Call for Expressions of Interest: Northeast LRT Extension Public Art Opportunity

Calgary Arts Development (CADA) is seeking Expressions of Interest from professional artists/artist teams to join the design team for the proposed Blue Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) Northeast Extension station plaza at 60th Street and 88th Avenue NE. This opportunity is open to local, national and international professional artists/artist teams working in various media.

Embedding an artist into the design team at this early stage of the project facilitates the development of artwork and creative space as integral to the station plaza design. While the artist’s concept may creatively extend beyond the boundaries of this site (for instance, through sound, light or other ephemeral media), the station plaza is the physical site.

Currently, this call is for envisioning and creating a public artwork concept and design. The station plaza is not yet designed, and the selected artist will participate in the process from the beginning. The artist will share their ideas with the plaza design team and work out possibilities through discussion about engineering and architectural requirements. This will be a collaborative effort with the artist leading with their vision and working with the team towards the creation of a feasible design. The artist will have agency over artwork concept, but must be open and flexible around the practicalities of creating a truly integrated artwork. This process is slated to take place throughout 2026.

Pending approval of the total project funding, the selected artist may also be engaged to complete the process of realizing the public artwork, from completion of detailed design to fabrication and installation, beginning in 2027. See more information under Project Timeline.

A consulting team including architects and engineers has been engaged by The City of Calgary for the plaza design. This team includes AECOM as the prime consultant and Dialog as the subconsultant responsible for the plaza design. The selected artist/artist team will:

• Participate with the design team in collaborative co-design of an integrated site-specific public artwork.
• Lead meaningful engagement with community as part of research towards creating an artwork that is responsive to this place and the people who use it.
• Work with the team to schedule collaborative meetings led by the artist, including introducing their practice, leading a design discussion, sharing research, presenting results of community engagement and holding a design session.
• Participate in one-hour meetings every other week for design updates.
• Visit the site and join at least one in-person meeting with members of the design team early in the design process (initial visit travel to be paid for by Calgary Arts Development). Participate in additional site visits as needed for community engagement and concept development.
• Participate in meetings to discuss materials and concepts with The City of Calgary’s Conservator to ensure longevity of the artwork.
• Design a new site-specific artwork that considers the area’s dual context as both a local community hub and a transit hub, engaging both local residents and those passing through.
• Submit 90 per cent detailed design drawings by the end of the year-long project, representing a highly developed design stage where detailed plans, specifications and materials are almost finalized, requiring only minor adjustments before submission for fabrication or installation.

Expectations for time spent working on all aspects of the design process will be discussed and determined with the selected artist/artist team at the beginning of the project to ensure predictable work balance and fair pay.

Potential for the project design is open. The selected artist/artist team may consider any type of public artwork including but not limited to permanent sculpture, functional design, light and media-based works, open programming space and curated programs. Artists will be given creative license and freedom to explore and experiment with diverse approaches. Artist-led community engagement must be conducted as part of developing the artwork concept. Prior engagement conducted by The City of Calgary has shown there is community interest in future programming opportunities in the plaza space.

As funding for the second phase of this project is not yet confirmed, the selected artist/artist team will work with the design team to develop a public art concept that is scalable based on potential funding outcomes.

Site constraints:

• Project must incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.

An online information session for this project was held on October 16, 2025 and includes more information about the call and how to apply. You can watch the video and read the transcript from the information session below. The Q&A from the session can be read at the bottom of the transcript.

The deadline to apply for this opportunity is November 19, 2025.

Caroline Loewen: Hello, welcome to the online information session for the Northeast LRT Public Art Opportunity. I am Caroline Loewen, my pronouns are she/her. I work for Calgary Arts Development (CADA) and I am the Public Art Project Lead Supervisor for the Northeast LRT Project. I will be working with a CADA Project Lead supporting the selected artist throughout their work on this project.

The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of the Northeast LRT Extension Public Art Opportunity and the role of the artist being integrated in the design team. We will also go over the application process. We will not be going over every detail in the project application, and there is a lot more information in the guidelines, so please make sure to read through them carefully before applying.

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.

For your reference, here is my contact information [caroline.loewen@calgaryartsdevelopment.com] and the contact information for Helen Hu [helen.hu@calgaryartsdevelopment.com], CADA’s Public Art Co-ordinator. This slide will be up at the end as well if you would like to take a screenshot or write it down. You can reach out to me with any questions about the project, your application or for more information about Calgary Arts Development. You can contact Helen for technical help with submitting your application.

We are going to start with some information about Calgary Arts Development (CADA) and the Public Art Program. CADA has created a Strategic Framework that supports and nurtures diverse art and artist-led city building to foster not only a resilient and sustainable arts ecosystem, but to achieve a truly equitable, inclusive and accessible city where everyone belongs.

Our overarching vision: A creative, connected Calgary through the arts where everyone is empowered to live a creative life.

