Call for Expressions of Interest: Transform the Trail 2026/27 Public Art Commission at The Bentway

The Gateway by Yi Zhou and Carlos Portillo. Photo by Brandon Ferguson, courtesy of The Bentway.

Call for Expressions of Interest: Temporary Public Art Commission at The Bentway

The Bentway Conservancy is pleased to announce a Call for Expressions of Interest for the return of its Transform the Trail program, which seeks an artistic collaborator to respond to both the Bentway site and our relationships to the winter season.

This program supports a new, temporary commission that animates The Bentway’s iconic figure-eight ice-skating trail and its surrounding footprint beneath the Gardiner Expressway. The goals of the commission are to encourage artistic experimentation in the public realm, celebrate the unique creative potential of a Toronto winter, enhance the ice-skating experience at The Bentway, and foster meaningful connections during the coldest months of the year.

The Bentway invites artists, designers, and collectives to submit an expression of interest for a temporary public art project to be exhibited at the Bentway skate trail from December 2026 – February 2027.

Information Session for Prospective Applicants:
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 6pm EST | Register here
Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the information session in order to gain insight into the practical considerations of The Bentway site and this opportunity. To request support or accommodations, please email: hello@thebentway.ca

Application Deadline: February 6, 2026 at 11:59pm EST

Public Presentation: mid-December, 2026 through February 2027

Beacons by Shellie Zhang. Photo by Jonathan Gazze, courtesy of The Bentway.

About Transform the Trail

Throughout the year, The Bentway strives to support civic life and social connection in public space, and believes winter is a season to be embraced and not just endured. From December through February, the Bentway’s skate trail becomes a beloved cold-weather destination featuring a dynamic natural ice-skating rink that has quickly become one of the city’s most unique distinctive urban amenities.

Weaving through the Bentway’s iconic columns, the skate trail is known for outdoor recreation and innovation, inviting diverse audiences to meet under the Gardiner and experience a traditional Canadian winter pastime in a new light each year.

The Bentway’s Transform the Trail program is seeking an artistic collaborator to help foster new and positive relationships with both the Bentway site and Toronto’s winter season. Selected artists and designers must embrace and collaborate with winter conditions; to educate, innovate, and create meaningful invitations for public engagement during the coldest months of the year; to build with sustainability in mind; and to inspire Torontonians—regardless of the weather. This site-specific intervention will become a signature element of the Bentway’s 2026–2027 winter season, reinforcing the site as a place where art, recreation, and community meet.

Who Can Apply

Applications are open to Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA)-based artists, designers or collectives seeking an opportunity to work in the public realm and create a new outdoor experience within this dynamic public space. Applicants must demonstrate an ongoing creative practice and have a history of public presentation. We encourage applications from artists, designers, and collectives at varying stages of their career.

The Bentway is committed to fostering a positive and supportive environment that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion. We invite applications from Indigenous and racialized people, people with disabilities, and people from 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

Moving with Joy by Maureen Gruben. Photo by Shane Parent, courtesy of The Bentway.

How to Apply: Expressions of Interest

A complete Stage 1 application package includes the following components:

1. CV – PDF format, no more than three (3) pages maximum

2. Expression of Interest – a maximum of two (2) written pages in response to the following questions:

• Please explain your interest in the commission and the stated project objectives.
• Please explain your interest in creating public artwork for the winter season and how the climate and Bentway site will inform your approach.
• Provide a brief perspective on your artistic practice and how this opportunity will benefit you at this stage in your career?

3. Work Samples – detailed information on 2-3 relevant projects, in development or completed. Please include the following information for each project included:

• project title, location, project overview, role on team, team members (if applicable) budget and duration (max 1 page).

4. A Letter of Reference – from a previous commissioning body.

For more details and to apply, visit:
thebentway.applytojobs.ca/programming/43917

Please Note:

• All submissions are considered confidential.
• The submission of this application does not guarantee selection.
• The successful shortlist applicants will be notified by mid-February 2026 (no follow-up calls please)
• Should you require further clarification, have any questions, or require accessibility accommodations please email hello@thebentway.ca

Application Deadline: February 6, 2026 at 11:59pm EST

For additional information or questions, please contact: hello@thebentway.ca

About The Bentway

The Bentway works to ignite the urban imagination, using the city as site, subject, and canvas.

Anchored under Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway and guiding its complex future, The Bentway is a growing public space, and much more. The Bentway is a new type of civic organization: a not-for-profit, powered by vital partnerships with the City of Toronto, residents, supporters, artists, city-builders, and dreamers. The Bentway is a catalyst rooted in experimentation, leading a creative movement to re-imagine the opportunities of urban spaces.

The Bentway
250 Fork York Blvd, Toronto
thebentway.ca
hello@thebentway.ca

Image Descriptions:
1) Nighttime view beneath the concrete Gardiner Expressway. Tall pillars support the roadway above, and between the pillars hang diagonal strands of vibrant colourful string.
2) The Bentway Skate Trail, covered in ice, curves under Gardiner Expressway and people in winter coats skate along the trail. The bases of the large concrete support columns are decorated with colourful flame-shaped panels.
3) Along the seating on the side of the ice-covered Bentway Skate Trail, brightly-coloured sled-like sculptural panels feature photographs that depict winter scenes.