Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge that the City of Peterborough is on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to the First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about, our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.
Introduction
The City of Peterborough’s Public Art Program invites local artists to submit expressions of interest to participate in a peer mentorship program. The Road Mural Mentorship Program (RMMP) affords participating artists the chance to gain hands-on experience in planning and developing a large-scale public artwork. This opportunity is open to emerging and mid-career artists.
Program Background and Vision
The City of Peterborough Public Art Program produces contemporary artwork to enhance and animate public spaces throughout the city, create landmarks and gathering places, and to commemorate events and sites of historical significance.
For the past two years, the Renaissance on Hunter public art projects have called upon local artists to transform the expanded patio and pedestrian spaces created by road closures in the café district, into a dynamic network of road murals and artist gardens.
In that timeframe, over twenty artists, from a variety of disciplines, have infused the area with vitality; and through their work, played a critical role in making it feel safer and more welcoming during the pandemic recovery.
City Council recently approved making the expanded patio program a recurring program for the downtown during the warm weather season. This development presents an opportunity to explore making the Renaissance on Hunter an annual event.
The goal of the Renaissance on Hunter Road Mural Mentorship Program is to build capacity within the local arts community for future Renaissance on Hunter projects. This call seeks applications from professional artists interested in expanding their practice into the public art realm. The artists responsible for creating the 2022 road murals will serve as mentors. Ten artist mentees will be selected for this paid mentorship opportunity.
Successful applicants will:
- Gain insight into project planning, logistics troubleshooting and project execution.
- Learn about the properties of the paint and the tools specific to this project.
- Collaborate with their mentor to refresh and restore the 2022 road murals.
- Gain experience working as a member of an artist team.
- Be provided an opportunity to develop a design and personalize a section of the mural (at the discretion of their mentor).
- Learn how to develop a public art proposal and gain insight into the application process at a workshop soon after the murals have been refreshed.
The Public Art Program is committed to supporting artists by providing resources and staff support through the course of the RMMP. More information about the Program and tips to assist with the application process can be found on the application. Please read the full call and familiarize yourself with the application before submitting your expression of interest.
Application Deadline: Monday, Monday May 1st, 2023, at 4 p.m.
Program Details
Mural Locations and Mentors |
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The mural sites are located in the temporary sidewalk spaces created by lane closures on a stretch of Hunter Street West between Aylmer and Chambers streets. The 2022 murals were created by Aaron Robitaille, Josh Morley, Brooklin Stormie Holbrough and Nuin-Tara Morin. Applicants are encouraged to visit each site and consider which murals align with their own art practice, and to include this information in the space provided on the Program application. Site I “Odoonabii” by Aaron Robitaille Site II “Glacial Formation” by Josh Morley Site III “Flight of the Pollinators" by Brooklin Stormie Holbrough Site IV “Nothing Out of Reach” by Nuin-Tara Morin
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Artist Fees |
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This is a paid mentorship program. Artist mentees will be compensated $150/day for hands-on training during the mural restorations. Project budget by site: Site I Three mentees for 4 days. Site II Two mentees for 2 days. Site III Two mentees for 2 days Site IV Three mentees for 4 days. |
Who Can Apply? |
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This opportunity is open to emerging and mid-career professional artists living in Peterborough City or Peterborough County. Artists and cultural practitioners from the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants must be Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents, or people upon whom refugee protection has been conferred. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. |
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Equity and Inclusion |
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The Public Art Program seeks to embody the values, policies and practices that ensure that all people — including but not limited to those who have been historically underrepresented based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geography, or religion — are represented in the planning, selection, and production of art in public places. Special attention to the importance of artwork created by Black, Indigenous, and racialized artists, as well as other Equity-deserving Groups is appropriate and essential to the future of the arts sector. |
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Accommodation & Accessibility |
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The Public Art Program is committed to open, fair, and transparent processes. Staff are available to assist applicants, answer questions and provide feedback on your drafted application, up to two days before the deadline. Please contact us as early as you can to ensure we can provide the best support possible. We are available to provide support through email, over the phone, or the use of audio and video platforms. To book an appointment please contact Public Art Facilitator, Wendy Trusler. |
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Application Guidelines |
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You will be asked to include the following:
Please select support material that reveals your experience and expertise as related to the Renaissance on Hunter Road Mural Projects. Visual Support Material should be labeled numerically with the applicant’s name (01_name.jpg, 02_name.jpg, etc.). The Support Material List should include title of work, date created, medium, and dimensions. If you wish to include video documentation it should be uploaded to a site such as YouTube or Vimeo and linked in the application. Regardless of duration, please include full videos. Due to time constraints, the selection committee may only view up to five minutes of each video. Please note the clip you would prefer the selection committee view by including time marks in the documentation list. |
How to Apply |
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Applications for this project will be accepted online through the Submittable platform. To use Submittable, you will need to register for a free account. Apply now: Road Mural Mentorship Submission Deadline: Monday, May 1st, 2023, at 4 p.m. We thank all artists contributing their time and professional work for this call for proposals. Applications that do not adhere to these criteria, are late or incomplete will be disqualified. All applicants will be notified with the selection committee’s decision by early June. |
Selection Process & Criteria |
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A selection committee composed of seven voting members will review all submissions. The selection committee will represent a diversity of artistic, cultural practices and expertise, and include two members of the City’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC), five members from the community at large, and non-voting advisors as required. The selection committee will discuss each application and select ten artists considering artistic merit, relevance, and feasibility. The City’s Arts, and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC) will receive the selection committee’s findings. |
Project Timeline |
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Application Deadline: Monday, May 1st, 2023, at 4 p.m. Artist Notification: Early May Mentorship Program: Mid-May to Early June |
About this Opportunity
The Renaissance on Hunter public art projects were developed in consultation with the Planning and Transportation Divisions and Accessibility Office and will be presented in partnership with the Downtown Business Improvement Area and Green Up. They are being administered and funded through the City’s Public Art Program.
Please direct questions to:
Public Art Facilitator
City of Peterborough
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