Calls to Artists

The City of St. Catharines often engages with artists to put their talents on display for a variety of temporary exhibits, public art commissions, special events and music programming. We issue calls to artists and requests for expressions of interest when opportunities are available.

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New and ongoing opportunities

Stay up to date on the latest opportunities for artists with the City of St. Catharines.

Call to Artists: Black History Portraits at the St. Catharines Museum

Black History Portraits at the St. Catharines Museum

The St. Catharines Museum is seeking one Black artist to create six vibrant, contemporary portraits of significant Black historical figures connected to Niagara for its permanent Black History Interpretive Space and exhibition, To Stay Free You Must Be Brave.

This project will highlight individuals whose lives and experiences shaped the history of St. Catharines and the Niagara region. Four portraits will be created from existing historical photographs, while two portraits will be developed interpretively from historical research and reference materials where no known photographs exist.

The selected artist will work closely with Museum staff to create a cohesive series of portraits that will be reproduced on interpretive banners and displayed for up to five years in the Museum’s permanent Black history exhibition space.

Please read the full Call to Artists for this project before submitting an application.

Important Dates

Application Deadline: Friday, Nov. 20, 2026

Selected Artist Notified: Friday, Nov. 27, 2026

Project Kick-Off: Week of Nov. 30, 2026

Concept Sketches Due: Friday, Dec. 11, 2026

Final Artwork Due: Monday, Jan. 18, 2027

Exhibition Installation: Winter/Spring 2027

Eligibility

Open to Black artists residing in the Niagara Region or artists who identify as descendants of Freedom Seekers living outside Niagara.
Applicants must be comfortable creating two interpretive portraits based on historical information where no direct visual reference exists.
Applicants must be available to meet the project schedule and participate in consultation and revision processes with Museum staff.
Artwork must be the artist's original work and may not be created using generative AI tools.

Artist Fee

There is no fee to apply.

The selected artist will receive a commission of $4,200 CAD, based on six portraits at $700 each. The Museum will also cover banner production costs.

Submission Information

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by Museum staff and project partners. The successful applicant will be selected based on:

Artistic quality and skill demonstrated in previous work.
Experience creating portraiture or figurative work.
Ability to create work that is vibrant, contemporary, and suitable for public exhibition.
Capacity to undertake historical research and develop interpretive portraits.
Ability to meet project timelines and collaborate with Museum staff.

The Museum reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications and may cancel the call at any time.

Submission Guidelines

Submit up to 10 portfolio images demonstrating your artistic practice.
Images should be high-quality JPEG, PNG, or PDF files.
Provide an artist biography, résumé, or CV.
Provide a brief statement describing your interest in this project and your experience creating portraiture.
Confirm that you are comfortable creating interpretive portraits based on historical information without direct photographic references.
Applications must be received by Friday, Nov. 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

Apply Now

Call for Expressions of Interest: St. Catharines Legacy Mural Commission

The City of St. Catharines invites professional artists and artist teams to submit Expressions of Interest for A Love Letter to a City: A St. Catharines 150th Legacy Mural Commission. This public art opportunity will commission a large-scale original mural that reflects the evolving story of St. Catharines by exploring its past, present, and future.

Following the Expression of Interest stage (Stage 1), a shortlist of artists will be invited to develop detailed concepts for consideration (Stage 2). Artists residing in Ontario and/or with strong connections to St. Catharines, with experience in large-scale mural projects and community-engaged public art practices are encouraged to apply.

For the Expression of Interest stage (Stage 1), artists are invited to submit a statement of interest and a portfolio of past work.

In Stage 2, shortlisted artists may propose mural concepts covering all or a portion of the available wall surface. Shortlisted artists will be asked to identify the proposed square footage of coverage and explain how the design responds to the architectural features of the wall.

For eligibility requirements, project details, budget information, timelines, and submission instructions, please review the full Call for Expressions of Interest.

Submission Deadline:

Sunday, November 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST

Location:

Ontario Street Parking Garage, Downtown St. Catharines, Ontario

How to Apply:

Complete the application form and upload any additional information online. If you experience difficulties applying with the online application form, please review the form, including the fields required, and submit the requested application materials to culture@stcatharines.ca.

Apply now

Call for Reviewers: St. Catharines Cultural Investment Program (SCCIP)

As part of the City’s revised SCCIP Policy (adopted in fall 2025), SCCIP review committees shall be comprised of individuals that reflect, as best as possible, a diversity of knowledge, experience and perspective in the areas of arts and culture and, ideally, both professional and community practice. Review committees will include at least five individuals, including two members of the City’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee.

The City is therefore seeking applications from interested members of the arts community to sit on SCCIP review committees this spring. Individuals will review applications to either the Sustaining – Festival program, the Arts Development and Culture Builds Community programs, or the PAC Facility Access Program. More information about these programs, and SCCIP in general, can be found on the SCCIP page of the City’s website.

About the review committees

Members of the review committees will:

Thoroughly review all applications within the time allocated (generally 2 to 3 weeks);
Score all applications using evaluation tools provided by City staff;
Share scores with the Culture Office no later than 24 hours before the agreed-upon meeting time;
Be available to participate in one 4-hour online meeting (in-person meeting option available if preferred) to discuss applications and allocate funding. Meeting date/time TBD based on review committee members’ schedules; and,
Abide by the Conflict of Interest section of the SCCIP Policy (p.11).

An honorarium of $350 will be provided to each review committee member.

How to apply

Applications for 2027 SCCIP Review Committees will be accepted beginning in early spring 2027.

Open Call to Artists - All Disciplines

The St. Catharines Culture Plan 2025-2030: Stay for the Culture presents a transformative vision for culture in St. Catharines, outlining a strategic roadmap to guide municipal support for arts and culture over the next five years.

As part of this roadmap, we are planning to provide additional opportunities for artists of all disciplines to engage the public in activities, lead workshops and host performances in a variety of public spaces throughout the city. These experiences will enrich lives, foster pride, and ensure a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable cultural sector within the city.

Eligibility

This application form is an open call to all artist(s), artist ad-hoc groups or arts and culture organizations seeking to lead a workshop or arts activity as part of programming initiatives undertaken by the City of St. Catharines.

How to submit

Complete the application form and upload any additional information online.

Apply now

Live music programming

Each year, we feature a variety of live music programming at Market Square. These concerts help enhance our Farmers Market and add vibrant character to our downtown.

To apply, complete our Musician Application Form. We accept applications throughout the year and welcome submissions from artists with original songs and covers of recording artists.