2025 Call For Submissions

The Town of Antigonish is pleased to partner with Antigonish Culture Alive (ACA) on the Antigonish Public Art Program. The Town and ACA are seeking submissions for the new Public Art Commission. This is a province-wide competition for professional artists as defined by Canada Council Guidelines. 

In celebration of the Town’s Centennial Anniversary of the Antigonish Electric Utility in 2026, the 2025 mural artist applicants are asked to draw inspiration from this historic milestone. A brief history and timeline of the electric utility is provided in the Application  for reference.

This is an exciting opportunity to create public artworks for Antigonish as a cultural hub within Northeastern Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia). The selected artist/artist group will collaborate with Antigonish Culture Alive (ACA), a local arts council, during the concept, production, and final installation phases of the project. The purpose of this mural is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Antigonish and showcase local artistic talent. Proposals are encouraged from artists or artist teams with experience in creating large-scale works, as well as the technical skills necessary to deliver the work in the proper digital format. 

Artists with experience in large-scale works are encouraged to apply. Technical skills in Adobe Creative Suite (or similar software) to render the design in digital format are considered an asset. If needed, a professional graphic designer can assist with preparing finalized files. The Town and ACA will oversee reproduction and installation, while copyright will remain with the artist.

Requirements for Participation:

• Artists must be residents of Nova Scotia; ties to Antigonish Town and/or County will be prioritized. 
• Artists must be 18 years of age (or parent/guardian permission is required).
• Submit all necessary documents as outlined in the Application .  

Requirements for Submission: 

• Applicant may submit under one of two categories
  • Digital Reproduction, or;
  • Full Scale, In-situ Painting
• Submit conceptual designs based on the specs provided
• Submit a Letter of intent (min. 250 words, max. 1000)
• Submit an artist portfolio with supplementary files of related and/or previous work (5 max)
• Submit an artist bio and link to appropriate website/online presence (Instagram, etc.)

Compenstation

If your design is selected for digital reproduction, you’ll receive an artist fee of $4,000 forproviding the work in a finished digital format. If your design is selected to be painted in situ, the artist fee will range between $5000 - $7,000, depending upon the final surface area of the mural.

Timeline

• Application Posted: October 1, 2025
• Applications Due: November 1, 2025
• Jury Selection - Round One: November 10, 2025
• Round Two - Artists' Sketches Due (if required): November 30, 2025
• Final Artists Chosen: December 5, 2025
• Final Design Due: January 5, 2025
• Installation of Digital Reproductions: Spring 2026 (Exact date TBD)

Questions

Any applicants who have questions or require assistance with the technology can contact Carissa Ainslie, Interim Executive Director for ACA at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..