Call for Portfolios: Public Art Opportunities at Sherwood Park Fieldhouse Multisport Facility

Strathcona County

Call for Portfolios | Strathcona County Public Art
Multiple Public Art Opportunities at the Sherwood Park Fieldhouse Multisport Facility

Submission Deadline: September 30, 2026, at 12:00am MT

Strathcona County invites Canadian artists and artist teams to submit portfolios for multiple public art opportunities at the new Fieldhouse Multisport Facility in Sherwood Park. Located at 240 Broadview Drive, the Fieldhouse will become a major recreation and community destination serving athletes, families, residents, visitors, and community groups from across the region.

The County is seeking artists interested in creating memorable public artworks that contribute to a vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive environment. Potential themes include movement, play, wellness, gathering, sport, landscape, community connection, and shared public life. Desired aesthetics include organic, playful, colourful, and engaging approaches that help establish the identity of the new facility.

This is a portfolio-based call. Artists are not required to submit a finished concept at this stage.

Opportunities

Exterior Plaza Sculpture
Budget: $145,000

A landmark sculpture or sculpture series that creates a strong sense of arrival at the Fieldhouse. The artwork should be durable, visually compelling, and suitable for a prominent outdoor public space. Artists should demonstrate experience with fabrication, installation, outdoor durability, and public art project coordination.

Exterior Mural (Vinyl Installation)
Budget: $40,000

A large-scale mural opportunity on an aluminum panel wall approximately 40 m wide by 5 m high. The artwork may be a single composition or a collection of interconnected elements. Artists are encouraged to consider colour, movement, architecture, and viewing from multiple distances while accounting for fabrication and installation within budget.

Interior Stairway Wall Artwork
Budget: $10,000

Located on a painted concrete block wall approximately 4 m x 2.9 m. Suitable for murals, vinyl, low-relief, mixed media, or other durable wall-based treatments. Artists new to public art are especially encouraged to apply.

Main Vestibule Artwork
Budget: $25,000

Located on a 5.5 m x 2.9 m interior wall with integrated lighting. This key arrival space offers the opportunity to create a welcoming and impactful artwork through mural, vinyl, digital imagery, relief work, or mixed media.

Elevator Wall Artwork
Budget: $15,000

A vertical wall approximately 2.3 m x 4.9 m in a high-traffic area. Artists may create a memorable visual moment through colour, pattern, imagery, or relief-based approaches. Emerging public artists are encouraged to apply.

Who Can Apply

The call is open to Canadian artists at all stages of their careers.

For the exterior plaza and mural opportunities, artists should demonstrate experience with projects of comparable scale and complexity.

For the interior wall-based opportunities, Strathcona County is particularly interested in supporting artists who may be new to public art, including illustrators, designers, muralists, digital artists, studio artists, and community-based practitioners.

Project Goals

Public art at the Fieldhouse will help establish a strong sense of identity and arrival while supporting an inclusive and energetic atmosphere for users of all ages and abilities. The artworks should enhance both interior and exterior spaces through creativity, colour, texture, and imagination while becoming lasting additions to the County’s public art collection.

Artists may wish to explore themes such as movement, rhythm, momentum, play, joy, collective energy, wellness, local landscapes, weather, ecology, sport, and community connection.

Selection Process

Stage 1 – Portfolio Review
Artists submit qualifications, images of past work, and a brief statement of interest. Artists are not required to submit a detailed concept at this stage. A selection panel will review submissions and shortlist artists for one or more opportunities.

Stage 2 – Interview
Shortlisted artists will be invited to participate in an interview and presentation discussing their practice, interest in the project, and approach to the site.
Shortlisted artists will receive a $186 honorarium.

Key Dates

• Call Opens: July 13, 2026
• Submission Deadline: September 30, 2026, at 12:00am MT
• Portfolio Review: October 2026
• Interviews: November 2026
• Artist Selection: December 2026
• Design Development: January–Spring 2027
• Fabrication: Spring–Summer 2027
• Installation: Late Summer/Fall 2027

Submission Requirements

• Letter of Interest (maximum 2 pages)
• Up to 10 portfolio images
• Current CV or résumé (maximum 3 pages)
• Artist biography (maximum 150 words)
• Optional supporting materials such as website links, videos, publications, or project documentation
• Artists may express interest in one or multiple opportunities.

How to Submit

Please email your submission to:

Kelly Andres
Public Art Curator, Strathcona County Public Art
public.art@strathcona.ca
kelly.andres@strathcona.ca

For full details, eligibility requirements, budgets, and submission guidelines, please consult the complete call document (PDF).

Strathcona County
2001 Sherwood Drive
Sherwood Park, AB T8A 3W7
strathcona.ca/PublicArt

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