Indigenous Placemaking Artists

Indigenous Placemaking Call for Artists

Submissions Due: March 15, 2025

Calgary Public Library invites First Nations, Inuit, and Métis artists living in the vast and beautiful nations and communities in Treaty 7 territory, including those not originally from this traditional territory, to create and design artwork or installations that will activate Indigenous placemaking in Calgary Public Library locations.  

In this project, the Library is inviting submissions that engage a multi-sensory experience through medium, form, subject and materiality to evoke a sense of place and belonging. Partnerships and collaborations are encouraged, including between established and emerging artists.  

Project Objectives

Calgary Public Library is excited to provide permanent Indigenous art installation opportunities in three Library locations: Louise Riley Library, Bowness Library, and Southwood Library. This call is for artists or artist teams to create a concept or artwork as a finished final installation.   

The main objectives for the Calgary Public Library Indigenous Placemaking commissions are:  

• Develop artworks that will promote an educational understanding of the TsuuT’ina Nation, the Blackfoot Nations, Îethka Stoney Nakoda Nations, and Métis Nation Districts 5 and 6’s history, past, present, and future, using visual and oral storytelling, through various mediums.  
• Create a safe and inclusive place for all Indigenous people within Treaty 7 area, including underrepresented and marginalized groups, to gather, share, and learn together and to encourage education and communication about Indigenous arts and culture.  
• Promote traditional and contemporary education and cultural connection among artists of all disciplines, backgrounds, and stages of careers.  
• Promote collaboration among artists of all disciplines, backgrounds, and stages of careers.  

The commissioned artists or artist teams will be required to design, fabricate, and install a public art feature that will create a strong and recognizable link to themes of tradition, diversity, inclusion, storytelling, identity, and education. Artists or artist teams must source their own working studios, materials, and fabrication companies in this creative process.  

Upon completion, the Library will assume ownership of the artwork. The artist retains intellectual property rights to the artwork including, without limitation, copyright. The Library shall have the right to use images of the artwork for any non-commercial promotional use (example: social media, website, pamphlets, etc.). Images of the artwork will not be used for purposes of commercial or monetary profit by the Library without prior consent by the artist.  

Who is Eligible?  

The Library seeks to commission qualified Indigenous artists. All Indigenous artists with a connection to Calgary, including the TsuuT’ina Nation, the Blackfoot Nations, Îethka Stoney Nations, and Métis Nation Districts 5 and 6 and other urban Indigenous people are encouraged to apply.  

Artists may apply individually or as part of a team, however, only one application per artist / team will be accepted. The parameters of this project ensure that the public art and workshops featured in the Library should remain diverse with regards to artistic mediums, disciplines, and methods and that a varied group of artists are engaged. Artists should be knowledgeable about Indigenous traditional and contemporary practices and protocols.  

The Placemaking initiative is an inclusive and supportive opportunity for all Indigenous artists, including people from traditionally underrepresented and marginalized groups, specifically female, individuals self-identifying as women, LGBTQ2+, and non-binary community members, to ensure diverse community representation.  

Information Sessions  

Up to four presentations will be held in advance of the submission deadline for those interested in applying to the Call for Artists. These sessions will be approximately 1.5 hours and will provide a review of the first four phases of the Indigenous Placemaking initiative (2018 – 2024), information about the locations and spaces for this placemaking initiative (2025), review of the submission guidelines, and a question period.  

Details regarding the workshop dates are as follows. A detailed information package will be available for those unavailable to attend.

Proposed dates are as follows:    

Online Meetings: registration links for the virtual sessions will be available on this page shortly 

• Thursday, February 13, 2025, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm 
• Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm 

In Person Sessions 

• Saturday, February 22, 2025 
• Location:  Louise Riley Library 1904-14 Avenue NW, Calgary                            
• A second in-person session is tentative and to be confirmed.  Please check back for updates. 

Benefits for Artist/Artist Teams  

Identified below are responsibilities of Calgary Public Library to uphold for the artist or artist team:  

• Guidance and support of artwork creation from the Elders’ Guidance Circle and the Indigenous Placemaking Program coordinator.  
• Promotion through Library advertising streams (website, publications, programming).  
• A permanent installation in a recognized community public space.  

