Applications Open: Art Bus RFQ
Calgary Arts Development
Artist fee: $9,000 per art bus
Application deadline: June 12, 2024 at 4:30pm MT
Artists and artist collectives are invited to submit qualifications for an opportunity to wrap the exterior of one of five public transit busses with new artwork. These busses will be in service for 12 weeks in fall of this year. In addition to the exterior bus wrapping, there are interior display opportunities that could share information about the artist and reproductions of their pre-existing work.
We welcome artists in any stage of their career residing in Calgary/Mohkinsstsis or surrounding communities and who have a connection to Calgary/Mohkinsstsis to apply.
Up to five artists/artist collectives will be selected through this Request for Qualifications. Selected artists will work with Calgary Arts Development to develop and refine an original artwork in response to one of the following themes that considers the multiple contexts of Calgary and the communities the busses will connect with.
- Honour Indigenous stories and perspectives
- Public transit as social space
- Share stories of your community
- Bring beauty, joy, whimsy and hope
This initiative provides opportunities for the public to engage with public art in unexpected spaces, bring temporary art into a wide variety of communities, and showcase the talent and diversity of local artists. It is estimated that 55 per cent of Calgarians will see the artworks four times each over 12 weeks.
Successful artists/collectives will be paid $9,000 (not including GST) per art bus. This total, all-inclusive amount includes all costs associated with engagement, creation and communication for the artwork. In addition, selected artists/collectives will be provided with transit passes for the duration of the project (July – December 2024).
Information Session
An information session for this program will be held on May 28, 2024. Register on Eventbrite.
The purpose of this session is to provide more context about the program, including specific goals and criteria. It will also provide some approaches, examples and questions that might be helpful to consider when determining if you will apply and how best to do so.
How to apply
To apply, please visit the Calgary Arts Development online portal.
For more information, please click here.
If you have any questions or need help completing an application, please contact Natasha Jensen, Project Lead, at natasha.jensen@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 119, or Tiffany Wollman, Project Lead, at tiffany.wollman@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 106.
