Call to Artists for two Indigenous-led Public Art Opportunities
Submission Deadline: June 27, 2025
Project Description
The Scotia Place project team is working with LeuWebb Projects (public art manager – PAM) and Heavy (public art construction manager – PACM) to curate and commission four dynamic outdoor public art pieces for Scotia Place, Alberta’s newest premier sports and entertainment venue. This landmark facility will play a key role in the transformation of Calgary’s downtown, the emerging Culture + Entertainment District, and its surrounding spaces.
Indigenous artists who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis and can demonstrate a meaningful connection to their Indigenous identity and the area of Treaty Seven and/or the Historic Northwest Métis Homeland are strongly encouraged to apply.
All public art will be located in publicly accessible exterior spaces that are free to attend and enjoy.
Two of the four public art commissions at Scotia Place are dedicated to celebrating Indigenous cultural connections to the land:
1. “Home Fire”: This public art piece will symbolize the “home fire”, representing a place to gather and exchange stories and will feature a live flame.
- Indigenous mid-career and established artists, artist-led teams or collectives, with public art experience are encouraged to apply
- Budget, including artist fee: $1,500,000 CAD (exclusive of GST)
2. “East Façade”: An artwork design integrated into panels on the east side of the building facing the Elbow River and the traditional Stampede Elbow River Camp.
- Emerging Indigenous artists with or without public art experience are encouraged to apply
- Budget, including artist fee: $150,000 CAD (exclusive of GST)
The Calgary Sport and Entertainment Corporation and The City of Calgary (“Development Partners”) is issuing this Request for Pre-Qualification (“RFPQ”) to select a list of highly qualified Proponents, for the purpose of soliciting proposals to provide Public Artists for the new Calgary Event Centre Arena in Calgary, Alberta (the “New Arena”).
This Call to Artists Request for Pre-Qualification (RFPQ) forms Phase 1 of a two-phase artist selection process. Following Phase 1, three to five artists will be selected for each opportunity to participate in Phase 2 Request for Proposals (RFP) and invited to develop detailed design concepts for their chosen artwork locations. Phase 2 shortlisted artists will be compensated for developing their concepts with an honorarium.
Note: this RFPQ – Call to Artists is for Phase 1 only.
Artist fees for each commission will be calculated based on CARFAC’s guidelines for Artist Fees for Commissioning of New Works.
Project Requirements
About Scotia Place
Currently under construction, Scotia Place is set to open in the Fall of 2027. The venue will be a landmark destination, creating vibrant gathering spaces for celebration, connection and community in Calgary’s emerging Culture + Entertainment District. Scotia Place is one of many investments The City of Calgary is making towards shaping a greater Downtown and revitalizing the surrounding areas. It is a multi-purpose, industry leading, sports and entertainment venue that provides a gathering place for all and will benefit Calgarians and visitors to Calgary.
The Scotia Place development focuses on universal accessibility, climate ready design and making sure every visit is meaningful and memorable, inside and out. Watch the vision come to life with the renderings and fly-through video.
Indigenous Influence
An Indigenous Advisory Committee, composed of members of Treaty Seven First Nations, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and the Calgary Urban Indigenous Community, worked closely with the Project Committee throughout the Scotia Place design process to share their cultural knowledge for future Indigenous cultural representation and design integration.
Read more about the engagement and work of the Indigenous Advisory Committee led by Many Chief Consulting here.
The Indigenous Advisory Committee consultations led to identifying two specific opportunities for Indigenous cultural expression through public art at the Scotia Place site: Home Fire and the East Façade.
1. “Home Fire”
This will serve as a prominent art element located along the south plaza of the Scotia Place site. This public art piece will symbolize the “home fire”, which represents a place to gather, stay warm and exchange stories for Indigenous Nations.
“Home Fire” Artwork key considerations:
The artist or artist team must incorporate a live, natural gas-powered flame into the artwork. The flame may or may not be lit depending on programming, events and weather, therefore the artwork should be a compelling piece and remain visually and conceptually impactful in both conditions.
2. “East Façade”
This is an integrated multi-storey graphic artwork located on the east side of the parking garage building facing the Elbow River and the Stampede Elbow River Camp.
“East Façade” Artwork key considerations:
The selected artist will produce an illustration that will be digitally translated into the perforation patterns and openings by Flynn Corporation, the fabricator and installer of the metal panels for the building.
Full technical details including site documentation, architectural drawings, specifications and related, will be provided to artists as part of the Phase 2 Request for Proposals (RFP) artist selection process.
Eligibility
Indigenous artists who have connections to the Treaty 7 Nations, Otipemisiwak Métis Government, and the Calgary Urban Indigenous community are strongly encouraged to apply.
Compensation
Phase 1 – Request for Pre-Qualification not applicable.
Phase 2 – Selected artists will be compensated following CARFAC guidelines.
Submission Requirements
Please refer to the Call to Artist RFPQ document in PDF format via leuwebb.ca/ScotiaPlacePublicArt for full details.
Submission Deadline: June 27, 2025
For additional information or questions, please contact:
Alan Webb, LeuWebb Projects, Public Art Managers for Scotia Place on behalf of CSEC at public.art@leuwebb.ca, prior to June 13, 2025, 5:00pm MDT.
