Call to Artists: Permanent Public Art at Fairwinds Park, Mississauga (Expression of Interest)

About this call

The City of Mississauga Public Art Program in Ontario, Canada invites professional artists and artist-led teams to submit credentials and expressions of interest for a permanent public artwork at Fairwinds Park, near Cooksville Creek and its protected wetlands. The site sits on a rise at the park edge, visible from Eglinton Avenue. The artwork should welcome visitors, draw on the park's wetlands, woodlands, wildlife and relationship to Cooksville Creek, consider sustainability and may be functional. Selection has two stages: up to three artists are shortlisted to develop proposals, each receiving CAD 3,300 + HST. The total budget is CAD 315,000 + HST, with installation expected in 2028.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Sculpture / Installation
• Entry fee: See official site
• Open to professional artists and artist/artist-led teams residing in Canada or abroad; the City defines a professional artist as someone who earns all or a sizable portion of their livelihood from artistic work and is recognized by peers as an artist. Applicants declare they are 18 years of age or older. No artwork proposal is required at this stage. Submit through the online portal: a written expression of interest (up to 1,000 words) or a recorded video (MP4 or link, max 20 MB), CV, up to 10 images of past work (each with title, year, media, location, project budget, dimensions, collaborators or commissioning agencies), contact information for two references, a disclosure on use of artificial intelligence, and a screenshot proving completion of an anonymous survey. Those unable to use the portal may email one PDF to public.art@mississauga.ca, with the Curator Information Form at the end of the call document. Incomplete or late submissions will not be juried. The shortlist is expected in early December 2026; shortlisted artists then receive a Request for Proposals, and no further compensation is paid for costs of the selection process beyond the proposal fee. The budget covers all artist fees and project expenses, including technical consultation, travel to the site and project meetings, materials, engineering (if applicable), fabrication, delivery and installation, insurance and permit fees, maintenance plan documentation and attendance at the unveiling. Installation and unveiling are scheduled for May to October 2028 (schedule subject to change).