and discuss next steps
Participate in a Public Art Jury
Do you love art and your community? Help make your mark on The City of Burlington’s public program by participating in a public art jury. We are looking for local artists, creative professionals and residents to evaluate public art applications throughout the year.
No experience is necessary! Each jury is made up of a mix of arts professionals and residents to represent a broad cross-section of the community.
Simply fill out a brief application form to be added to the jury roster by clicking the 'Submit' button.