Call for Submissions: Barrie City Centre Annual Building Art Showcase 2026

Call for Visual Artwork
Barrie City Centre Annual Building Art Showcase 2026

Deadline: Monday, September 21, 2026, 5:00pm
Venue: 55 Mulcaster Street (Main Floor, Building Lobby), Barrie, Ontario

Prizes

• One $2500 prize, awarded for a large-scale artwork
• One $1500 prize, awarded for a large-scale artwork
• Three $500 prizes, for three small-scale artworks

Apply Online

Overview

The Barrie City Centre Annual Building Art Showcase at 55 Mulcaster Street is a new yearly program that highlights and supports artists from Simcoe County. The initiative is administered by M Group and Georgian International, with support from the MacLaren Art Centre. The Showcase will enhance the visual environment of the lobby of the Barrie City Centre building, while celebrating regional talent.

Established and emerging artists from Simcoe County are invited to submit artwork for consideration. Post-Secondary design and visual art students are encouraged to apply. A selection committee composed of building ownership and upper management will review submissions and select five artworks for a year-long showcase.

Selected works will be installed in the lobby from October 2026 to September 2027. In addition to cash prizes, successful artists will receive recognition across social media and partner channels.

The 2026 edition of the Barrie City Centre Annual Building Art Showcase is guided by the theme Connection.

2026 Theme: Connection

Artists are invited to submit work that explores the idea of connection. Diverse interpretations of the theme are encouraged; artists are welcome to explore connection in ways that are personal, expansive, and grounded in their own perspectives.

Submissions may reflect, but are not limited to:

• Connections to place, land, or environment
• Relationships to family, ancestry, or lineage
• The role of friendship in shaping community
• Social or cultural networks
• Literal or abstract representations of connection

Artwork submissions must have been created within the past three years, and have a direct relationship to the theme.

Display Spaces and Details

There are three distinct display areas. Artists may submit up to three different artworks for consideration: one for each space. Each display space requires its own distinct submission form. Do not submit the same artwork for more than one space. Successful artists will only be selected for one display space.

Large 8 foot x 6 foot Feature Wall

1. Large 8 foot x 6 foot Feature Wall (1 Artist Selected)

• One large artwork, including diptychs, triptychs, or artworks with multiple components
• Accepted mediums: framed photographs, framed drawings/works on paper, or paintings (panel or stretched canvas)
• Maximum size: 8 foot x 6 foot (96 in x 72 in), inclusive of framing or necessary supports, and if necessary, spacing between multiple components of a single artwork
  ◦  Artwork may be horizontal or vertical display orientation
• Artist prize: $2500

Large 6 foot x 5 foot Feature Wall

2. Large 6 foot x 5 foot Feature Wall (1 Artist Selected)

• One large artwork, including diptychs, triptychs, or artworks with multiple components
• Accepted mediums: framed photographs, framed drawings/works on paper, or paintings (panel or stretched canvas)
• Maximum size: 6 feet high x 5 feet wide (72 inches high x 60 inches wide), inclusive of framing or necessary supports, and if necessary, spacing between multiple components of a single artwork
• Artist prize: $1500

3. Small Works Wall (3 Artists Selected)

• Three individual works by three different artists
• Accepted mediums: framed photographs, framed drawings/works on paper, or paintings (panel or stretched canvas)
• Maximum size: 36 inches high x 24 inches wide, inclusive of framing or necessary supports
• Artist prizes: $500 per artist

Program Timeline

June 2026

• Public call for submissions opens

September 2026

• Submission period closes
• Jury review
• Artists selected and notified of delivery timeline

October 2026

• Artwork installed in lobby with artist plaques
• Artist prize payments distributed after successful installation
• Public announcement. Exhibition runs for one full year

Timeline subject to change.

Eligibility

• Open to artists who live, work, or attend school in Simcoe County
• Open to emerging and established artists, including post-secondary students

Submission Requirements

Artists must submit the following:

• Artist contact information: Preferred name, email, phone number, full mailing address, and website and social links for promotional purposes.
• Artwork Information: title, year of creation, media, and dimensions (H x W in inches).
• An artist biography (300 words max) and CV (3 pages max).
• A short description (300 words max) of your artwork and its relationship to the theme.

Selection Process

Submissions will be reviewed by a committee of building ownership, senior leadership, and regional arts professionals.

Selections will be based on:

• Artistic merit
• Relevance to theme
• Suitability for the spaces

Terms and Conditions

• Only one submission per artist, per space, is permitted. If applying to three spaces, three applications must be made, with different artwork submitted for consideration. Successful artists will only be selected for one space.
• Artists must confirm authorship, and will retain full copyright of their work.
• Artists grant non-exclusive permission for image use for jurying, promotion, and exhibition materials (images will not be reproduced as high-quality commercial reproductions).
• Artwork must be original and completed within the past three years. Artwork must not be created as part of coursework.
• Work must be display-ready, structurally sound, and safe to install.
• If selected, all shipping and transportation costs related to the delivery and return of the artwork are the responsibility of the artist. Artists must be available to arrange for delivery of artwork during the first two weeks of October 2026.

The organizers reserve the right to:

• Decline submissions that do not meet criteria or standards. Submissions containing hateful or prejudicial content, cultural appropriation, misrepresented artwork, or work that does not meet size and media specifications will be disqualified.
• Determine suitability based on technical or spatial limitations.
• Modify or cancel the program if necessary.

The organizers are not responsible for lost, late, or damaged submissions. Participation does not guarantee selection.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the online form.

Submission Deadline: Monday, September 21, 2026, 5:00pm

Contact:
Tyler Durbano
Artistic Director, MacLaren Art Centre
tyler@maclarenart.com

Instagram: @melchiormanagement / @maclarenartcentre