Guidelines: Northeast Mini Galleries Artwork

In March 2021, The City of Calgary announced Calgary Arts Development as the future steward and operator for Calgary’s public art program. Since then, Calgary Arts Development has been working with The City of Calgary on transitioning the program.

As the city’s arts development authority, Calgary Arts Development is uniquely positioned to deliver and create a future public art program built upon our knowledge of, and strong relationships in the arts community.

Calgary City Council noted a lack of public art in northeast Calgary compared to other quadrants, passing a motion on October 13, 2020 to specifically identify and support public art projects in the northeast. The Northeast Public Art Initiative brings several public art projects to Calgary’s northeast communities, supports local artists, enhances northeast neighbourhoods and reflects the people who live in the communities where the art will be located.

This initiative aims to build amazing spaces for people to come together and provides opportunities for local artists to showcase their talent while celebrating the diversity of artforms, people and cultures represented in northeast Calgary.

As a part of this initiative, the Northeast Mini Galleries began in 2023 and showcased 36 local artists, selected by three local art curators. Calgary Arts Development is working with The City of Calgary to transition this successful public art program into our work. 

We welcome artists who live or work and have a strong connection to northeast Calgary/Mohkinsstsis to submit digital images of existing, original two-dimensional or three-dimensional artwork that demonstrates how being part of a community impacts your everyday life through shared values, trust and care.  

The Northeast Mini Galleries Public Art Program is comprised of 10 mini galleries, each located at a different community association:

• Thorncliffe Greenview Community Association 
• Winston Heights-Mountview Community Association 
• Crossroads Community Association 
• The Livingston Homeowners Association 
• Beddington Heights Community Association 
• Falconridge/Castleridge Community Association 
• Marlborough Park Community Association 
• Temple Community Association 
• Rundle Community Association 
• Martindale Community Association 

Three additional mini galleries are located in downtown Calgary, in the Municipal Building’s atrium. Artwork from this call may also be selected by a curator for this central space.  

Submitted artworks must fit within the dimensions of a mini gallery. 

• The window is 9.25” Height x 14” Width (23.5 cm Height x 35.5 cm Width).
• Artwork should be a maximum size of 11” Height x 16” Width x 6” Depth (28 cm Height x 40.5 cm Width x 15 cm Depth). 

The mini galleries exhibitions will run for four-month periods. This call for artwork pertains to the following periods of exhibitions: 

• July 2024 – October 2024 
• November 2024 – February 2025 
• March 2025 – June 2025 

Selected artists will be notified of the period their artwork will be exhibited. Artists will also work with the curator to set the date and time of their installation and deinstallation. Installation will occur at the end of the month before your exhibition is set to begin. Artists must be available to install and deinstall their artwork from the Northeast Mini Gallery in which their artwork is exhibited.

Artists will be paid $973.75 (not including GST) for participation in the Northeast Mini Gallery exhibition. This follows current CARFAC rates for solo single work/small site exhibitions. 

1. Provide opportunities for self-identifying artists of all levels with strong connections to the northeast Calgary communities to share their artwork and stories.
2. Celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of the northeast communities in Calgary by capturing the spirit, personality and/or history of the communities connected to this call for artwork.
3. Create a sense of collective well-being and care for community associations and community members.
4. Enhance the overall experience for people living and working in the northeast communities of Calgary.

We acknowledge that the land we gather on, Mohkinsstsis, is the ancestral territory of the Siksikaitsitapi — the Blackfoot people — comprising the Siksika, Kainai and Piikani Nations, as well as Treaty 7 signatories, the Tsuut’ina Nation, and the Îyârhe Nakoda Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney First Nations. Today this land is home to Métis Nation Districts 5 and 6 as well as many First Nations and Inuit from across Turtle Island.

We acknowledge that there has been art, music, dance, storytelling and ceremony on this land since time immemorial and it is in the spirit of this land and its people that we do our work. 