Our Mission: The arts have the power to create vibrant communities and bring together diverse voices and perspectives. We support artists in the development of their skills and the expression of their creativity. Calgary Arts Development supports and strengthens the arts to benefit all Calgarians.

As the City’s designated arts development authority, we invest and allocate municipal funding for the arts provided by The City of Calgary and leverage these funds to provide additional resources to the arts sector. Our programs support hundreds of arts organizations, individual artists and artist collectives in Calgary.

As the arts development authority, we are uniquely positioned to deliver and create a public art program built upon our knowledge of, and strong relationships with the arts community.

As of 2021, Calgary Arts Development has been the operator of Calgary’s public art program. We are creating a Public Art Program that is engaging, relevant and accountable. This program must reflect the rich diversity of the city, including connecting with Indigenous voices to tell the past, current and future stories of Calgary/Mohkinsstsis. Our intent is to foster meaningful connections and dialogue between artists and communities, utilizing art in the public realm to reflect Calgary’s diverse stories and values.

CADA’s Public Art role is:

• Commissioning new artworks through open competition like this one
• Programming – For example youth programs, artist development, and temporary exhibitions
• Building public art awareness and activating the public art collection

While the City is responsible for:

• Conservation and maintenance of the public art collection
• Activation of the public art collection

Calgary Arts Development is committed to working with communities that have historically been underserved. We are guided by the core principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

We are 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. Our commitment outlines a vision for a city where Calgarians of all backgrounds can access, create and participate in art as part of their everyday lives.

The four pillars of this vision are:

Equity — Creating equitable access for Calgarians who have had less opportunity for philanthropic and governmental support due to systemic barriers that exist in our community.

Diversity — Supporting artistic endeavors that reflect our diverse community and in supporting the work of artists of diverse backgrounds.

Inclusion — Engaging a wide variety of voices and perspectives in shaping and furthering the work that we do.

Accessibility — Eliminating systemic barriers that prevent people who encounter physical, mental, or cultural barriers to spaces, programs and services from participating in the arts.

In order to honour lived experience and the intersectional and unique experiences of different people and communities, we follow a ‘nothing about us without us’ policy. So, if you are creating work about a specific community, that community needs to be actively engaged and consulted, and there needs to be a clear intentional and reciprocal relationship.

Aligning with our commitment to EDIA, we will strive to work with applicants in a ‘one size fits one’ way. If you have any concerns about how your practice or concept fits into our application process, please reach out.

There are things that we will not tolerate such as hate speech, cultural appropriation and active exclusionary behaviour. So please be aware that applications or concepts that contain this will not be accepted.

CADA is committed to open, fair and transparent processes. We have a policy available for anyone who may need support to apply to this program: the Applicant Support & Accessibility Policy. We will work one-on-one with applicants who experience barriers to access to develop accommodations that suit their unique abilities and situations and continually seek to learn and address inequities in our programs and processes.

We can provide funds to support application assistance. For example, we can help cover the cost of translations of written materials into other languages including ASL; Transcription of verbal meetings or audio and video recordings into a written document; language interpretation for meetings and grant writing assistance.

If you are looking for assistance or have questions about eligibility, please reach out. You can email the public art team at publicart@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or you can reach out to me directly. Please reach out as early as you can so we can provide appropriate support. Booking translators, for example, can take a week or more. Our Application Assistance program requires a one-time approval, so, if you are granted an accommodation for this application, you will be pre-approved for any future application with CADA.

If you are facing any barriers to complete or submit an application, reach out to us and we can help. You do not need to tell us specific details about the barriers you are experiencing, only that you are looking for accommodations.

Here’s a quick overview of the NE LRT Project timeline:

Applications are accepted until November 19, 2025, at 4:30pm MT. We encourage submitting your application as early as possible. Late submissions will not be accepted, unless you have requested a deadline extension in alignment with our Deadline Extension Policy, available on our website.

We will shortlist up to four applicants for an interview with the assessment committee and interested parties to be conducted at the end of January.

The successful applicant will be notified in early February 2026. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email.

The selected artist will be expected to begin working with the design team in early 2026.

Our project outlook for this work will continue through to the end of 2026

CADA is seeking a professional artist or artist team to join The City of Calgary’s design team for the proposed Blue Line Light Rail Transit Northeast Extension station plaza at 60th Street and 88th Avenue NE. The intention of bringing an artist into the design team at this stage of the project is to facilitate the development of artworks to be integrated into the station plaza. Embedding an artist in the design team at this stage can change perspectives and create multiple opportunities and a variety of implementations for public art.

This opportunity is very open in terms of media. The station plaza is the physical base, but the artist’s concept may creatively extend beyond the boundaries of the site, for example, with sound, light, or other ephemeral media.