Timeline 

An artist selection committee comprising of members from the TsuuT’ina Nation, the Blackfoot Nations, Îethka Stoney Nation, Métis Nation Districts 5 and 6, urban Indigenous communities, and members of the Library’s Elders’ Guidance Circle will be established. The artist selection committee will be comprised of up to eight (8) members who reside in the greater Calgary region as well as members of the Library staff and one (1) Program Coordinator who will guide this process. 

Artist or artist teams will have the following timeline to work from once the art commissions are awarded:  

Bowness Library and Southwood Library commissions: 

• Art Production: May 1, 2025 – November 15, 2025 
• Art Installation: November 16 – 30, 2025 

Louise Riley Early Learning Centre commission: 

• Art Production: May 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025   
• Art Installation: June 2025 or TBD in conjunction with planned renovation project completion. 

Opening/Artist Talks: December 2025 / January 2026  

*Note: deadlines for completion may be negotiated at the discretion of Calgary Public Library in consultation with the program coordinator and artist or artist team. The Louise Riley Early Learning Centre Timelines may be subject to change. 

Artists will also receive a preliminary tour of the designated Library locations during the art production phase to offer a clear understanding of the environment which will aid artwork ideation.  

Details on Space and Budget  

Library locations for Phase 5 of Indigenous Placemaking include:  

• Louise Riley Early Learning Centre (furnishings/sensory wall panels, window installation and / or acoustic ceiling mobiles). More details will be available at the Information Sessions. 
• Bowness Library (mural panels, free-standing, window installation, furnishings, interactive installation)  
• Southwood Library (mural panels, free-standing, window installation, furnishings, interactive installation)  

To view locations and some site photos of the proposed spaces, visit calgarylibrary.ca.  

Below are the proposed budgets for the identified opportunities for immediate commissioned installation within the four identified Calgary Public Library locations.  

Application Process

Artists interested in being part of Indigenous Placemaking at the Library must prepare and submit the following submission package in their request for proposal (RFP).  

Please include one digital copy of the following in the proposal:  

• A Letter of Interest: (no more than one page) Identifying the ideas for the artwork or art installation, a summary of your experience as an artist and why you want to participate as an artist with the Placemaking Initiative. This can be an audio/video recording.  
• A brief concept proposal or description of the artwork you will develop and deliver (this can be an audio/video recording). Please include anticipated budget breakdown and project timelines to complete, as well as a brief explanation of how the Artwork will be collaborative, reflective, and inclusive with the eight communities in Treaty 7 (TsuuT’ina Nation, Piikani, Kainai, Siksika, Chiniki, Goodstoney, Bearspaw and Métis Nation Districts 5 and 6).  
• Current Resume (Curriculum Vitae): If applying as an artist team please provide one for each artist.  
• Support Images: Up to five images of past work including art styles and a brief description (50 words max) of the artwork, title of artwork, medium, date of artwork, dimensions, budget. Submit only quality images.  
• Two Professional References: From people you have worked with on past commission projects and are familiar with your art and practice. Include complete email addresses and telephone numbers.  

The selection committee, including Elders from the community, will meet as a group to select the final artists or artist teams and designate placement of art installations in the Library through a process of thoughtful and collaborative review and discussion of submitted proposals. The final decision by Calgary Public Library regarding the artist selection should reflect the recommendations made by the artist selection committee. The final artist or artist team selected will enter a contract agreement with the Library to complete the proposed artwork on time and budget.  

Questions about the Indigenous Placemaking project or the application process can be directed to:  

Jasmine MacGregor  
Program Coordinator, Indigenous Placemaking  
Calgary Public Library  
Call 403.993.8034 or email jasmine.macgregor@calgarylibrary.ca   

To apply please send the submission package as a digital copy to:  
jasmine.macgregor@calgarylibrary.ca or indigenousservices@calgarylibrary.ca 

Deadline for Applications: March 15, 2025