Call for Proposals: Permanent Public Art Opportunity for Mi’kmaq Artists, City of Summerside

Summerside Baywalk Boardwalk, City of Summerside

Call to Indigenous Artists:
Permanent Public Art Opportunity for Mi’kmaq Artists

City of Summerside, Prince Edward Island

Submission Deadline: February 28, 2025

The City of Summerside, in partnership with Lennox Island First Nation and Downtown Summerside, invites artists of Mi’kmaq heritage to respond to this Call to Artists to create a permanent public artwork. The chosen piece will be prominently featured in Summerside’s downtown district, ensuring strong visibility, community engagement, and lasting impact.

The selected artist will work with the project partners to determine the specific location of the work within the downtown area (the Summerside Waterfront or Water Street). The artwork can be made with any medium suitable for a permanent public art installation which follows the project requirements.

Themes that could be explored include:

• Acknowledging and honouring the Mi’kmaq relationship to the land and traditional knowledge.
• Acknowledging the resilience, strength, and contributions of the Mi’kmaq people, past and present.
• Exploring themes of healing, understanding, and moving forward in a spirit of respect and mutual recognition.

Project Requirements

• The artwork must be permanent in nature, meaning it must be designed and constructed to endure exposure to outdoor elements, including coastal weather conditions such as saltwater, wind, rain, and temperature fluctuations. It should be structurally sound and able to withstand environmental stress.
• Consideration should be given to the surrounding environment and landscape, maintaining sensitivity to the local ecology, including the coastal environment.
• The work should not present any safety hazards to the public or wildlife and must be safe for public interaction.
• The artwork design should take long-term maintenance into account, including cleaning and repairs over its lifespan.
• The final artwork must be installed by the agreed-upon deadline, allowing for ample time for any necessary adjustments or testing.
• The artwork must be completed within the designated budget of $20,000 including all design, materials, installation, and labour costs.

Eligibility

This call is open exclusively to First Nations artists of Mi’kmaq heritage. Emerging artists, mid-career artists, and professional artists are encouraged to apply. Submissions are welcome from local, national or international applicants of Mi’kmaq heritage.

Aerial view of Downtown Summerside with Water Street highlighted, City of Summerside.

Budget

$20,000 (includes HST) for the completion of the project, which will cover materials, artist fee, installation, and labour costs.

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:

• Artistic merit
• Relevance to the project call
• Feasibility of installation and maintenance
• Engagement with the community
• Durability and safety of materials
• The potential impact on the public space

Selection Process

Applications are received by the City of Summerside, Culture Summerside Department for consideration by a public art selection panel. Once applications have been evaluated, applicants will be contacted and informed of the next steps. The selection panel may request additional information from any of the applicants to inform their decision. The panel also reserves the right to make no recommendation or selection from the submitted applications.

Important Dates

• Proposal Deadline: February 28, 2025
• Notification of Selection: March 11, 2025
• Installation Period: October 2025

Submission Requirements

A completed submission requires the following materials:

• Completed Public Art Call for Artists application form.
• A written project proposal that includes a description of the artwork, its concept and its relevance to the project call.
• Visual documentation (sketches, renderings, or photos) that clearly illustrates the proposed artwork and its scale.
• A project timeline.
• Material list and budget outline.
• Artist resume/CV and any relevant work samples of previous art/public art projects.

How to Apply

Application forms can be accessed online here or in-person at:

Lefurgey Cultural Centre
205 Prince Street
Summerside, PE C1N 1L3

Submission Deadline: February 28, 2025 by 4pm AT

For any questions, please reach out to:
Sara Barrett
publicart@summerside.ca | 905-432-1327

City of Summerside
275 Fitzroy Street
Summerside, PE C1N 1H9
www.culturesummerside.com
publicart@summerside.ca
905-432-1327

Facebook @CultureSummerside
Instagram @CultureSummerside

The City of Summerside is fully accessible. For more information, visit here.