As approval of funding is not yet in place for the construction of this station, this is an opportunity to envision and design a public art concept. There will not be any actual construction of an artwork in this phase of the project.

As the site is not yet designed, and the artist’s involvement is to participate in the full process of ideation and conception with the City’s design team, made up of engineers and architects, this will be a collaborative process with the artist leading with their vision and being open to the team’s expertise and problem-solving suggestions working towards a feasible design based on the physical parameters of the site.

Creating a truly integrated work is a complex process with many moving parts and technical considerations. Therefore, we are looking for applicants who have experience and openness with working as part of a design team.

The next two slides are images of the site. These images are also available as part of the guidelines.

The intention of this project is to design an integrated public artwork that:

• Is site-specific and responsive to the context of the station within Ward 5 communities
• Considers all potential perspectives and interactions related to the ways people travel through the area
• Considers public space thoughtfully and creatively
• Considers Calgary’s variable climate
• Engages the public
• Makes accessibility of the artwork central to the design
• Rewards short- and long-term engagement
• Encourages creative discourse
• Contributes to the public art landscape of Calgary

Pending approval of funding for the LRT Extension, the artist’s contract may be extended for the full process of realizing the public artwork including completion of detailed design, fabrication and installation. Because the funding has not been confirmed, we do not yet have a budget for this second phase.

These are the basic expectations for the artist’s role on this project:

• Participate with the design team in collaborative co-design of an integrated site-specific public artwork.
• Lead meaningful engagement with community as part of research towards creating an artwork that is responsive to this place and the people who use it.
• Work with the team to schedule collaborative meetings led by the artist, including introducing their practice, leading a design discussion, sharing research, presenting results of community engagement and holding a design session.
• Participate in one-hour meetings every other week for design updates.
• Visit the site and join at least one in-person meeting with members of the design team early in the design process (initial visit travel to be paid for by Calgary Arts Development). Participate in additional site visits as needed for community engagement and concept development.
• Participate in meetings to discuss materials and concepts with The City of Calgary’s Conservator to ensure longevity of the artwork.
• Design a new site-specific artwork that considers the area’s dual context as both a local community hub and a transit hub, engaging both local residents and those passing through.
• Submit 90 per cent detailed design drawings by the end of the year-long project, representing a highly developed design stage where detailed plans, specifications and materials are almost finalized, requiring only minor adjustments before submission for fabrication or installation.

We have selected a handful of projects to give you a sense of completed artworks that correspond in some ways with the NE LRT project vision and potential. These are intended to give just an idea of what might be possible in terms of integration, placemaking, media and creative use of space.

The first six are artworks that have been created as part of Calgary’s LRT system. The others are example of artworks that have been created in other cities that can help to provide examples of similar projects. These examples are shared to provide context and to illustrate possibilities, not to prescribe an approach. Artists are encouraged to think creatively and propose original concepts.

On the screen now, The Colour of Snow is an LRT project located in Calgary that is integrated into a station and overpass.

roger that is another project at a Calgary LRT station that uses light-based media to create highly visible artwork.

TransitStory was built for a CTrain platform in Calgary.

Luminous Crossings bookends the Downtown Free Fare Zone.

Bridge, Abridged is an integrated work within a pedestrian walkway in Calgary.

Recollections, Topiary, and Topiary Quilts is located throughout different areas of LRT stations in northeast Calgary.

As If It Were Already Here — This is an example of a work from Boston where an artist was embedded as part of a design team.

Verdant is another work where an artist was embedded as part of a design team, this time for a pedestrian bridge.

Voxel Bridge uses augmented reality to create an immersive experience on the underside of a bridge.

Superkilen Park is a more physically immersive experience with the artist as part of a design team.

Harbor Fog, stilled buoys dream of a loss harbor is a site-responsive and interactive installation integrated into the site’s construction with the artist embedded in a design team.

The artist fee for the year-long process of community engagement, working with the design team and developing a 90 per cent detailed design concept is $75,000.

This opportunity is open to local, national and international professional artists or artist teams.

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.

If you have any questions about eligibility or accessibility accommodations, please reach out to me directly.

Applications should include the following:

Letter of Interest

• Why does this opportunity appeal to you?
• What experience do you have working within cross-disciplinary teams?
• What is your approach to and experience with community engagement?
• What is your understanding of public space and the potential for impact through creative design?
• What methods do you use to navigate conceptual and practical discord with team members and/or community in your work?

We also ask that you submit an Artist CV that indicates:

• Demonstrated, relevant experience in completing ambitious, creative and engaging art projects.
• Experience participating on a design team for public infrastructure or experiences that demonstrate the ability to collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams and with stakeholders who do not have arts knowledge or understanding.
• Past work with meaningful community engagement.

You are also asked to submit Media or Images:

• These should be examples of ambitious, creative and engaging art projects, similar in scale to this opportunity.

We also ask for two references (letters are not required at this time, only names and contact information).

