Call for Proposals: Lumen 2025

City of Waterloo

Call for Artist Proposals – Lumen at City of Waterloo

Application Deadline: April 3, 2025, 5pm EDT

City of Waterloo is inviting artists to submit a proposal to be part of Lumen, Waterloo’s annual festival of light, art, and technology-based installations. Lumen will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2025 from 6 to 11pm in public spaces throughout Uptown Waterloo.

The goal of the festival is to celebrate the great community spaces, places, and parks that are available for use by the community and to animate public spaces through creative temporary installations. Audiences for the one-night event are expected to exceed 40,000 attendees.

Up to ten (10) artists will be selected as part of this open call. All selected work will feature the interplay between light, art, and technology and should include an interactive, collaborative, or participatory component.

Selected artists will receive a fee of $2,000 (inclusive of all artist fees, transportation, supplies, etc.) for their participation in the festival. Additional resources such as volunteers or event set-up can be requested, however they are not guaranteed.

Lumen is an accessible festival, and artists are encouraged to think about accessibility when submitting their proposal.

Learn more or apply to Lumen

City of Waterloo
100 Regina Street South
Waterloo, ON N2J 4P9
festivals@waterloo.ca

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Image Descriptions:
1. Night view of Silver Lake during the City of Waterloo’s Lumen festival, with an illuminated art installation floating on water and the vibrant lights of Waterloo Park in the background.
2. A person sits beside illuminated letters spelling “LUMEN” at nighttime in Waterloo Park, with colorful lights on trees and buildings in the background.
3. Photo of people gathered around an illuminated, ‘Cosmic Wolf’ geometric sculpture at night with urban buildings in the background during the City of Waterloo’s Lumen festival.
4. Logo for City of Waterloo.