Call for Submissions: Burlington Waterfront Sculpture Trail 2026

FARSH by Roda Mehat, BWST 2025

Call for Submissions: Burlington Waterfront Sculpture Trail 2026
A project by the Dan Lawrie International Sculpture Collection

Submission Deadline: Friday December 12, 2025, 5:00pm ET

After a successful fourth season, the 2026 edition of the Burlington Waterfront Sculpture Trail will create a 2.5km long experience linking the Art Gallery of Burlington, Joseph Brant Museum, Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Spencer Smith Park, the Downtown Burlington BIA through a series of 56 temporary sculptures created by local, regional, and national artists, five large-scale installation works, and 5 interactive installations. The trail has no barriers or admission fees; it is open for all to enjoy.

The exhibit will run from April 10 – May 30, 2026

In 2026 BWST will be hosting numerous programming opportunities to engage the public in the exhibition including:

• VIP Opening Reception
• Four public guided tours
• Two Friday Night Lights events – an evening experience where we light up the large
  scale works with theatrical lighting
• Family Fun Day in the Park programming in Spencer Smith Park and the Downtown BIA

Project Requirements

This year the BWST is offering three different opportunities for exhibition:

Base Installations (56 selections)
BWST offers two different plinth installation options: open-air works installed on concrete plinths with no covering and works installed on plinths under plexiglass covers.

Open-Air Plinths (28 selections) – $1000 exhibition fee
Base installation works must be completed works that fit on a 24” x 24“ inch concrete base. For each work the piece must meet the following technical criteria:

• weight not to exceed 800 lbs.
• height not to exceed 8 feet tall
• overhang from base not to exceed 24 inches
• must be affixed to plinth with a mount or anchors into the concrete

Covered Plinths (28 selections) – $750 exhibition fee
Covered plinth provide a protected space for more fragile works. These works must fit within a 21” x 21” x 30” (tall) enclosure.

Large Scale Installations (5 selections) – $15,000 fee
Five large scale installations will be exhibited within Spencer Smith Park. These works must be structurally sound for public engagement. BWST can provide technical expertise, access to power, a forklift and platform lift during installation.

For each of the large-scale works artists will be expected to provide:

• detailed fabrication specs
• stamped engineered drawings for installation plan depending on scale and
  nature of work
• transportation to site of installation
• artists are responsible for their own installation with assistance from BWST

Group tour of the BWST 2024 Exhibition

Eligibility

This call is open to any sculpture artists, emerging, mid-career, or established, with priority given to local, regional, and national artists.

Compensation

Each exhibiting artist will be paid an exhibition fee based on the fee schedule below.

28 works on open-air plinths – $1000 per
28 works under plexiglass – $750 per
5 Large-Scale Works – $15,000 per

The BWST Team will also work with our networks to sell works on behalf of the artists at their stated price. Artists will receive 100% of the sale price, less 50% of their exhibition fee.

Timeline

November – December 2025 – Open Call for Artists
January/February 2026 – Selection of Artists
April 6 – 10, 2026 – Install sculptures on Trail
April 10 – May 30, 2026 – Exhibition Open
June 1 – 3, 2026 – Removal of works

The selection of works will be done by a committee comprised of representatives of DLISC and Cobalt Connects, with artists being contacted by the end of February 2026.

Submission Requirements

Artists, Artists Teams & Collectives interested in submitting works for consideration to the Burlington Waterfront Sculpture Trail are asked to submit the following information by the deadline above:

• Maximum 1-page Artist Biography/Statement
• Maximum 2-page Artist Resume / CV
• 3–4 images for work for consideration. Maximum 3 works per artist
• Include date of creation, materials, approximate dimensions, and weight of works
• Website & Social Media information
• Contact information (Address, Phone, Email)
• Demographic information about the applicant(s)
• Material Exclusions: Video/Digital Art/Sound Art

How to Submit

Submission can be made Online Only.
Apply Now!

Submission Deadline: December 12, 2026, 5:00pm ET

For additional information or questions, please contact:
Steff Bishop, Project Director
info@cobaltconnects.ca, 905-548-0111

Burlington Waterfront Sculpture Trail
Burlington, ON, Canada
www.bwst.ca
info@cobaltconnects.ca
905-548-0111

Facebook @CobaltConnectsCreativity
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