Call for Artists: Ontario Line Hoarding Artwork Pilot Project

Metrolinx, Ontario Transit Group & STEPS Public Art

Image courtesy of Metrolinx

Call for Artists: Ontario Line Hoarding Artwork Pilot Project

Deadline: June 15, 2026, by 11:59pm ET
Award: Up to four (4) awards of $5,000 CAD (inclusive of taxes, production, insurance, and fees)

Opportunity Overview

Metrolinx and Ontario Transit Group (OTG) are seeking to commission artworks to be exhibited at four (4) construction hoarding sites along the new Ontario Line subway project within the City of Toronto through a single-stage competition. At some locations, the artwork may be reproduced multiple times across the site.

The commissioned artworks are scheduled to be on display as early as November 2026 and will remain on site until the hoarding is removed. Selected artists will create a unique artwork for one of the four (4) pilot sites. The preference is for selected artists to have a direct connection to the community where the artwork will be installed. The four pilot sites were chosen based on the availability of hoarding and confirmation of layout at the site. This helps ensure that once the community artwork is installed, it is less likely to be affected by any changes to the site configuration.

Artists will be selected through a single-stage process. Each project budget is $5,000 CAD and must cover all costs directly associated with the artwork, including taxes, artist fees, production, materials, any required professional services, and other incidental expenses.

OTG will be responsible for printing, installing, and maintaining the artwork at each site. All selected artwork will be printed on aluminum dibond signage panels before it is installed at the site.

Please view the STEPS website for more information.

Project Background

The Ontario Line will be a 15.6-kilometre subway line that will make it faster and easier to travel within Toronto and beyond. The line will bring 15 new stations to the city and will run from Exhibition Place, through the heart of downtown, connecting to Line 5 Eglinton at Don Valley Station.

OTG is working with Metrolinx to design and construct the critical west and downtown Toronto portions of the Ontario Line subway project. This mandate includes seven new station sites, from Exhibition in the west to the future Distillery District station in the East.

For more information about the Ontario Line, please visit: Metrolinx.com/OntarioLine

Image courtesy of Metrolinx

Application Materials

Selection is based on your Letter of Intent, Connection to the Community statement, CV, and Artwork Samples. Please do not submit concept artwork at this stage. By submitting content you agree to the terms and conditions of the program, including the location and design requirements, as examples.

Selected artists will receive a commissioned design brief for their assigned site and will participate in a design development process, which includes up to two rounds of feedback and revisions in collaboration with the Metrolinx and OTG teams.

Each artist or artist team must submit the following materials as a single PDF document:

• Letter of Intent: Maximum one (1) page outlining your artistic experience, approach to public art, and interest in this project and community.
• Connection to the Community: Maximum one (1) page describing your connection to the selected site community.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV): Maximum three (3) pages detailing professional experience as an artist, past public art projects (if applicable), and other relevant information. Artist teams must submit one CV per team member.
• Artwork Samples: Up to ten (10) images illustrating your artistic style and examples of relevant past work.

If applying as a team, please list all team members and submit the required credentials for each member. Please also provide contact information for one designated contact person.

Application Delivery and Deadline

Submissions must be received by Monday, June 15, 2026, at 11:59pm ET. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted via Google Forms—emailed, faxed, or mailed applications will not be accepted. It is your responsibility to ensure the application package is complete and submitted by the posted deadline.

Please upload your submissions through the Google Form. Final submissions must not exceed 10 MB in total size.

This project has a tight turnaround time to ensure timely installation and will require the selected artists or artist teams to complete the project components within the above timeline.

Contact

Questions and requests for clarification will be received by email or phone until May 31, 2026, at 4:00pm ET. Applicants who need additional support applying for this opportunity are encouraged to contact Sam Mitjavile, Cultural Planning Manager at sam@stepspublicart.org or +1 888-783-7780 by May 31, 2026, at 4:00pm ET to appropriately accommodate your needs and to discuss alternate formats for submitting your application.

Partners

About STEPS Public Art

STEPS is a Canadian charity and social enterprise. We provide services in public art management, cultural planning, and artist capacity building. Through our charitable programs, we support artists and foster vibrant, inclusive communities. To stay connected with public art opportunities like this and community programming, subscribe to our newsletter, follow us on social media (@STEPSPublicArt) or reach out! Explore our Fieldnotes Blog Series below to learn more about our work.

• Takeaways from the Global Placemaking Summit
• How to Prepare for a Public Art (An Artist’s Guide)
• Sustainable Practices in Public Art

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Image Descriptions:
1. Image provided by Metrolinx, King West Station (King St & Bathurst St) – on the northeast side of the intersection, on King Street.
2. Image provided by Metrolinx, Chinatown Station (Queen St & Spadina Ave) – on the northeast side of the intersection, on Queen Street.