• Assessors will not be using the references for evaluation at this time. References will only be contacted if an applicant is shortlisted for interview.

Applications to the program will be reviewed by an independent assessment committee made up of artist peers, community members and subject manner experts.

The membership of the peer assessment committee will be chosen through public nominations and staff expertise.

Assessment committees are chosen to represent the broad diversity of Calgary and its artistic communities, including but not limited to: artistic discipline, gender, sexuality, age, religion, beliefs, nation, physical and neurological identities, etc.

Assessment committees are held to the CADA Group Agreements, a commitment to open, generous, and respectful evaluations and communications. You can read through the Group Agreements on our website.

Anyone can ask to participate on a Calgary Arts Development assessment committee by completing the Assessor Nomination Form online or by emailing publicart@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.

The assessment committee will read and score Expressions of Interest (EOI) applications throughout January 2026. This will be a two-stage process where the assessment committee will identify a shortlist of up to four artists to be interviewed.

Assessors will evaluate applications based on how the submissions respond to the application questions and score them for a possible total of 100 points:

• The Letter of Interest with 5 questions for 50 points
• The Artist CV for 20 points
• And Images for 30 points

Two references are required but they will not have a point value.

The shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in an interview with the assessment committee, the CADA project lead, and representatives from the City’s project team. Questions will be provided in advance and will focus on the artist or artist team’s previous work, methods of working with integrated design and teamwork, and their approach and aspirations for the project. Shortlisted applicants will be paid an honorarium of $1000 to participate in the interview stage.

Once all interviews are complete, the committee will make a final recommendation for the selected artist. Leadership at CADA and the City of Calgary will review the decision before confirming the selected artist or artist team. Notifications are sent out the following week.

Let’s get into the process to apply online and the online application in greater detail.

Applications are accepted through our online application interface. You will be able to access the interface through the Grant Login button in the top right corner of the CADA homepage or at calgaryartsdevelopment.smartsimple.ca.

I’m going pass it over to my colleague Helen Hu who’s going to do a live run through of the registration and she’ll go through, she’ll walk you through the application process.

Smart Simple instructional video

Helen Hu: In this video, we will go into the process of how to apply online and the online application in greater detail. Applications are accepted through our online application interface, Smart Simple. You will be able to access the interface through the login button in the top right corner of the CADA home page located here. Or you can access the Smart Simple platform by typing in calgaryartsdevelopment.smartsimple.ca in your web browser.

I’m going to be doing a live run through of the registration process and go through the application process in Smart Simple. While going over the technical aspects, I will also go over the application requirements in a little more detail.

Unless you have already done so, applicants must register as Individual Artist or Artist Collective to apply. To create an account, you will need to click on Register from the home page. Select the registration option that applies to you.

You will need to fill in the fields marked with an* as these are mandatory fields to create an account.

Once you have completed all of the necessary fields, click Submit and you should receive an e-mail with a link to set up your password.

Once you’ve completed setting up your password, log into your Smart Simple account and the next step will be setting up your profile.

To navigate to your profile, there are two different ways that you can do so. You can click on My Profile or you can click on the icon in the top right corner and select My Profile.

From here, this will take you to your profile which will ask you for some details including: your years of practice, whether you’re interested in being considered as an assessor, your artist resume and CV, and any links that you would like to share.

When you have completed setting up your account on Smart Simple, you can find a list of all open opportunities by locating the Open Opportunities icon from the home page.

If you click on Open Opportunities, it will take you to a list of all opportunities that are currently open. You’ll notice that there’s a description for each opportunity, the deadline, and a button where you can download a copy of the program guidelines.

When you are ready to apply for the program, click on the Apply button. This is what the application form will look like once you click on Begin Application.

The first tab is Contact Information, and all of the information that you see here will be automatically imported from your artist profile.

If you need to make any changes to these fields, you will have to navigate back to Home and update the fields by accessing your profile.

You will need to click on Update Profile, make any changes that need updating, and once you are ready you can submit your profile, that will save any changes and import them back to your application.

The second tab is Submission Requirements, and this includes the majority of the questions we’re asking applicants to respond to.

Please respond to the following in your letter of interest.

• Why does this opportunity appeal to you?
• What experience do you have working within cross disciplinary teams?
• What is your approach to and experience with community engagement?
• What is your understanding of public space and potential for impact through creative design?
• What methods do you use to navigate conceptual and practical Discord with team members and or community in your work?

For the Images section of the application, please upload a maximum or up to 10 images of completed artwork.

Acceptable file formats include JPEG, JPG, GIF, PNG and BMP. You may drag and drop your files into the upload sync here, or you can click on Browse Files to select the files from your Finder on your computer. The images in the photo gallery will be displayed according to the order they are uploaded.

Once you have uploaded your images, make sure to include the details for each image or artwork by clicking on the pencil icon located just below the image.

