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.

Request for Expressions of Interest: Indigenous Public Art – Five Corners Parkette, St. Catharines

Deadline: July 12, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST

Budget: $140,000 CAD + HST

Eligibility: Indigenous artists and Indigenous-led teams (Canada)

Location: Five Corners Parkette, St. Catharines, Ont.

To view or download the full Expression of Interest (EOI) request, please click here.

Overview

The City of St. Catharines is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from Indigenous artists and Indigenous-led artist teams to create a site-specific, permanent public artwork for the Five Corners parkette, located at the intersection of St. Paul Street, Geneva Street, Queenston Street, and Niagara Street.

This is a two-stage competition. Up to three artists / teams will be shortlisted and invited to develop concept proposals in Stage 2 (honorarium provided). One finalist will be selected to realize the commissioned artwork.

Project Context and Vision

The Five Corners site sits at a historically significant convergence of Indigenous trail systems that have connected the Niagara region for millennia. These routes — many of which continue to shape the downtown today — reflect deep histories of movement, exchange, and relationship.

The City invites artists to respond to this place through themes such as:

Indigenous trails and pathways
Movement and travel
Meeting place and convergence
Storied land and layered histories
Relationships and coexistence

Artists are encouraged to meaningfully engage with the histories of the land, including the presence and knowledge systems of the Neutral Nation Confederacy, the Anishinaabek, and the Haudenosaunee, and the continuing significance of agreements such as the Dish With One Spoon and the Great Peace of Montréal.

Artwork Opportunity

The selected artist/team will:

Develop a site-responsive, permanent public artwork
Engage with community, including Indigenous community members, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers, as appropriate
Fabricate and install the final artwork within the project budget
The artwork will become part of the City of St. Catharines Civic Art Collection.

Project Site

The artwork will be located within the Five Corners parkette at a prominent downtown intersection. The site is an active pedestrian corridor and historically significant location shaped by longstanding Indigenous pathways.

Project Team and Support

The project is developed in collaboration with the Niagara Academy for Indigenous Relations (NAIR), which will provide curatorial guidance and cultural advisory support throughout the process.

Funding support is provided by the City of St. Catharines, and in part through the Niagara Region Public Realm Investment Program (PRIP).

Budget

Total commission: $140,000 + HST
Inclusive of artist fees, design, fabrication, materials, engineering (if required), transportation, and installation
Stage 2 honorarium: $2,000 + HST (per shortlisted artist / team)

Eligibility

Open to:

Professional Indigenous artists (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) residing in Canada.
Indigenous-led teams (must identify an Indigenous lead artist)

The City may request confirmation of Indigenous identity / affiliation and / or the Indigenous lead role in a respectful manner as part of due diligence during the selection process.

Artists should demonstrate:

Experience in original artistic practice
A track record of presenting work publicly
Capacity to complete a project of this scale

Competition Process

Stage 1 – Expression of Interest (Open Call)

Applicants submit qualifications only (no concept proposal required).

A Selection Committee will shortlist up to three artists / teams.

Stage 2 – Concept Proposals (By Invitation Only)

Shortlisted artists will:

Develop a detailed concept proposal
Present their proposal to the Selection Committee
Receive a $2,000 honorarium

One artist / team will be selected for commission.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated on:

Artistic excellence and strength of past work
Alignment with project vision and site context
Demonstrated ability to execute a public artwork
Approach to community engagement
Technical experience and collaboration capacity

Key Dates

Stage 1 – EOI

Launch: May 27, 2026
Deadline: July 12, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST
Shortlist notification: Week of July 20, 2026

Stage 2 – Concept Stage (Invited)

RFP issued: July 27, 2026
Submission deadline: Aug. 30, 2026
Presentations: Week of Sept. 7, 2026
Final selection: Week of Sept. 14, 2026

Production and Installation

Fall 2026 to Spring 2027
Installation target: June 2027

How to Submit (Stage 1)

To submit for the first stage of the competition, please complete the online submission form, including the following information:

Statement of Interest (max. two pages)
Artist Statement and Bio (max. one page)
CV / Resume (max. three pages)
Portfolio (max. 10 images with image list)
Two references
Format: PDF preferred (or accessible cloud link)

Submission Deadline: July 12, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST

Accessibility

Accommodation and alternative submission formats are available upon request.

Contact: culture@stcatharines.ca

Questions

Submit inquiries to: culture@stcatharines.ca
Subject line: EOI Question – 5 Corners Indigenous Public Art
Responses and addenda will be posted on the City’s website.

