City of Toronto public art opportunities and updates on commissions, installations and unveilings.
The City of Toronto invites practicing Black/Afro-diasporic artists, including artist teams, to submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) to the first stage of a public art competition for the new Lawrence Heights Community Recreation Centre (CRC).
The exterior public artwork will be selected through an open two-stage competition, with a net budget of $375,000 (plus HST).
Deadline for applications: March 20 at noon.
Ward: Eglinton-Lawrence
The vision for the new Lawrence Heights CRC was co-created with the community. The space will be:
Building construction is expected to start in 2025, with completion anticipated for 2028. Learn more about Lawrence Heights CRC.
The communities of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Huron-Wendat, the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinaabe all have connections to this site.
There are two public art opportunities for this site: one interior public art competition open to all and one exterior public art competition open to Black/Afro-diasporic artists.
Over the summer and fall of 2024, residents and community members participated in surveys, workshops, and consultations led by Oddside Arts. Participants provided their preferences for the forthcoming public artwork and three major themes emerged: Black/African/Caribbean culture; togetherness, multiculturalism and connectivity; and nature.
The exterior public artwork will be a permanent sculptural addition to the community square adjacent to the new Lawrence Heights CRC. It will be vertical icon, signifying a place to meet, gather and connect. It will capture attention and be noticeable from a distance.
The successful artist/team will have a budget of $375,000 plus HST. The project budget includes all costs directly associated with the artwork: all fees for design, fabrication, mechanical, electrical, structural and engineering drawings and installation, as well as contract administration, travel and other incidental expenses.
The artwork commissioned will be unique; editioned works or versions of existing works will not be considered.
The successful artist/team will develop and implement a community engagement plan and mentorship plan as part of the commission.
Due to the many safety and maintenance requirements of the site, the selected artist/team must be prepared to meet and work collaboratively with City staff and contractors to develop and refine proposals according to these parameters, which will be further specified in the Terms of Reference for shortlisted artists.
This is a two-stage, open competition for Black/Afro-diasporic artists. Per the Canada Council’s guidelines, a professional artist is defined as someone who:
Architects and design studios are not being considered for this project.
The Public Art Strategy outlines the City’s commitment to public art created for, and with the input of, Toronto communities, and to create opportunities for artists of diverse backgrounds, experience and practice.
A specially convened Selection Panel composed of arts professionals and community members will be established for this competition.
The Selection Panel will review all applications and identify a shortlist of a maximum of four artists. EOIs will be evaluated based on artistic excellence, related experience, connection between their practice and the project, and appropriateness for the community and site. The artists selected for the shortlist will have the perceived ability to create and execute an innovative, engaging public artwork that is complimentary to the overall design scheme and context. The City may also consider the applicants’ past performance on previous contracts with the City of Toronto or Agencies, Boards or Commissions of the City.
The shortlisted artists will be notified in late April and invited to submit a conceptual design proposal. A detailed Terms of Reference document will be provided to help shortlisted artists prepare their proposals. Proposals are due on July 10, 2025 at noon. Shortlisted artists will be paid a fee of $3,500 plus HST for this stage.
The concept proposals will go through feasibility reviews and community consultations. Shortlisted artists will present their proposals to the Selection Panel on September 29. One concept will be commissioned based on evaluation criteria (specifically tailored to this project), community consultation results, and additional feedback from community members and advisors.
Black/Afro-diasporic artists are invited to apply through the online application below. The form requests the following information:
Applications must be received by March 20 at noon.
For questions, please contact Katriina Campitelli, Public Art Officer, at publicartcompetitions@toronto.ca.
The City of Toronto invites practicing artists, including artist teams, to submit their Expression of Interest to the first stage of a public art competition for the new Lawrence Heights Community Recreation Centre (CRC).
The interior public artwork will be selected through an open two-stage competition, with a net budget of $160,000 (plus HST).
Deadline for applications: March 20 at noon.
Ward: Eglinton-Lawrence
The vision for the new Lawrence Heights CRC was co-created with the community. The space will be:
Building construction is expected to start in 2025, with completion anticipated for 2028. Learn more about Lawrence Heights CRC.
The communities of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Huron-Wendat, the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinaabe all have connections to this site.
There are two public art opportunities for this site: one interior public art competition open to all and one exterior public art competition open to Black/Afro-diasporic artists.