Here you will be able to include information such as title, date the artwork was completed, size, medium, and a brief description, as well as the location.

Once you have completed all of those details, click Save.

Please provide the name and contact information for two references as well as your relationship to them.

Letters are not required at this time, only names and contact information. We will not contact references without your knowledge.

Within your application, you should see a series of buttons that include Withdraw, Save Draft, Submit, and Save and Validate. Remember to click on Save Draft located here, every so often as you’re working through your application to prevent any information from being lost.

Save and Validate will check your application for any fields that are incomplete and require attention prior to being submitted.

When you feel ready to submit your application, click on the submit button.

You’ll be redirected to this page that indicates that your submission was successful, and you should receive an e-mail notification that says the same.

Caroline: Some application tips:

• Be sure to review the entire Guidelines.
• Contact us as early as possible if you require assistance.
• Make sure your Smart Simple artist profile and CV are up to date.
• In your Letter of Interest address all the points required and found under the Program & Criteria Scoring tab.
• Use plain language wherever possible.
• Provide clear image and media files that demonstrate your unique style, approach, and artistic skills to highlight your ability to succeed in this project.
• Only provide your own artwork and credit other artists on collaborative projects.
• Demonstrate capacity, awareness and potential.
• Have someone read and review your application to help uncover gaps or where you can be more clear.

That’s it for the info session today. Sign up for our weekly newsletter if you want to get up to date news and information from Calgary Arts Development.

I would also encourage you to sign up for our artist directory. Artists can submit their information including a write-up, photos and video to our artist directory. Organizations including CADA use the directory to search for artists for projects.

Calgary Arts Development is committed to open, fair and transparent processes. If you have any questions, want help with feedback on your application or if it’s your first time applying, please don’t hesitate to contact me as early as you can to ensure I can provide the best support possible. I can provide feedback on your application up to 10 days before the application deadline.

And as a reminder, applications close on November 19, 2025.

Questions + Answers

Q: So there’s a question in the chat, would you pick more than one artist or artist team to work together?A: So there’ll be one artist or artist team selected. So we’ll only be choosing one application, one applicant that could be a collaborative team, but they would need to apply as one applicant.

Q: Someone says they’re not ready to do this project, but it is great to find out what is involved.
A: Yeah, feel free to get in touch if you have more questions.

Q: Someone says thank you. Could you please repeat the part of the percentage of points?
A: Sure. So the letter of interest is worth 50 points, the artist CV is worth 20, and the images are worth 30 points for a total of 100 points.

Q: Can you show us the existing architectural space design on site?
A: So the design is in, it has not been developed. So the artist would be joining the design team on, as they’re designed, developing the concept for the site. So there is no design to share at this point.

Q: What role will the local original Nation play in the creation of the project?
A: I assume you are speaking to our local Treaty 7 Indigenous Nations. On all of our assessment committees we have Indigenous representation. So they will be included in the selection process for this project. And then the selected artist will be engaging with local communities, will work with the artist to develop and engagement plan. And so there will be opportunities to have input throughout the process that will sort of depend on the artist. It will be artist-led engagement.

Q: Are Latin America women considered BIPOC
A: Yes.

Q: As a disabled person with a mobility issue is that going to kept in mind?
A: I’m not quite sure what you mean by that question, but we will, we will accommodate folks with disabilities. So if you mean as an artist, will that be accommodated? Yes, that would be accommodated. And are you speaking, if you’re speaking to accessibility being incorporated into the site by the design team, that would also be a consideration. Feel free to clarify your question if that didn’t answer it for the application.

Q: I had a question about experience. I was interested in this opportunity because we would be working with a design team. However, I do not have experience on this level. Should I still apply even though this would be my first experience working with a design team and on a project at this scale?
A: Yes you may. You should still apply. I’m going to just pull up my notes so I get my language right, but I’m just going to look at… So we will be evaluating under the artist CV section. It says ‘experience participating on a design team for public infrastructure or experiences that demonstrate the ability to collaborate with cross disciplinary teams and with stakeholders who do not have arts knowledge or understanding.’ So there is that (unintelligible) there. We understand that not everybody has experience being integrated into a design team, but you may have experience working with cross-disciplinary teams and you can use that experience to be successful on a project like this. So please do apply and if you want to speak more like in depth about your specific experience and how it might relate to the project, feel free to send me an e-mail and I’d be happy to chat through it with you.

Q: Is the money for one piece, multiple or would that be decided together with the design team as part of the process and depending on the nature of the artwork?
A: So the artist fee is for the artwork concept and then the detailed design up to 90 per cent. So it depends on the concept. We are only asking for one concept and the design of one artwork. But that artwork could depend on the artist. I think that artwork could look many different ways and so there could be elements that impact different parts of the station, but it would be considered part of one kind of cohesive artwork. And so the decisions around that would be part of the artwork development and it would be done in collaboration with the design.

