Opportunities for Artists and Organizations

The City of Nanaimo is seeking artists for the 2024 - 2026 Urban Design Roster!

Urban design describes the physical features that define the character or image of a street, neighborhood, community, or a City as a whole. Urban Design contributes to the fabric of Nanaimo, contributing to the creation of unique, dynamic and engaging public spaces.

The Urban Design Roster Program offers artists and designers an opportunity to be involved in urban design by creating small-scale artwork or design treatments that can be integrated into civic infrastructure. Artists and designers who join the Urban Design Roster are indicating they wish to be contacted to work with the City’s Public Art team and other City service areas such as Bylaw Services, Engineering, Parks, Roads & Traffic, and Transportation, to apply their talents to a particular design challenge.

Projects are activated on an ongoing basis in relation to opportunities arising from infrastructure renewals, upgrades and maintenance such as: urban space beautification like murals or other surface treatments on buildings like park bathrooms or play areas like splash pads; street objects like traffic barriers, controlled crosswalks; or design treatments for necessary utility objects like manhole covers.

The Urban Design Roster is open to established and emerging artists, including those interested in expanding their practices into the public realm for the first time. Applications require a statement of interest, resume and a portfolio of previous work. Submissions will be reviewed by a selection panel comprised of City Staff and members of the Art in Public Spaces Working Group. The selected artists and designers will be listed as part of the Urban Design Roster for a period of two years (2024-2026).

Artists or designers who are on the Urban Design Roster will be contacted about opportunities by the project team on a case-by-case basis. Project fee scales are determined based on the nature and scope of work, and follow the fee schedules related to the public display of art identified by CARFAC (Canadian Artists Representation/le Front des Artistes Canadiens).

About the Urban Design Roster:

This program builds on the existing creative responses to civic planning and design in Nanaimo, and is intended to create new links between artists and civic service areas that would like to integrate creative work into City infrastructure needs. Many areas of the City maintain necessary infrastructure that may be enhanced by artistic contributions and urban design. Recognizing that there is no one way to take on the challenge of designing vibrant and welcoming community spaces, this program seeks to involve a diverse group of artists and designers who might be interested in responding to different sites, contexts, and opportunities.

This program evolves the longstanding commitment of the City of Nanaimo to integrate artwork into public spaces.

Who can apply?

The Urban Design Roster is open to all artists, working individually or in collaboration, and especially encourages applications from those who experience barriers of accessibility due to gender identity/expression, racial identity, or perception of disability. For the purposes of this call, the definition of an artist is a professional who: has completed basic training in art or an apprenticeship with an accomplished practitioner in the field, or maintains an artistic practice and has publicly shared an independent body of their work for at least two years, or is recognized as a professional by peers within their community.

You do not have to be a resident of Nanaimo, but you must have a good understanding of, and relationship to this place. This understanding/ relationship should be clearly demonstrated in your application.

How to Apply:

When considering what to include in your portfolio, we suggest an overview of the creative styles, practices, and examples of previous works you have undertaken in a public realm, successful design projects, or other examples of your artistic work. Artists who are new to art in public spaces can contribute a portfolio with examples of artwork that demonstrate your abilities, along with a vision of how you plan to expand your practice into a public space.

Please include:

1. One page of writing about your artistic or design practice. Please include a brief summary of your approach to this opportunity.

2. A portfolio of your work. You may structure your portfolio in a way that suits your projects. We suggest up to 25 images of relevant work and an accompanying image list, or a PDF up to 25 pages, with images and corresponding descriptions. Your portfolio may include examples of designs, images of installed work, links to videos or video documentation, sketches, and other manners of presentation that are part of your practice. Materials presented should be described so that those reviewing will know what they are looking at.

Example:
01 - Artist name, Title of Work, media type, date
A brief description that offers relevant context about the visual materials, such as the context of presentation, whether it was part of a series, if there are collaborators, etc.

3. A brief biography (250 words)

4. A resume

5. A completed information form

Delivering Submission Materials:

Submissions must be received no later than midnight Pacific Time, November 13, 2023. There are two ways to submit:
1. Submit your application and required documents online using the form: https://www.nanaimo.ca/parks-recreation-culture/public-art/urban-design-roster-program
2. Drop off your application and required documents in-person to the Culture & Events Dropbox, located at the Bowen Complex, 500 Bowen Road (Nanaimo, BC). The Dropbox is located on the lower level of the building near the tennis courts (Pine Street Entrance). Hand-delivered applications MUST include one (1) hard copy and one (1) electronic version on a flash drive. The application must be enclosed and sealed in an envelope/package clearly marked:

Your Name
Urban Design Roster
City of Nanaimo Culture and Events

Questions?

Applicants will be notified if their portfolio is chosen. The selected artists and designers will be notified in December 2023.

Questions regarding the Urban Design Roster Program may be directed to Culture & Events at cultureandevents@nanaimo.ca, ATTN: Urban Design Roster Program, or 250-755-4483.

Office/Dropbox Location:
ATTN: Urban Design Roster Program
Bowen Complex, 500 Bowen Road,
Nanaimo, BC

Mailing Address:
ATTN: Urban Design Roster Program
Culture & Events
455 Wallace Street,
Nanaimo BC, V9R 5J6

The City of Nanaimo is seeking designs for its 2024 street banner program. This program offers artists and designers an opportunity to submit proposals for original banner artwork that will be hung in Nanaimo’s downtown area. Banners will be on display in the Arts District downtown, along Bowen Road, Third Street and other major routes, creating a vibrant visual presence. This program is open to artists and designers at all levels of experience, currently living in British Columbia.

