Call to Indigenous Artists: Cabbagetown Sculpture and Mural Commissions, Toronto

About this call

The Cabbagetown Business Improvement Area and the City of Toronto, Canada, invite Indigenous artists to the first stage of a two-stage competition for two permanent public artworks on Spruce Street at Parliament Street, along the side of the No Frills in Toronto's Cabbagetown neighbourhood. Opportunity 1 is one large sculptural piece or a series of sculptures on the sidewalk; Opportunity 2 is a mural on the south wall of the No Frills that works with the store's existing signage and serves as a backdrop for the sculpture. The two artworks must complement each other through theme or design, should carry the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation and honour the Indigenous history of the land, and must be new, durable works. Up to six artists (four for the sculpture, two for the mural) will be shortlisted and notified in mid-January 2027, and the artworks are to be installed by August 27, 2027.

Who can apply

• Canada only
• Medium: Sculpture / Painting
• Entry fee: See official site
• Open only to Indigenous artists (status or non-status, Métis or Inuit) based in Canada, with connections to the City of Toronto; the call's opening paragraph says connections to Toronto are preferred. Applicants must have a history of public exhibition, artistic training and/or recognition by arts professionals and peers, some form of recognition as an Indigenous person within their Indigenous community, and the ability to demonstrate learnings from their own lived experiences; non-Indigenous applicants will not be considered, and a previous public art commission is not required. Preference goes to applicants with a strong public art background and a connection to Cabbagetown. Email one PDF (20 MB max) to Indigenous Public Art Curator Tessa Shank (the submission section gives tkaonto.art@gmail.com, the contact section Tkaronto.art@gmail.com), naming the opportunity in the file title and email header: artistic statement (1 page max), CV (2 pages max), up to 10 images of previous work with title, year, location, mediums, commissioning agents or collaborators, budget, dimensions and a description of up to 50 words, and a statement on your connection to Indigenous community or lived experience. Applying to both opportunities needs a separate package for each; teams include every requirement for each member. The two selected artists must be willing to work together on a thematic connection between the works, and must keep design, fabrication, footings, foundations and installation within the budget; the mural must include an anti-graffiti coating. Shortlisted artists prepare a detailed proposal with a budget and a brief statement shared with the community for feedback.