Are you passionate about the arts and want to play a key role in shaping the cultural 
landscape of Pickering? The City of Pickering is seeking enthusiastic and knowledgeable 
individuals to join our Public Art Jury. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the 
selection of thought-provoking and inspiring public artworks that will enhance our 
community’s identity and enrich public spaces for years to come.

By participating in this important initiative, you’ll collaborate with fellow art advocates and 
experts to ensure the city’s public art program reflects the diverse voices, stories, and 
creative talents of our community. If you’re ready to make a meaningful impact and 
celebrate the power of art, we want to hear from you!

Up to five (5) Public Art Jury Members will be selected for the 2026 term.

• As a Public Art Jury Member, you will:
  Evaluate and recommend artist proposals for public art commissions in 
  accordance with the City’s Public Art Policy (CUL130).
• Contribute to the selection, acquisition, and review of public artworks for the City of 
  Pickering.
• Collaborate with a diverse group of professionals, residents, and stakeholders to 
  ensure the highest standards of equity, transparency, and creativity in the selection 
  process.

• Term: One year.
• Compensation: Each Public Art Jury member will be paid a flat rate of $1,480.00  inclusive of HST.* for the year.
• Projects: A Public Art Jury member may review up to six (6) public art projects during the term.

*Funding pending approval of the 2026 Budget.

Note, not all five (5) Jury members may be involved for the same project at once. Approved Public Art Jury members will be invited to sit on a project based on their qualifications and availability.  

We are seeking individuals with:

• Experience or interest in public art, design, or cultural programming.
• Insights into Pickering’s social and cultural landscape.
• Professional expertise (e.g., artists, curators, architects, community organizers) or lived experience that can enrich the evaluation process. 

To apply, please submit:

• A letter of interest detailing your experience and motivation for joining the Public 
  Art Jury.
• A professional CV highlighting relevant expertise.

Submission Details
Email: etayles@pickering.ca
Deadline: January 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM.

The City will provide accommodations to all applicants who require special assistance 
throughout the process. Please notify Ellen Tayles-Armstrong, Curator, Public Art, at 905-
409-0567 or etayles@pickering.ca of any accommodations you may need to ensure your 
equal participation in the materials or processes used.

The City of Pickering, at its sole discretion, may request clarification or request additional information, as deemed necessary to evaluate the submissions. The City retains the sole discretion to determine whether a submission is responsive and if the prospective Artist or Artist Team is capable of performing the Work. The City reserves the right, at it sole discretion, to determine the number of pre-qualified Artists or Artist Teams. The City reserve the right to not proceed with awarding a contract. 

Publication of Information 

The City of Pickering shall have the exclusive rights to issue all public announcements regarding the competition. 

Additional Information 

For any additional information or questions please contact: Ellen Tayles, Curator, Public Art at 905.420.4660 ext. 3717

Artist Opportunity  

The City of Pickering invites artists or teams of artists to submit proposals for the permanent installation of artwork in the Greenwood Heritage Library alcoves at Dorsay Community and Heritage Centre (DCHC). Located on the Pickering Museum Village site, the building is set to open early 2026. By embodying themes of nature, outdoor recreation, and local history, this art will serve as a tribute to the land, people, and heritage of Pickering. Artists will be commissioned by the City of Pickering to create original artwork.

Three (3) artists will be selected, one for each alcove, each receiving $8,000 inclusive of HST. The total budget for the project, including artist fees, materials, fabrication, delivery, one in-person community consultation, up to two rounds of revisions, the design of the artwork, the collective design of two information panels, and other associated costs is $8,000 (inclusive of HST) per artwork. 

A public art jury comprised of practicing arts professionals, Cultural Advisory Committee members, and project stakeholders will be established for this one-stage competition.

*Funding pending approval of the 2026 Budget. 

Budget $8,000 CAD inclusive of HST (maximum)* for each of the three commissioned artworks. This is the total amount available for the commission of this permanent public artwork, all related expenses of this project including but not limited to up to 2 rounds of revisions, artist fees, all applicable taxes, detailed renderings, materials, community consultations and schedules or other expertise as required (engineering review), insurance, equipment, travel to meetings and to the site, and an artist statement for completed work.  *Funding pending approval of the 2026 Budget.  

A public art jury comprised of practicing arts professionals, an Indigenous community member, and/or members of the project team, and Cultural Advisory Committee Members will be established for the evaluation of the proposals. Three (3) will be awarded the commission.

The Jury will recommend artists/artistic teams for the award of the commission based on the following criteria:  1) Artistic merit, including quality of work, originality, and artistic excellence.  

2) Adhesion to stated themes and requirements; and,

3) Artists demonstrated ability and proposal feasibility to meet the artwork goals within the set timeline and budget. 

Complete your RFP submission by filling out the form here.  

Submissions should be emailed to etayles@pickering.ca no later than 4pm on January 7, 2026.

Artists are invited to respond to this RFP Call by submitting a single pdf document (max size 20 MB) including: 

 Artist Statement

Write your statement (400 words maximum) in first person referring to relevant information only. Write about the point of your practice, materials, approaches, themes or focus, the history related to your work/approach/medium, and contemporary discourse. Consider what makes your work different, exciting, or interesting. This will help tell the story of not only your work but you as an artist and professional.  