Additional Information

The City reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition
The selected artist will enter into a formal agreement and provide required insurance and documentation
Submissions may be subject to MFIPPA

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 – Core and Midsized programs or the Arts Development and Culture Builds Community programs. More information about these programs, and SCCIP in general, can be found on the SCCIP page of the City’s website.

Eligibility

Any interested applicant must:

Be an engaged member of the arts community in Ontario, either as an artist, arts worker, arts administrator, arts educator, or board member/volunteer of an arts organization; and,
Be available between April 24 and May 26 to:
- review and score grant applications; and,
- meet to discuss and allocate funding.

Important dates

Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Notification: Thursday, April 23, 2026

About the review committees

Members of the review committees will:

Thoroughly review all applications within the time allocated (generally two to three 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,four-hour in-person / video meeting 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 (page 11).

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

How to apply

Interested individuals are invited to apply by emailing the City of St. Catharines Culture Division with the following information:

Your resume / C.V.
A short paragraph (250 words max.) detailing why you would like to participate as a SCCIP review committee member.

Please also indicate if you would like to be considered for future review committee work.

Call to Artists - 2026 Annual Juried Exhibition

The City of St. Catharines 17th Annual Juried Exhibition, Current, invites artists to explore the forces that shape Niagara Region—its waterways, its histories, and the energies moving through the present moment. This juried exhibition brings together diverse artistic practices that respond to both the literal and metaphorical currents influencing how we live, create, and connect today.

“The Niagara Region is shaped by currents — of water, of industry, of migration, and of culture,” says Chelsea Ryan, Culture Coordinator, Public Art. “This exhibition encourages artists to reflect on both the physical flows that define this place and the contemporary currents — social, political, emotional, and technological — that shape our shared experience.”

We welcome submissions that engage with themes including, but not limited to:

Waterways, flow, and environmental systems
Movement, migration, and change
Industry, infrastructure, and built landscapes
Contemporary culture, news, and global events
Emotional, social, and political currents
Energy, momentum, and transformation

Artists at all stages of their careers are encouraged to apply, including emerging, student, and established artists. This exhibition is open to artists living across the Niagara Region, working in a wide range of media and disciplines.

We invite you to share your work and contribute to a dynamic exploration of the currents shaping our region and our present moment.

The exhibition will be installed in the exhibition space on the third floor of City Hall (50 Church St., St. Catharines).

There are no costs associated with entry.

Selected artists will be compensated $240, based on 2026 CARFAC Fee Schedule Section.

Important Dates

Exhibition Dates: Sept. 18, 2026, to Jan. 22, 2027

Submission Deadline: Monday, June 29, 2026

Selected Artists Notified by Email: Monday, Aug. 10, 2026

Artwork Delivery: Monday, Sept. 14, 2026

Opening Reception: Friday, Sept. 18, 2026

Artwork Pick-Up: Monday, Jan. 25, 2026

Eligibility

Open to all emerging, student and established artists, designers and collectives from across the Niagara Region.
Artworks must be original and created within the last three years.
All selected artworks will be made available for display for the entire period of the exhibition.
Each work must either be:
- Equipped and suitable for hanging on a track hanging system and must not exceed 25 kg. (2D works)
- Suitable for display in a 18” x 18” x 18” pedestal display case (3D works)

Note: Only one sculptural piece will accepted for display.

Submission Guidelines

Artists may submit a maximum of three artworks for consideration.
Submissions must include a completed application form, artist statement(s), and supporting image(s) to be considered complete.
Digital images must be submitted in .jpg format (minimum 150 dpi). Please include one to four images per artwork. Files should be labelled as follows: LastName_FirstName_ArtworkTitle.
Artists must reside within the Niagara Region and be 18 years of age or older.
Successful applicants are responsible for delivering their work in accordance with the timelines and instructions provided in their acceptance letter.

All artworks must be able to be safely installed within the gallery space. City staff will oversee final installation.
Selected artworks may be considered for acquisition into the City of St. Catharines’ Civic Art Collection.

Selection Process

All submissions will be reviewed by a jury selected by the City of St. Catharines’ Arts and Culture Advisory Committee.

The jury will consider each application based on the following criteria:

Artistic merit, originality, and quality of work
Relationship and responsiveness to the exhibition theme, Current
Creativity in concept, materials, and approach
Clarity and impact of the artist’s statement
Feasibility of installation within the exhibition space

The jury reserves the right to accept or reject any submission and is not obligated to select all entries. Final decisions are at the sole discretion of the jury.

How to Submit

Complete the application form and upload any additional information online.

Apply now

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.