I can repeat the percentage of points one more time if that’s helpful. So the letter of interest is worth 50 points. So half of the overall 100 points. The artist CV is worth 20 points and the images are worth 30. And as Helen pointed out in the chat, this information is all available on the guidelines.

Q: Can a team of underrepresented artists have one member that’s not underrepresented?
A: Of course your artist team can consist of, you know, whoever you want to collaborate with and whoever you work with on a regular basis. Of course that is completely fine.

Q: You mentioned a $75K artist fee, but is that for Phase 1 only or Phase 1 & 2?
A: I mentioned a $75,000 artist fee that is for phase one only. So that is for completion of up to 90 per cent detailed design. Once funding is confirmed for construction of the station, there would be an addition, an additional contract with the artist to complete detailed design and then to work with the fabricators and to do, to work along that side the installers to actually construct the artwork. So after 90 per cent, what happens? The artist would be involved in fabrication and installation, but because it is a larger project that the artwork is being integrated into, it would be a collaborative process. So it would depend on the nature of the artwork. So if the proposed artwork was, for example, integrated into the brickwork of the station plaza — I don’t even know if there’s brick work at this point, we don’t have that level of detail — but if that was perhaps what was proposed, then the fabrication and installation would obviously be very collaborative because that would be kind of an essential, essential structural piece of the plaza. So there will be support along the way to fabricate and install, working with the design team.

Q: Is there a concept for the station yet? As that would be helpful to see where things could go.
A: There is not a concept for the station yet. We are embedding an artist into the design team at an early phase on the station. So there’s two pieces. There’s the station itself and the station plaza. The artist will be embedded into the team for the station plaza specifically. So as the design of the station itself is progressing, those plans will be shared with the artist and the design team for the plaza. It will be a very collaborative process, but at this point there are no designs to share.

Q: Will the City of Calgary be choosing/using their own fabricator or if I have worked with a fabricator before familiar with this size and complexity of artwork can they be used?
A: Again, I think it would be dependent on the type of artwork proposed. If it was integrated into sort of like the physical infrastructure of the site, then there may be a necessity to work with whoever is constructing and fabricating the site. If it is a more separate artwork then I think there would be opportunities to bring in a fabricator, but again, depending on the artwork itself.

Q: Are there specific amenities or features of the station plaza that you can share?
A: Not at this time. The concepts have not been designed yet. The context for the site is available, that is right. The size of the site and how it’s oriented.

Q: Will national and international artists be considered equally?
A: Yes, national and international artists will be considered equally. There is there is an expectation that there is community engagement done and as I mentioned, there is an expectation that there will be an initial site visit to familiarize yourself with the site for the selected artist to familiarize themselves with the site. But national and international artists will definitely be considered equally.

Q: Does it make sense to have a fabricator at this point?
A: It probably does not make sense to have a fabricator at this point.

Q: As the planning has been going for 10 years, is there data and insight that can be shared about the community to inform thoughtful community engagement?
A: There is data and insight about the community itself, about the specific communities. I mean the City of Calgary does collect demographic information which could be helpful and I believe some of the profiles for the ward are linked in the guidelines. But if not, feel free to e-mail me and I can send you that information. The City has also done a little bit of initial engagement around the idea of extending the LRT, so not specifically related to public art, but about the extension of the LRT. So there has been some initial engagement done and the selected artist would have access to that information.

Q: If I live in the northeast should I mention that?
A: If you have a connection to the local community there, I think it is helpful to mention, but it is not a requirement of this project. So it’s, you won’t necessarily be scored, you won’t be scored higher based on your residency, but if it’s going to inform your community engagement, I definitely would include that.

Q: How is the artist fee for Phase 2 determined?
A: That’s a great question. So it will be related to the size and scale of the final, of the final proposed artwork. And it, so that’s why we’re not able to release it right now is because we actually don’t have a final budget because the funding has not been confirmed for construction yet. And so it will be, it will be determined throughout the year as we design the artwork and as we kind of figure out the budget for it. So we are, we follow CARFAC guidelines for public art fees. And so if you go on to CARFAC website, they have some guidelines for how to determine fees. And it’s generally related to the sort of, minimum guideline is generally related to a percentage of the overall project budget.

Q: Timeline?
A: Construction on the station is anticipated for 2027 to 2030. So as you can imagine, building an LRT station is a long process. So the LRT station and the plaza are planned over those four years and so the artwork would be fabricated and installed within that time.

Q: To clarify, would the artist be choosing the theme or has one been proposed by Aecon and disclose already?
A: There has been no theme proposed by the design team at this point, so the artist would be involved in developing the theme and concept. I mean there are in the guidelines, there it does mention kind of engaging with the local community and engaging with like different modes of transport and so there, but the overall team has not been selected yet.

