Request for Expressions of Interest: Public Art for Woodward Hill Park, City of Surrey

Call for Artists – Request for Expressions of Interest
Woodward Hill Park

Submission Deadline: July 27, 2026
Artist Fee: $120,000

The City of Surrey invites Expressions of Interests (EOI) from professional artists to create a free-standing artwork or series of artworks for the new Woodward Hill Park.

Woodward Hill Neighbourhood Park is a 4.7 acre green space at 144 Street & 62 Avenue in South Newton. Once completed, the park will have a multi-use sports court, a playground, a network of multi-use paths, areas for social gathering and informal recreation.

The park’s main entrance will feature a plaza and meandering accessible pathway weaving up and through a series of terraced nodes. These terraced nodes have space to pause and sit, and opportunities to integrate public art.

A public artwork or series of artworks is envisioned for the park’s main entry pathway. Whether expressed as a singular landmark piece or a series, the artwork should contribute to a distinctive park identity by creating moments of wonder, discovery, play, and/or reflection.

Who is Eligible?

• This call is open to all professional artists and artist teams: locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Applicants must demonstrate the creative expertise and technical skills to manage a project of this scale from concept development to installation.
• Applicants must have the skills to liaise and coordinate with project contractors and municipal staff.

Project Goals

• Create a sense of place at this future park.
• Beautify the neighbourhood.
• Elevate public spaces by integrating art into daily life.

Selection Process

• Submissions will be shortlisted by a selection panel consisting of community members and art professionals.
• The selection process will occur in two phases:
  Phase 1: Expressions of Interest
  ◦  Eligible artists will submit an Expression of Interest (EOI)
  ◦  The selection panel will review all eligible submissions and shortlist 5 to 7 artists for the next phase
  Phase 2: Concept Development
  ◦  Shortlisted artists will be given a project orientation.
  ◦  Each shortlisted artist or team will be given an honorarium of $1500 to further develop their concept proposal.
  ◦  Proposals will be presented to the selection panel.
  ◦  The selection panel will recommend the final artwork for presentation to the relevant advisory committees.

Aerial view and park location

Site Notes

• Woodward Hill Neighbourhood Park is a 4.7 acre neighbourhood park located at 144 Street and 62 Avenue in South Newton, Surrey.
• The park is being developed to serve a growing residential neighbourhood and will provide a range of recreation, social, and ecological amenities.
• The site contains existing woodland areas and opportunities for ecological enhancement, habitat restoration, and nature-based play.
• The park design includes a playground, multi-use sports court, looping pathways, open lawn areas, gathering spaces, seating areas, and naturalized landscapes.
• The park is intended to serve as a community living room, offering welcoming spaces for gathering, play, learning, relaxation, and connection with nature.
• The design includes opportunities for social connection, informal recreation, and gathering that support children, teens, caregivers, and families of all backgrounds.
• The design vision is to create a welcoming neighbourhood destination that balances recreation, nature, learning, and community connection.

Technical Notes

• The park is still in the design stage, so collaboration with the landscape architects and project team are essential.
• The artwork will be sited in the area outlined in the map below.
• The artwork must be freestanding and can be a singular sculpture or a series.
• The artwork should be able to withstand the outdoor environment and rigours of being in a public space.

Schedule

Key Dates:

• July 27: Application deadline
• August: Selection Panel 1
• August – September: Concept Development
• October: Selection Panel 2
• November: Approval by Advisory Committee and Council
• November: Commission awarded.
• Winter 2026 – Summer 2027: Design and Fabrication
• Summer 2027: Artwork Installation

Budget

• The budget for the selected artwork is $120,000
• This is inclusive of all costs including:
  ◦  Artist Fees
  ◦  Design
  ◦  Materials and Equipment
  ◦  Engineering
  ◦  Foundations
  ◦  Insurance
  ◦  Fabrication
  ◦  Travel and Taxes

Administrative Notes

• The City respects the intellectual property rights of the artist.
• The artist will retain ownership rights over the image.
• Submitted images will only be shared with the selection panel and will not be used for any other purpose.
• Due to the large number of submissions, only the artists selected will be contacted.
• The City reserves the right to not implement the project should circumstances change.

Plaza enlargements (left to right): Entry plaza, active & youth zone. Extended entry plaza.

How to Submit

Please submit applications to Public Art:

• Email: publicart@surrey.ca
• Subject Line: Woodward Hill Park – (Your Name)

Deadline for Submissions: July 27, 2026

Your Expression of Interest should contain the following information:

• Contact Details: Name, address, email, and phone number
• Letter of Intent: Outline your interest in this project and site (300 words max).
• CV: History of past commissions, exhibitions, education and/or relevant experience
  ◦  If applying as a team, please include one for each team member.
• Artist Statement: A brief introduction to who you are and what your practice is about (300 words max).
• Portfolio: Up to 10 images of past work
  ◦  Please include titles, dates, descriptions, and materials.
  ◦  If you are including a concept rendering from a past project proposal, please indicate that it is a rendering in your image description.
• Package: Combine all items into a single PDF document (10mb max)