Project Statement

Describe your interest in this project specifically and share your experience in the field. You can submit a written document (500 words maximum) or record an audio or video message (MP3 or MP4 file, max 20 MB).

Concept Design

These are to be rough sketches of the designs you plan to submit should you be awarded the opportunity. 

Portfolio of Past Work

Examples of relevant work up to ten (10) projects. You may include individual images or multiple images of each project on one page of a larger document. Please note the document should be saved as a PDF and not exceed 20 MB. The maximum number of works in the portfolio is 10. The maximum number of pages in your PDF should equal 10. For each project, please be sure to include the title, year, medium, dimensions, scope, budget, and a brief description of the piece.

References

A list of at least two (2) professional references familiar with your work and working methods. The list must include name, title, complete e-mail address, and telephone number for each reference. 

The City will provide accommodation throughout the selection process to applicants with disabilities. Please notify Ellen Tayles-Armstrong, Curator, Public Art at 905-409-0567 or etayles@pickering.ca with the nature of any accommodation(s) you may require in respect to any materials or processes used to ensure your equal participation.

The City of Pickering, at its sole discretion, may request clarification or request additional information, as deemed necessary to evaluate the submissions. The City retains the sole discretion to determine whether a submission is responsive and if the prospective Artist or Artist Team is capable of performing the Work. The City reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine the number of pre-qualified Artists or Artist Teams. The City reserves the right to not proceed with awarding a contract.

The City of Pickering shall have the exclusive right to issue all public announcements regarding the competition. Additional Information For any additional information or questions please contact Ellen Tayles-Armstrong, Curator, Public Art at 905-409-0567 or etayles@pickering.ca.  

The City of Pickering invites Indigenous artists or teams of artists to submit proposals for the permanent installation of artwork in the Greenwood Heritage Library alcove at Dorsay Community and Heritage Centre (DCHC).

Located on the Pickering Museum Village site, the building is set to open in early 2026. By embodying themes of Indigenous history and nature, this art will serve as a tribute to the land and people of Pickering. The artist(s) will be commissioned by the City of Pickering to create original artwork.

One (1) artist will be selected receiving $8,000 inclusive of HST. The total budget for the project, including artist fees, materials, fabrication, delivery, one in-person community consultation, up to two rounds of revisions, the design of the artwork, the collective design of one information panel, and other associated costs is $8,000 (inclusive of HST).

Eligibility:

As per the City of Pickering Public Art Policy (CUL 130), an artist is defined as the designer/creator of an artistic work and can include, but is not limited to, a professional artist, graphic designer, collaborative team, architect, or landscape designer.
This call is open to all individual Indigenous artists (emerging to established and re-emerging), Indigenous artist teams or Indigenous artist collectives.

Budget $8,000 CAD inclusive of HST (maximum)* for the commissioned artwork. This is the total amount available for the commission of this permanent public artwork, all related expenses of this project including but not limited to up to 2 rounds of revisions, artist fees, all applicable taxes, detailed renderings, materials, community consultations and schedules or other expertise as required (engineering review), insurance, equipment, travel to meetings and to the site, and an artist statement for completed work.

*Funding pending approval of the 2026 Budget. 

 

 

Complete your RFP submission by filling out the form here.  

Submissions should be emailed to etayles@pickering.ca no later than 4pm on January 7, 2026.

Artists are invited to respond to this RFP Call by submitting a single pdf document (max size 20 MB) including: 

 Artist Statement

Write your statement (400 words maximum) in first person referring to relevant information only. Write about the point of your practice, materials, approaches, themes or focus, the history related to your work/approach/medium, and contemporary discourse. Consider what makes your work different, exciting, or interesting. This will help tell the story of not only your work but you as an artist and professional.  

Project Statement

Describe your interest in this project specifically and share your experience in the field. You can submit a written document (500 words maximum) or record an audio or video message (MP3 or MP4 file, max 20 MB).

Concept Design

These are to be rough sketches of the designs you plan to submit should you be awarded the opportunity. 

Portfolio of Past Work

Examples of relevant work up to ten (10) projects. You may include individual images or multiple images of each project on one page of a larger document. Please note the document should be saved as a PDF and not exceed 20 MB. The maximum number of works in the portfolio is 10. The maximum number of pages in your PDF should equal 10. For each project, please be sure to include the title, year, medium, dimensions, scope, budget, and a brief description of the piece.

References

A list of at least two (2) professional references familiar with your work and working methods. The list must include name, title, complete e-mail address, and telephone number for each reference. 

The City will provide accommodation throughout the selection process to applicants with disabilities. Please notify Ellen Tayles-Armstrong, Curator, Public Art at 905-409-0567 or etayles@pickering.ca with the nature of any accommodation(s) you may require in respect to any materials or processes used to ensure your equal participation.

The City of Pickering, at its sole discretion, may request clarification or request additional information, as deemed necessary to evaluate the submissions. The City retains the sole discretion to determine whether a submission is responsive and if the prospective Artist or Artist Team is capable of performing the Work. The City reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine the number of pre-qualified Artists or Artist Teams. The City reserves the right to not proceed with awarding a contract.

The City of Pickering shall have the exclusive right to issue all public announcements regarding the competition. Additional Information For any additional information or questions please contact Ellen Tayles-Armstrong, Curator, Public Art at 905-409-0567 or etayles@pickering.ca.