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 the Otipemisiwak Métis Government 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 opportunity is open to local, national and international professional artists and artist teams working in various media. 

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.   

Map of site location

The Northeast LRT Extension site is located on a three-acre parcel northwest of the intersection of 60th Street and 88th Avenue NE in the Saddle Ridge neighbourhood of northeast Calgary. The site selected for public art integration is the station plaza, which will be separate from the station platform structure. The plaza may be located off Savanna Road, which is a commercial main street with angled parking, or at the north end of the parcel pending final confirmation. The portion of 60th Street adjacent to the LRT station will be twinned as part of a separate development agreement.

Minutes from the Calgary International Airport and bounded by the Saddle Ridge Industrial Area to the west, this primarily residential community is home to nearly 25,000 residents of whom 62 per cent are newcomers to Canada.

Saddle Ridge is well serviced by amenities catering to its fast-growing population. Located just west of the proposed future LRT station is Savanna Bazaar, a shopping plaza with multicultural markets, social spaces and businesses. Saddletowne Station to the south is the area’s current main public transportation connection to other areas of Calgary. The Route 100 (Airport) bus acts as the city’s airport connector from Airport Trail, making the Saddle Ridge area many visitors’ first introduction to the city as they transfer from the airport bus to the LRT. As an active and diverse community with a varied workforce, Saddle Ridge is always bustling, with busy periods at different times throughout the day and night.

The Saddle Ridge Community Association anchors the strong sense of community in the area by organizing events and facilitating community engagement. The well-used green spaces in Saddle Ridge include Saddlecreek Ponds and Bear Park, which have walking and cycling pathways. The Genesis Centre, located in neighbouring Martindale, is a 20,000-square-metre (225,000-square-foot) multipurpose complex and major gathering space for residents of all ages from Saddle Ridge. Community members attend the Genesis Centre for sports, recreation, chess games, library visits, community kitchen events, business meetings and cultural celebrations.

The LRT Extension public art opportunity is tied to the City of Calgary’s Blue Line LRT Northeast Extension, which focuses on extending the existing Blue Line further to 88th Avenue NE from Saddletowne Station as part of a long-term plan to improve public transit across Calgary. This project provides bus connections within the northeast, and LRT service to Saddle Ridge and high-density northeast Calgary communities. This extension also supports the Airport Transit Connection, integrating the north central and northeast Calgary workforces with the second-largest employment hub in the Calgary region by accessible transit, and providing a critical transfer point to connect the Blue Line LRT to the Calgary International Airport.

Project Features:

• 1 km extension from Saddletowne Station
• 1 new station with plaza
• Future connection to Calgary International Airport via the Airport Transit Connection
• ‘Park and Ride’ parking area, a plaza and a bus loop
• Located within a Community Activity Centre

Blue Line LRT Northeast Extension | Engage
Blue Line LRT Extension
Ward 5 profile
Ward 5 survey outlining shared community priorities and sentiment

The intention of this project is to design an integrated public artwork that:

• Is site-specific and responsive to the context of the station within Ward 5 communities
• Considers all potential perspectives and interactions related to the ways people travel through the area, such as pedestrians in the station plaza, passengers on the train while at the stop, drivers on the nearby road, etc.
• Considers public space thoughtfully and creatively
• Considers Calgary’s variable climate
• Engages the public
• Makes accessibility of the artwork central to the design
• Rewards short- and long-term engagement
• Encourages creative discourse
• Contributes to the public art landscape of Calgary

As the city’s arts development authority, Calgary Arts Development’s public art program is engaging, relevant and accountable. Public art in Calgary reflects the rich diversity of our city, including Indigenous voices that tell the past, present and future stories of Calgary, known as Mohkinsstsis in Blackfoot. We remain committed to working with communities that have historically been underserved, guided by the core principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

Public art is one of the most approachable forms of art; it exists in common space, it’s available to everyone, and it’s free to access. It makes our city a vibrant and interesting place to live; it generates conversation, creates points of interest, connects us to this place and to each other, supports our economy, and is part of Calgary’s identity. It is a result of the incredible creativity and ingenuity of artists and the many people and industries they collaborate with.

Public art can help us to better know and understand our city; the times we live in, our stories and what is important to us. It can enliven our urban environment, increase livability and safety, and allow us to experience something extraordinary in the midst of our everyday lives.

When we hear the words “public art,” we often think of large-scale iconic sculptures. However, public art has evolved and includes so much more. At its core, public art is working with an artist and a community to realize ideas in public space. The resulting artwork can be interactive; it can make use of digital technology; it can be temporary; it can be functional; it can be social; it can be a living artwork such as a garden — the possibilities are endless.

