Basic Information

Reference Number

0000294142

Issuing Organization

CAA ICON

Owner Organization

City of Calgary

Solicitation Type

RFQ - Request for Qualifications (Formal)

Solicitation Number

RFPQ-11

Title

Request for Pre-Qualification: Outdoor Public Art at Scotia Place, Calgary

Source ID

PP.CO.Ont..1164745.C3085101

Details

Location

Canada, Alberta, Calgary

Description

Call to Artists for two Outdoor 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.

Goals for public art at Scotia Place include creating art that:

Resonates with local communities and visitors to this area
Reflects Calgarians’ voices and aspirations
Highlights local Indigenous perspectives, histories and themes

Two of the four public art commissions will be located outdoors near the main entrances to the building, at the Northwest and Southwest plazas of the site. The other two public art locations are dedicated to celebrating Indigenous culture and will be carried out by Indigenous artists or artist-led teams. These opportunities are highlighted in a separate Call to Artists. All public art will be located in publicly accessible exterior spaces that are free for all to attend and enjoy.

Artist/artist teams are eligible to express interest in creating work for either one or both of the following sites:

1. “Northwest Plaza” total project budget, including artist fees: $375,000 CAD
2. “Southwest Plaza” total project budget, including artist fees: $1,125,000 CAD

Local, national and international artists or artist-led teams or collectives, with public art experience are invited to apply. Artists with ties to the Calgary area as well as Indigenous artists who have connections to the Treaty 7 Nations, Métis Nation, and the Urban Indigenous Community of the Treaty 7 area are encouraged to apply.

Please read the submission requirements in full as outlined in this Request for Pre-Qualification (RFPQ) document. Note: this RFPQ – Call to Artists is for Phase 1 only.

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 through an honorarium following CARFAC guidelines for Public Art Proposal fees.

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. 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.

The design is also influenced by Indigenous voices and reflects Calgary and Alberta’s natural environment. The home of Scotia Place is on the ancestral and historical lands of Indigenous Peoples. It is a culturally significant location that represents our shared purpose – to gather. The design offers a chance to showcase Indigenous culture and history, through art and education, honouring and celebrating the Treaty 7 Nations, Métis Nation, and the Urban Indigenous Community.

Read more about the engagement and work of the Indigenous Advisory Committee here.

In March and April, 2025, LeuWebb Projects led a public engagement process to gather community input on outdoor public art at the main entrances of Scotia Place. Please read the ‘What We Heard’ report here.
These universally accessible permanent public artworks will anchor two main entrances to the building, welcoming both locals and visitors. Informed by the public art engagement process, artists are encouraged to develop proposals that respond to the desire for artworks that foster a sense of community and celebration.

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

Local, national and international artists or artist-led teams or collectives, with public art experience are invited to apply. Artists with ties to the Calgary area as well as Indigenous artists who have connections to the Treaty 7 Nations, Métis Nation, and the Urban Indigenous Community of the Treaty 7 area are 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, 5:00pm MDT

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.

Dates

Publication

2025/05/21 03:24:15 PM MDT

Bid Intent

Not Available

Question Acceptance Deadline

2025/06/13 05:00:00 PM MDT

Questions are submitted online

Closing Date

2025/06/27 05:00:00 PM MDT

Contact Information

Bradley Lively

public.art@leuwebb.ca

Bid Submission Process

Bid Submission Type

Electronic Bid Submission

Pricing

No Pricing

Bid Documents List

Item Name	Description	Mandatory	Limited to 1 file
Bid Documents	Documents defining the proposal	Yes	No
No entries

Additional Bidding Instructions

Submission Requirements
Please refer to the Call to Artist RFPQ document in PDF format via leuwebb.ca/ScotiaPlacePublicArt for full details.

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