Over the summer and fall of 2024, residents and community members participated in surveys, workshops, and consultations led by Oddside Arts. Participants provided their preferences for the forthcoming public artwork and three major themes emerged: Black/African/Caribbean culture; togetherness, multiculturalism and connectivity; and nature.
The interior public artwork will be permanently installed in one of two potential locations within the ground floor of the CRC. The commissioned artwork could be a two-dimensional artwork installed on the wall surface, a three-dimensional artwork installed onto the wall surface or a three-dimensional artwork suspended from the ceiling.
The successful artist/team will have a budget of $160,000 plus HST. The project budget includes all costs directly associated with the artwork: all fees for design, fabrication, mechanical, electrical, structural and engineering drawings and installation, as well as contract administration, travel and other incidental expenses.
The artwork commissioned will be unique; editioned works or versions of existing works will not be considered.
The successful artist/team will develop and implement a community engagement plan as part of the commission.
Due to the many safety and maintenance requirements of the site, the selected artist/team must be prepared to meet and work collaboratively with City staff and contractors to develop and refine proposals according to these parameters, which will be further specified in the Terms of Reference for shortlisted artists.
This is a two-stage competition open to all artists, though those with a connection to Lawrence Heights will be favoured. Per the Canada Council’s guidelines, a professional artist is defined as someone who:
Architects and design studios are not being considered for this project.
The Public Art Strategy outlines the City’s commitment to public art created for, and with the input of, Toronto communities, and to create opportunities for artists of diverse backgrounds, experience and practice.
A specially convened Selection Panel composed of arts professionals and community members will be established for this competition.
The Selection Panel will review all applications and identify a shortlist of a maximum of four artists. EOIs will be evaluated based on artistic excellence, related experience, connection between their practice and the project, and appropriateness for the community and site. The artists selected for the shortlist will have the perceived ability to create and execute an innovative, engaging public artwork that is complimentary to the overall design scheme and context. The City may also consider the applicants’ past performance on previous contracts with the City of Toronto or Agencies, Boards or Commissions of the City.
The shortlisted artists will be notified in late April and invited to submit a conceptual design proposal. A detailed Terms of Reference document will be provided to help shortlisted artists prepare their proposals. Proposals are due on July 10 at noon. Shortlisted artists will be paid a fee of $2,500 plus HST for this stage.
The concept proposals will go through feasibility reviews and community consultations. Shortlisted artists will present their proposals to the Selection Panel on September 26. One concept will be commissioned based on evaluation criteria (specifically tailored to this project), community consultation results, and additional feedback from community members and advisors.
Artists are invited to apply through the online application below. The form requests the following information:
Applications must be received by March 20 at noon.
For questions, please contact Katriina Campitelli, Public Art Officer, at publicartcompetitions@toronto.ca.
Applications to the Public Art Summer Mentorship Program are now closed. The successful candidates will be announced in the coming weeks.
The City of Toronto is offering a new opportunity for three Toronto-based emerging public space artists.
Artists need training and experience to transition from studio practice to public art, often struggling to secure public art commissions without adequate and timely experience. Through the Public Art Summer Mentorship program, each of the three selected emerging artists will receive:
The Toronto Sculpture Garden is a public park and exhibition space at 115 King Street East that acts as a stepping-stone between studio work and public art, providing artists with the opportunity to work experimentally in public space.
The City of Toronto’s Public Art Strategy and the Public Art Strategy Implementation Plan (Phase 1) outline the City’s commitment to enhance existing and develop new career-building resources and mentorship programs for emerging public artists.
The City of Toronto is pleased to announce that artist Shellie Zhang has been commissioned for the Wabash Community Recreation Centre public art project. Her proposal, ‘Part of the Whole,’ was selected through a competitive public art process and was favoured by the community. Inspired by stories of the surrounding neighbourhood rallying together to create public greenspace, the artwork is a large hanging beaded curtain sculpture featuring the image of a sunset against a green landscape with wildflowers. The sculpture will be suspended in the multi-story lobby of the new Wabash CRC. This will be the artist’s first permanent public art commission.
Shellie Zhang (b. Beijing, China) is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist. By uniting both past and present iconography with the techniques of mass communication, language and sign, Shellie explores the contexts and construction of a multicultural society by disassembling approaches to tradition, gender, the diaspora and popular culture. She creates images, objects and projects in a wide range of media to explore how integration, diversity and assimilation is implemented and negotiated, and how manifestations of these ideas relate to lived experiences. Shellie is interested in how culture is learned and sustained, and how the objects and iconographies of culture are remembered and preserved. For most of her time in Toronto, the neighbourhood of Parkdale was her home.