Public art exists in collective space and everyone brings different histories, experiences, ideas and responses to it. It is often designed to generate dialogue and engagement; and can serve the purpose of initiating important conversations that we need to have as a community. It can uplift those histories and stories that have been forgotten and shed light on underlying issues and concerns. Calgary Arts Development will engage in productive conversations about public art and the important dialogues that stem from it.

These are examples of other public art projects either in a similar context or at a similar scale. They are here for information only.

The selected artist/artist team will begin working with the project’s design team in early 2026 and will realize the final public art concept and design by the end of 2026.

Pending funding of the construction project, the artist/artist team’s contract will be renewed and they will execute the fabrication and incorporation of their artwork on site between 2027 and 2030. Regardless of the funding outcome, the artist will own the copyright to their design and no part of the creation of their artwork will go forward without the artist’s permission and/or involvement.

The artist fee for the first phase of this project is $75,000 + GST (inclusive of any withholding taxes for international artists). This phase will take place in 2026 and involves working as an integrated member of the design team, conducting meaningful community engagement, and developing a public artwork concept including 90 per cent detailed design drawings for the Northeast LRT Extension station plaza that is scalable depending on funding outcomes. This budget does not include the fabrication or installation of the public artwork.

Pending approval of funding, the selected artist/artist team’s contract may be extended, and the artist/artist team may be invited to complete the full process of realizing the public artwork, beginning in 2027. The budget for the second phase of the project is to be determined, but would include completion of detailed design, fabrication, installation, all additional artist fees, and associated travel (including any withholding taxes for international artists).

Stage 1 — Submission of Expressions of Interest

Calgary Arts Development invites qualified artists/artist teams to apply by submitting a Letter of Interest through our online application portal.

Submissions will be reviewed by the assessment committee, from which artists/artist teams will be shortlisted.

Submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria (rated out of 100 points) and should include:

1. Letter of Interest (50 points)
   • Why does this opportunity appeal to you?
   • What experience do you have working within cross-disciplinary teams?
   • What is your approach to and experience with community engagement?
   • What is your understanding of public space and the potential for impact through creative design?
   • What methods do you use to navigate conceptual and practical discord with team members and/or community in your work?
2. Curriculum Vitae (20 points)
   • Demonstrated, relevant experience in completing ambitious, creative and engaging art projects.
   • Experience participating on a design team for public infrastructure or experiences that demonstrate the ability to collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams and with stakeholders who do not have arts knowledge or understanding.
   • Past work with meaningful community engagement.
3. Media (30 points)
   • Examples of ambitious, creative and engaging art projects, similar in scale to this opportunity.
4. Two references (letters are not required at this time, only names and contact information).

Applications should not include a concept proposal for this opportunity.

Scoring Process

Committee members will review applications and rate the level to which they agree or disagree with each of the program considerations listed in the section above, based on the information provided in the application.

Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree

Stage 2 — Interviews of shortlisted artists

Shortlisted artists/artist teams will be interviewed by the assessment committee, which is made up of artist peers, community members, subject matter experts and members of the City’s project management team.

Shortlist interviews will be 45 minutes and will focus on the artist/artist team’s previous work, methods of working with integrated design and teamwork, and approach and aspirations for the project. Interview questions will be shared one week in advance of the interview.

Shortlisted artists/artist teams will be provided with an honorarium of $1,000 for their participation in the second stage of the assessment process.

The successful artist/artist team will be selected by the assessment committee after all interviews have been completed and following a period of discussion and deliberation.

How Are Assessment Committee Members Selected? 

The membership of the assessment committee will be chosen through public nominations and staff expertise. Anyone can ask to participate on a Calgary Arts Development assessment committee by completing the Assessor Nomination Form or by emailing publicart@calgaryartsdevelopment.com. 

Assessment committees are chosen to represent the broad diversity of Calgary and its artistic communities, including but not limited to: artistic discipline, gender, sexuality, age, religion, beliefs, nation, physical and neurological identities, etc.  

Conflicts of Interest: Calgary Arts Development defines conflicts of interest as close family members, people who are involved in the activity being applied for or where there is a real or perceived financial benefit. If in doubt, assessors are encouraged to talk with Calgary Arts Development staff.  

If a committee member has applied to the program or declared a conflict of interest, they will not assess those specific applications or be present for any discussions of those applications.

Applications are accepted through our online application portal. Applicants must create a profile to apply and should fully complete their profile before starting their application. 

Successful applicants will be notified of their results by email.  

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.

The City of Calgary will continue to fund public art by setting aside one per cent of eligible capital project budgets. This model remains responsive to upturns and downturns in the economy. Both Calgary Arts Development and The City adhere to the Public Art Policy which directs how municipal funding is used to commission new artworks, acquire existing artworks, deliver public art activities and events, provide access to the public art collection, and maintain and conserve the collection.  

Policies
Deadline Extension Policy
Applicant Support & Accessibility Policy

Other
Group Agreements
Public Art Assessor Nomination Form