Call for Submissions: Toppling Monuments Public Art Project, Queen’s University

Front view of proposed artwork site, showing 20-ft diameter concrete roundabout to serve as the artwork’s base.

Artist Competition: Permanent Outdoor Artwork, “Toppling Monuments” Project

Submission Deadline: February 22, 2026, at 11:59pm ET

Project Summary

Toppling Monuments is a collaborative research project that aims to explore the impact of Kington’s colonial heritage on the health and wellbeing of Indigenous and racialized minority individuals.

We are looking for an artist or artist group to create a permanent outdoor artwork that will address and/or touch on some our project’s key themes, including belonging, representation, celebration, and restorative healing. The selected artist or artist group will work with our research project team, comprising Queen’s University faculty members and an Advisory Circle made up of Indigenous and racialized minority community leaders in Kingston, to ensure that their artwork appropriately reflects our research findings.

Project Requirements

The approved site is located at the front entrance of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (390 King St W, Kingston, ON K7L 2X4). Specific coordinates for the site location are 44°13′15.2″N 76°30′23.3″W.

The Queen’s University Campus Planning Team will construct a 6-metre (20-ft) diameter concrete roundabout to serve as the base for the artwork. Proposed artworks must sit on this base. They will also oversee the electrical work, secure necessary permits, and coordinate the installation process in close collaboration with the successful artist or artist group.

Aerial view of proposed artwork site, showing 20-ft diameter concrete roundabout to serve as the artwork’s base.

Eligibility

• Individual artists and artist groups/teams are eligible to apply.
• The individual artist—or at least one artist in the artist group—must identify as a member of an Indigenous and/or racialized minority community.
• All artists across Canada are encouraged to apply, but preference will be given to those with ties to the City of Kingston or Queen’s University. Please see below for specific breakdown of selection considerations and weighting.

Compensation

The selected artist or artist group/team will receive $100,000 to cover the artist’s fee, design and planning cost, artist travel and expenses, materials, and transportation of the artwork to the site. Expenses related to permits, electrical work, and installation will be covered separately.

Selection Process

This is a two-stage process.

Stage 1: Artists submit an Expression of Interest outlining their qualifications, experience, and initial concept, through an online form and e-mail.

Stage 2: A shortlist of up to three finalists will be selected to advance to Stage 2, where they will receive a $2,500 honorarium to submit more detailed proposals, including preliminary 3D models or renderings and information on budget and timeline.

The selection committee is comprised of research project members (academics/researchers and Kingston community leaders), with additional guidance from a third-party artist consultant. Selection is guided by these considerations (each weighing 20%):

1. Demonstrated capacity to execute, evaluated based on previous projects in portfolio or artist CV.

2. Project feasibility evaluated based on concept sketches and proposed approach.

3. Material durability, with preference for stone, concrete, and other long-lasting materials.

4. Alignment with project themes and objectives, reflecting the spirit and goals of the initiative.

5. Connection to Kingston and the surrounding region, as reflected in the proposal’s context or inspiration.

Submission Requirements and How to Apply

Artists or artist groups/teams must submit their EOIs by filling out an online form and e-mailing relevant materials.

1. Fill out this online submission form to:

• Share your contact information
• Verify your eligibility
• Share your thoughts on the question: “What would ‘inclusive heritage’ in Kingston look like to you?” (maximum 200 words)

2. E-mail application package to toppling@queensu.ca with your name in the subject line:

• Artist CV and/or link to portfolio showcasing relevant past work
• Artist statement (maximum 200 words) outlining your practice, approach, and creative vision
• A description of the proposed artwork (maximum 200 words)
• A sketch series of 6 to 10 images showing your concept.

Submission Deadline: February 22, 2026, at 11:59pm ET

For additional information or questions, please contact:
Toppling Monuments Research Project
Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
toppling@queensu.ca | (613) 533 6860

Queen’s University is situated on Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee territories. We are grateful to be able to live, play, and work on these lands.

Queen’s University is committed to an inclusive campus community with accessible goods, services, and facilities that respect the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. This document is available in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports upon request.

Toppling Monuments is supported in part by the Queen’s University Wicked Ideas Fund. Toppling Monuments is supported in part by funding from the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) | Toppling Monuments est financé en partie par le fonds Nouvelles frontières en recherche du gouvernement du Canada.