The Wabash CRC, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, will be a four-story community space located at the southeast corner of Sorauren Park, adaptively reusing the existing former Canadian Linseed Oil Mills Ltd. building. Learn more about Wabash Community Recreation Centre.
The City of Toronto is pleased to announce the successful artist team for the new park at 254 King Street East: Oluseye Ogunlesi, Odudu Umoessien, Ogbe David Ogbe, Chukwuebuka Stephen Idafum, Abel Omeiza, and Folusho Afun-Ogidan. The park design is inspired by the histories of Black migration that have shaped Toronto, and will include public art, seating, and a water feature.
More information about the project is available on the park project page.
The City of Toronto is pleased to announce that artist Roda Medhat has won the Overlea Boulevard public art competition. The commission will include sculptural and two-dimensional artworks integrated into the public realm along Overlea Boulevard between Thorncliffe Park Drive and Don Mills Road. Roda is a Kurdish-Canadian artist who seeks to use sculpture to bridge cultural divides and promote a sense of shared human experience.
The eastern segment of Overlea Boulevard from Don Mills Road to Thorncliffe Park Drive is planned for upcoming road work. This includes the Charles H. Hiscott Bridge (“Overlea Bridge”), Don Mills Road/Gateway Boulevard intersection and Thorncliffe Park Drive East intersection. The bridge and sidewalks will be widened and redesigned to address concerns about personal safety.
The Overlea Bridge superstructure is planned for replacement in the next five years. This level of construction hasn’t happened since the 1960s when Don Mills Road was last reconstructed and the Overlea Bridge was first built. This part of Overlea Boulevard is a key link between Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park neighbourhoods.
Led by the City’s Transportation Services and Engineering & Construction Services Divisions, the Overlea Boulevard and Bridge Renewal is located across two of the City’s 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (identified in the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020), where the City works with residents, businesses and agencies to make the changes the neighbourhood needs so that it works well for all its residents. The area is densely populated and home to a high number of residents born outside of Canada who speak Farsi, Urdu, Mandarin, Arabic, and Slovak.
The Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park neighbourhoods, while characterized by clusters of high-density high-rise apartment buildings, are also rich in open urban and green spaces. The bridge is adjacent to the Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute and Valley Park Middle Schools, and therefore many students cross the bridge on foot at least twice per day. Over the past several years, professional public consultations, workshops and Pop-up Citizen Forums seeking input from the community for desired design interventions, resulted in building successful partnerships with residents. The Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park Neighbourhood Plan that emerged from this process contains a series of recommendations grounded in the ideas of community members, with strategies to work towards implementation. Residents support several enhancements to make the infrastructure safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and promote a sense of neighbourhood identity. This would include interventions at Overlea and Thorncliffe Park Drive West to widen sidewalks, protect vulnerable road users, add vegetation, and incorporate beauty and identity through public art and streetscape design.
The bridge design is currently underway, led by the City’s Engineering and Construction Services Division. It is anticipated to be completed by Q2 2024 and tendered in Q3 2024. The roadworks design competition is currently ongoing. Construction under one contract (both road and bridge) is planned for 2024-2026. Public art funding is provided by the City of Toronto’s City Planning-Urban Design and Transportation Services divisions.
The communities of the Williams Treaty First Nations, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Huron-Wendat, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Kawartha Nishnawbe First Nation and the Metis Nation of Ontario all have connections to this territory.
Additional information on Renewing Overlea Boulevard.
In fall 2022, a specially convened selection panel composed of arts professionals and community members met to evaluate the applications. Of the submissions, the panel determined a shortlist of six artists to proceed to the second stage of the competition. The selected artists will have their proposals evaluated in winter/spring 2023.
The shortlisted artists are:
The Etobicoke Civic Centre (ECC) is a new civic centre in the former suburb of Etobicoke located on a 13.8 acre property bounded by Kipling Avenue to the west, Bloor and Dundas Streets to the north and the TTC/CPR rail corridor to the southeast. The ECC is situated on the Ancestral territory and gathering place of the Anishnaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Tionontati (Petun), the Wendat, and the treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Locally known as the Westwood Theatre Lands and “spaghetti junction,” the notoriously complicated “Six Point Interchange” where Kipling Avenue, Bloor Street and Dundas Street intersect is currently undergoing a major reconfiguration. Situated at the heart of the new community being built, the ECC will replace the existing municipal buildings at 399 The West Mall and incorporate a new civic hub and a civic square.
