Call for Proposals: Summerside Harness Racing Public Art Mural

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Summerside Raceway

Mural location site highlighted in red. Credit: Google Maps.

Call to Artists: 150th Anniversary of Summerside Harness Racing Mural

Submission Deadline: March 20, 2026, 11:59pm AT

The City of Summerside is excited to announce a call to artists for proposals for a mural to enhance the exterior of Credit Union Place, 511 Notre Dame Street, Summerside, PEI.

2026 is the 150th anniversary of the Summerside Raceway that began as the Summerside Driving Park in 1876 in Travellers Rest. Mural proposals should correlate with a harness racing theme, and the 150 years of Summerside harness racing history and culture that is being celebrated.

Site Information

Project Location: Credit Union Place, 511 Notre Dame Street, Summerside, Prince Edward Island
Surface: Brick
Dimensions: 59 feet long, 27 feet high
Installation Date: May – September 2026
Display Date: Expected 5 – 10 years

Community Engagement

This public art project is an opportunity to demonstrate to the general public how murals are made and engage members of the community to assist in some planned element of the mural project.

The successful proposal must be executed by an artist (or artists) that are comfortable demonstrating and discussing their mural work in public. The successful artist (or artists) will need to be available to interact with the public on the development of this project on July 15th thru to and including July 18th. Other community engagement opportunities will be organized, if and as needed during the development of the piece.

Project Requirements

• The piece must be suitable for an outdoor setting and resilient to weather conditions typical of Prince Edward Island.
• The project should engage with the theme of harness racing (please refer to the theme section for further information).
• The artwork must be safe for public interaction.
• Artists are responsible for the installation.
• Proposal budgets must include the costs of primer and prep of the surface to be painted. The City of Summerside will make sure the site is clean and ready for the project, this includes pressure washing brick areas when required.

Eligibility

Murals must feature outstanding design and craftsmanship, employing high-quality materials that enhance the site’s visual appeal. Acceptable materials may include paint or other artistic mediums suitable for outdoor settings. These mediums must be durable enough to endure typical wear and tear, as well as harsh outdoor conditions. The mural should be designed and executed by an experienced artist knowledgeable in handling such projects.

Proposals are encouraged from a diverse range of artists and submissions are welcomed from local, national, or international applicants.

Compensation

Budget: $17,000 plus tax for the completion of the project, which will cover materials, artist fee for painting the mural, engaging community and demonstrating to the public how murals are made and installation costs.

Selection Process

Applications are received by the City of Summerside, Culture Summerside Department for consideration by a public art selection panel. Once your proposal has been evaluated, you will be contacted and informed of 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.

The selection panel will favour in the following order: Artistic merit, the proposals alignment with theme, artists based in PEI, then Canada and then internationally based artists.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:

• Artistic vision and creativity
• Relevance to the chosen theme
• Feasibility of installation and maintenance
• Artistic excellence and merit
• Engagement with the community
• Durability and safety of materials
• The potential impact on the public space

Submission Requirements

Please submit the following materials:

• Completed Public Art Application Call to Artists Form (form can be found online at www.culturesummerside.com or picked up at the Lefurgey Cultural Centre at 205 Prince Street, Summerside)
• A brief project proposal that includes a description of the artwork, its concept, and its engagement with the chosen theme.
• Visual documentation (sketches, renderings, or photos) that clearly illustrates the proposed artwork and its scale.
• A detailed project timeline, including installation.
• A materials list and detailed budget. Budget must include travel fees if applicable.
• Artist resume/CV and any relevant work samples of previous art/ public art projects.

How to Submit

Mail
Attn: Culture Summerside
Summerside City Hall
275 Fitzroy Street, Summerside, PE C1N 1H9

Online
Email: publicart@summerside.ca

Submission Deadline: March 20, 2026, 11:59pm AT

For additional information or questions, please contact:
Culture Summerside
Email: publicart@summerside.ca
Phone: 902-432-1298

Culture Summerside
Summerside City Hall
275 Fitzroy Street
Summerside, PE C1N 1H9
www.culturesummerside.com
publicart@summerside.ca
902-432-1298

Facebook @CultureSummerside
Instagram @CultureSummerside

Accessibility:
Culture Summerside is partially accessible. For more information, visit the website.

Image Description:
1. The image shows a building and outlines in red the location of the site for the mural.