The selected applicant will receive an honorarium of $2,500 for their banner design. Fabrication and installation costs are covered by the City and are not included in this fee.

Theme: 150 Years

In 1874, the City of Nanaimo was the sixth municipality to be incorporated in British Columbia. The year 2024 marks 150 years since incorporation. To recognize this occasion, we are seeking submissions to the 2024 Street Banner Design Program that includes a ‘150’ design within a larger artistic framework, considering the thematic guidelines outlined below.

When considering the artistic direction and theme of your overall banner design, we ask you to consider what meaning Nanaimo holds for you as a City and as home. You might contemplate what makes Nanaimo unique, what makes it a destination of choice, and what artistic choices might capture and/or reflect positive associations and memories of our community.

Note: The City may approach the artist at a future date to discuss potential inclusion of the artist’s ‘150’ design in the development of City 150 branding and logo creation. We encourage you to keep this in mind when formulating a design.

Applicants must supply:
1) A completed application form
2) A written statement about your proposed design, and how it supports the banner theme (one page).
3) A biography (up to 350 words)
4) Your CV / resume
5) A colour rendering of your design. The banners are printed using digital files, so while you may submit an original sketch, computer-generated images must be rendered of your design idea. Please follow the format outlined in the design specifications below. For submissions, we accept digital images in JPG, PDF or TIFF format. For production, we will need vector files in a scalable vector format, usually PDF or EPS.
Note: You can propose up to three (3) different banner designs (left and right) in your submission. Only one design will be selected.

See application form for more details: https://www.nanaimo.ca/parks-recreation-culture/public-art/street-banner-design-program

Submission deadline: 4:00PM PST, October 23, 2023

Jump into something exciting as you learn the basics of acting, the art’s language, and how to read — between the lines. Explore what lies beneath the surface. The concept of authenticity, and the quality of being present. Lots of material is covered in this 16-hour beginner’s course — all in a safe, entertaining, and often hilarious environment. Come prepared to work and be rewarded with a fun and thought-provoking experience.

Whether you’re starting your training to act on camera as a professional, or just for a new adventure, this exciting intro class is the perfect place to begin!

Dates / Time: Thursdays, 8-10pm
October 5th – November 23rd
Instructor: Joe McCoy
Location: 841 Fisgard Street
Fees: $239 (+GST)

More info and registration here: https://vadarts.com/post/programs/online-acting-for-film-tv-intro/

Request for Qualifications: Metro Line LRT Expansion Public Art Project

Request for Qualifications deadline: Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 11:59 pm MST
Artwork commission budget: $280,000

The Edmonton Arts Council (EAC), on behalf of the City of Edmonton, is seeking an Indigenous artist or artist team to create an artwork to be installed in a pocket park as part of the Metro Line LRT expansion at NAIT.

The pocket park has been identified as an ideal space to showcase the work of an Indigenous artist or artist team. The project aligns with the City of Edmonton’s Indigenous Framework Commitment # 3: ​“To identify and implement ways to make City spaces and buildings welcoming and safe for Indigenous Peoples and ensure they can see themselves reflected in the City’s spaces and places.”

Working with the project team, the selected artist has the opportunity to create an artwork as well as have input in the overall design of the pocket park in which the artwork will be installed. Mediums could include, but are not limited to, sculpture, sculptural installation, or land art.

Submissions will be accepted through the EAC’s online portal, SmartSimple https://eac.smartsimple.ca/s_Login.jsp

View the full public art call at https://www.edmontonarts.ca/calls-funding/calls-to-artists/public-art-call

SALT SPRING ARTS – Artist in Residence (AiR) Program

- 6 weeks on a picturesque 4-acre property on Salt Spring Island
- 560 sq. ft. studio space
- 200 sq. ft. open plan cabin
- 1200 book reference library
- $1,000 (CAD) honorarium
- Passionate, supportive + curious art community
- Unplug and focus on creativity in this rural setting

DEADLINE – October 15, 2023
$35 (CAD) Application Fee

OVERVIEW
A six-week artist residency on a 4-acre property in the small community of Fulford Harbour on the south end of Salt Spring Island. Salt Spring Island is a rural community with limited Public Transit from Fulford Village to the central village of Ganges and other island ferry terminals.

DATES
April 22 – June 3, 2024

HONORARIUM
A $1,000 (CAD) honorarium will be received on completion of the residency.

THE STUDIO
A 560 sq. ft. space suitable for most visual arts (limited possibilities for performing arts) with access to a 1,200-plus reference library of art books in a study room on the upper floor. A printing press, work tables and easels are available. If you require specialized equipment or space for your art practice please contact the AiR Committee ([email protected]) before applying to ensure we can accommodate your needs.

THE CABIN
A 200 sq. ft. open plan cabin suitable for one person, comprising a double bed with storage loft overhead, simple kitchen, electric heat and wifi. There is a wash station in the adjoining room and an outhouse close by. (Occupant has access to their own designated bathroom in the main house.) Pets are not allowed. Smoking is not permitted in accommodations or studio facilities.

MORE INFO:
https://saltspringarts.com/calls/air-the-point/

Local artists are invited to re-imagine Commercial Alley as a site for artistic and creative expression. The work will be presented as a series of four, 4 x 8 feet plywood panels from October 2023 – September 2024.

This opportunity is open to early to mid-career artists – individual artists, collectives and/or groups – residing in the Capital Region including the Gulf Islands. We encourage a diversity of applicants. Submissions will be accepted until 4 p.m., Monday July 10, 2023