Calgary Arts Development is committed to the process of eliminating institutional racism, ableism and barriers in our programs, policies and practices by centring the creativity and leadership of those communities most impacted by structural inequities. Read our full Commitment to Equity statement on our website. 

This program is open to anyone who self-identifies as an artist and lives, works or has a strong connection to northeast Calgary. Artists of all experience levels are welcome. Artists working in two-dimensional and three-dimension mediums are encouraged to apply (e.g., painting, drawing, printmaking, graphic design, illustration, fibre, photography, digital art, ceramics, small sculpture, etc.).  

We encourage submissions from artists who are typically underrepresented, including: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour), LGBTQIA2S+ identifying individuals, D/deaf persons and persons with disabilities.

Calgary Arts Development supports The City of Calgary’s response to the federal Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s Call to Action, as documented in the White Goose Flying Report. All applicants are encouraged to reflect on their journey and understanding of Truth and Reconciliation and how it may relate to their proposed projects. If your work includes Indigenous content, involves work with Indigenous people or you would like to include Indigenous knowledge or ways of knowing and doing, it is recommended that you read the report. 

Eligibility

• Artists may submit one to five original artworks for consideration. Only one artwork per artist will be selected.
• When uploading images to your application on our online platform, ensure you fill in all the details required for each image. These include artist’s name, title of artwork, date of completion, dimensions, medium and a brief description of the artwork. 
• Artwork submitted must be finished artwork.
• Artwork submitted must fit within the dimensions of the gallery and gallery door/window.

Application Requirements

Artists are responsible for ensuring that submissions are received by the deadline. Any application submitted after 4:30pm MT on the closing date will not be considered. Only send images of artwork for consideration; do not send materials that have not been requested as they will not be reviewed by the curators.

Letter of Interest

Include a response to each of the following questions (500 words max):

• Why does this project appeal to you?
• What is your connection to one or more of the northeast communities listed in this call? Please specify the community.
• How does your artwork reflect what it means to be part of this community? What stories would you like share that reflect your culture and community?
• Describe your art practice and how it connects to the program goals. 

Tell us about your practice
Our online platform requires a resume/CV when completing your profile, so we are asking artists to start thinking about their experiences as an artist and the story of their practice.

Information to include on a resume/CV:

• Demonstrated experience with art exhibitions or commissions.
• Demonstrated involvement or engagement with community.

Artwork/Images

Artists may submit one to five original artworks for consideration. Only one artwork per artist will be selected for exhibition.

Artwork/Image Considerations:

• Ensure the artwork meets the program goals.
• Ensure images submitted for consideration are high quality. Avoid images that are low resolution or blurry.

If you have any questions or need help completing an application, please contact Tiffany Wollman, Project Lead, at tiffanywollman@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 106.

Applications to the program will be reviewed by curators selected from the Public Art Curator roster, with strong connections to northeast communities in Calgary.

Art curators for this call are chosen to represent the broad diversity of northeast Calgary and its artistic communities, including but not limited to: artistic discipline, gender, sexuality, age, religion, beliefs, nation, physical and neurological identities, etc. 

Applications are accepted through our online platform. The application form will be available on the date the program opens. Applicants must create an individual artist profile to apply.

If you need support or have any questions when creating your artist profile and/or need help applying due to accessibility concerns, please contact publicart@calgaryartsdevelopment.com

All applicants will be notified of their results by email. Successful applicants will be sent an artist agreement via Docusign and are required to sign and return the agreement within 30 days of receiving it to participate in this exhibition opportunity with the Northeast Mini Galleries.

We use electronic fund transfers to make payments. If your application is approved, you will be required to provide a void cheque or direct deposit form with your banking information. Please let us know if you need any help with this.

Successful applicants will also be contacted by an art curator with details about the mini gallery they have been selected for, and to arrange the date and time to install and deinstall the selected artwork.

Policies

Deadline Extension Policy
Accessibility & Accommodation Policy
Application Assistance Policy
Disclosure of Grant Information Policy

Other

Group Agreements
Assessor Nomination Form