Whitebark Pine Mural Project
Request for Portfolios
The BUMP Festival is creating a mural for Parks Canada to help raise awareness about whitebark pine trees—an endangered keystone species in Banff National Park. We are seeking an artist to paint a mural in Calgary that helps share the story about the work being done to protect whitebark pine trees and their ecosystem.
About the BUMP Festival
The BUMP Festival is a community driven project to transform Calgary, Canada into an expansive open-air contemporary art gallery. Started as the Beltline Urban Murals Project in 2017, the community-led initiative has expanded to become a Calgary-wide annual street art festival creating accessible public art, growing the capacity of Calgary’s visual arts community, fostering community connection, and amplifying a diversity of voices through the arts.
The project celebrates the diversity, talent and vibrant character of the city through works of art that are thought-provoking, whimsical, awe-inspiring, creative and powerful. We believe public art has an important role to play in building community, promoting dialogue and enriching our cultural landscape.
BUMP Festival highlights:
- Commissioned 100+ murals celebrating a diversity of local, national and international artists.
- Awarded the 2019 Mayor’s Urban Design Award for Community Initiative.
- Connected communities and brought together thousands of attendees.
- Led guided mural tours for residents and visitors to the city.
- Showcased outdoor film and live music performances as part of a celebration of community and the visual arts.
Details on past years’ murals can be found at yycbump.ca.
Land Acknowledgement
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity and truth, BUMP honours and acknowledges the land of Moh’kins’tsis. We honour and acknowledge the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Blackfoot confederacy (including the Siksika, Kainai, Piikani First Nations), as well as the Îyâxe (Stoney) Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations), and Tsuut’ina First Nation.
We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. Finally, we acknowledge all nations—Indigenous and non—who live, work and play on this land, and who honour and celebrate this territory.
About Whitebark Pine Trees
Found within high-elevation forests in Western Canada, whitebark pine trees are a keystone species in Banff National Park. Their seeds are nutritional foods for birds, squirrels and bears; their growth influences snowmelt, soil development and the habitat conditions of other plants. When the health of whitebark pine suffers, so too do the species and ecosystems they support. That’s what’s happening in the mountain national parks. The species-at-risk is in decline across Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho, Mount Revelstoke, Glacier and Waterton Lakes national parks. Whitebark pine trees are threatened by a combination of blister rust (an Eurasian fungal disease), mountain pine beetle outbreaks, historic fire suppression and stresses exacerbated by climate change, such as drought.
Project Objectives
The whitebark pine mural will:
- Increase awareness among Calgary audiences of whitebark pine in Banff National Park and the ongoing conservation work conducted by Banff National Park to protect this species-at-risk.
- Remind Calgary residents and future park visitors of Banff National Parks presence and its role in conservation.
- Work as a stand-alone piece, and support and enhance digital content.
- Create long-lasting urban mural which shares Parks Canada branding and messages on whitebark pine for multiple years.
Artist Requirements
- Artist will commission a mural for Parks Canada, a Government of Canada entity, as part of the BUMP Festival.
- Upon selection, artists will be required to provide concept art and drafts for feedback and approval from Parks Canada prior to painting the mural. Feedback must be incorporated into design as much as possible.
- The artist’s work must effectively communicate the story of the whitebark pine.
- Preference will be given to Canadian artists who self-identify as Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit or Metis.
Project Details
The location, details and project scope will be provided to the successful candidate. A fee appropriate to the size of wall selected will include artist compensation for design, installation, materials etc. BUMP will provide aerial work platforms, wall prep, anti graffiti coating and any necessary project logistics. The selected artist will be provided with reference materials to inform themselves thoroughly about the endangerment of the whitebark pine tree prior to developing a mural concept.
Application Requirements
Artist Details
- Legal name, preferred name(s), email, phone number, residing address including country/province.
- Pronouns, how you identify, pseudonyms (ie: Indigenous, person of colour, LGBTQIAS+, differently abled etc., including as much details as you are willing to share).
- Website, social media etc information where possible.
Artistic Practice
- A written description of your artistic practice with details on your artistic process, styles, influences, subject matter, chosen mediums and any focus outside of muralism.
- A written description of your experience with murals if applicable. Provide a description of the timelines and sizes of the murals you have painted, referencing images in your portfolio.
Portfolio
- Provide a minimum of three and maximum of 18 images (six per page) of previous works. Preference is for murals, however other painting/art work and drawings is encouraged.
- Optional: You may provide two concepts (one horizontal and one vertical) of a proposed mural.
- Clearly indicate if an image is a concept or a previous work. If your envisioned work for a BUMP mural differs in style and look from your previous work, these concepts are required.
Format
Please submit your application in a single PDF file no larger than 10MB to paint@beltlineyyc.ca no later than 5:00pm MT on Friday, February 4, 2022.
Please cite the Whitebark Pine Mural Project in your email subject line.
Each respondent is solely responsible for ensuring that their response is received at BUMP before the specified closing and time. Proposals received after the specified closing and time may not be considered.
Application Assistance
If formatting, technical issues or the submission deadline are a barrier to your application, please reach out to paint@beltlineyyc.ca for accommodations. We are happy to provide assistance where possible for anyone experiencing difficulties with their application. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions related to the submission process or requirements of this project.
Timeline
- Date of Issue: January 14, 2022
- Closing Date: February 4, 2022
- Artist Selected & Notified: February, 2022
- Mural Concept Submitted: March 31, 2022
- Mural Concept Approved: April 30, 2022
- Mural Painted: August 2022
BUMP will be opening a second RFQ for further mural opportunities as part of the 2022 BUMP Festival at a later date.