Following an international competition, design of the Civic Centre was awarded to internationally acclaimed architect, Henning Larsen and Adamson and Associate Architects and PMA Landscape Architects (the “Design Team”). Completion is expected for the winter of 2027/2028.
Four public art commissions are in design development having been awarded to Indigenous artists.
Conceived as an “integrated civic hub” this mixed-use development will feature municipal offices, a Council Chamber, civic offices and a citizen services centre, multi-purpose meeting rooms, a daycare centre, a community recreation centre with a pool and running track, a Toronto Public Library District Branch, an art gallery, and a large outdoor civic square surrounded by ample new sustainable landscaping. CreateTO, in collaboration with the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture division and the Indigenous Affairs Office initiated the Public Art Program as an integral component in the design and development of the new ECC. The project is now being implemented by Corporate Real Estate Management of the City of Toronto, with the assistance of advisors Karen Mills and Rebecca Baird.
Ward 3: Etobicoke-Lakeshore
The City of Toronto is pleased to announce that artist Kellen Hatanaka has been selected for the Davisville Community & Aquatic Centre public art competition. Kellen is an artist, designer and illustrator based out of Stratford, Ontario. The forthcoming Davisville CAC will include indoor swimming pools and multi-purpose rooms to serve various community needs, particularly supporting students from nearby schools. The commission will include a new public artwork in the two-story atrium and custom mosaics throughout the building’s stairwells.
The Davisville CAC is a capital project of the City’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division (PFR), in partnership with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The new City facility is located on the Davisville Junior P.S. site and will share space with the new school. The school will have access to the City swimming pools and the City will have access to the school’s gymnasium and underground parking garage.
The new City aquatic centre will be located in the Davisville Village neighbourhood, near the intersection of Yonge Street and Davisville Avenue. Designed by CS&P Architects, the centre will provide residents with a three-storey recreational aquatic facility, including a 6-lane, 25-metre lane pool, a leisure/tot pool with gender neutral washrooms and change rooms, multi-purpose spaces, and an active roof.
It will be a valued community space, inclusive and accessible to multi-generational residents that encourages health and well-being through its sports and recreational programming, informed by community consultation to date.
The City of Toronto intends to design and construct a Net Zero Energy Building to attain Net Zero Energy operations through incorporating strategies to deliver Energy, Water and Waste reduction.
Katriina Campitelli
Public Art Officer
647-458-5657
Katriina.Campitelli@toronto.ca
In fall 2022, a specially convened selection panel composed of arts professionals and community members met to evaluate the shortlisted applications. Three artists/artist teams have been selected for this project and will be announced shortly.
The WNYCC is a project by the City’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division and Children’s Services, and is being designed by the collaborative team of Maclennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects (MJMA) as the prime consultant and landscape designer, and architectural sub-consultant Bortolotto, responsible for the Child Care Centre. The new WNYCC will provide residents with a state-of-the-art community and recreation facility, a licensed daycare and a new park. It will include an aquatic centre, a gymnasium with a walking track, a fitness centre with dance and aerobic studios and flexible multi-purpose rooms. It will be a place for the community to gather and socialize ; a place that cultivates creativity, health and well-being, inclusivity and accessibility for all ages.
The City of Toronto intends to design and construct a Net Zero Energy Building to attain Net Zero Energy operations through incorporating strategies to deliver energy, water and waste reduction.
The site is in close proximity to the Humber River and the project aims to make connections with the surrounding neighbourhoods and parks, including the Humber River Trail.
Ward 7 – Humber River-Black Creek
In spring 2022, a specially convened selection panel composed of arts professionals and community members met to evaluate the shortlisted applications. Five artists have been selected for this project and will be announced shortly.
The George Street Revitalization Project (GSRP) combines community, social and health supports and housing services in one connected city block. The proposed facility will replace the Seaton House emergency shelter and renew some vacant heritage residential sites such as the historically-significant Fegan House, with a new facility that will contain a City-operated long-term care home, transitional housing with supports, a transitional shelter for women and men, an emergency shelter for men, and a community hub for residents and neighbours. Construction is anticipated to start in summer 2022 and end in 2026.
Ward 13: Toronto Centre