Call to Artists for Expressions of Interest
Artists with a lived connection to the place we call Guelph are invited to submit Expressions of Interest for the Art in Real Life (Art IRL) program.
Developed by the City of Guelph and delivered by Guelph Arts Council, Art in Real Life (Art IRL) is an annual program that supports artists in creating shared arts experiences with communities—in real time and space—across a range of mediums and modes of expression.
One selected artist or art collective will be awarded the Art IRL project, valued at $10,000 (CAD). Artist-led public engagement with the project will take place in Guelph during Culture Days from September 18 to October 4, 2026.
Who:
Professional artists and art collectives (collaborations between two or more artists) must be at least 18 years of age.
Artists are encouraged to share how their lived connection to the place we call Guelph shapes their artistic practice and informs their project proposal.
Additionally, artists from equity-deserving communities (including Black, Indigenous, racialized, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+, low-income and unhoused individuals) are invited to express their unique and intersectional identities, if they choose, in the description of their practices, and to share how their lived experiences inform their project proposal.
Guelph Arts Council staff are not eligible to apply. City of Guelph employees and current Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC) members may be eligible to apply, but must contact Guelph Arts Council in advance of submission to discuss their proximity to the Art IRL project and any potential conflict of interest.
What:
Artists may choose to focus on a single medium/discipline or work within an interdisciplinary practice, including but not limited to:
- Community-engaged art (collaborative creative processes involving both professional artists and community organizations, grassroots groups or individuals)
- Site-specific art (art which engages with the physical, social, and/or historical conditions of its site as a guiding creative constraint)
- Studio-based practice (e.g. drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, lens-based art, mixed media)
- Media arts (e.g. sound, video, animation, digital art, projection)
- Performance (e.g. dance, music, theatre, performance art)
Artists are asked to consider how community members will witness, contribute to, engage with, and/or participate in their art.
Where:
In 2026, the Art IRL program will take place in downtown Guelph, a place shaped by the rhythms of everyday life, where chance encounters, gatherings and shared experiences unfold in real time and space. Future offerings of the program are planned to take place in different areas around the city.
Artists may choose to work in, with, or in response to a range of downtown sites, from rivers, parks and heritage settings to neighbourhood hubs — wherever community gathers.
Artists are encouraged to respond to the physical, social and/or historical conditions of their chosen site. They are also invited to share how existing or emerging relationships with community organizations or groups may shape the idea for the artwork, how it is made, and how it is shared with others.
When:
- The anticipated program timeline is outlined below:
- May 14, 2026: Call to Artists launch
- May 25 at 6:00 p.m. – Phase One application Information Session (virtual)
- Please contact us for a link to the recorded session.
- June 8 at 11:59 p.m. – Phase One Expressions of Interest due
- June 24 – Shortlisted artists notified
- June 29 – June 30 – Phase Two one-on-one Information Sessions (virtual)
- July 13 at 11:59 p.m. – Phase Two Project Proposals due
- July 24 – Notice sent to successful artist(s)
- July 27 – July 31: Successful artist(s) and GAC will meet to discuss responsibilities and sign Artist Agreement
- August 3 – September 17 – Project Development Period
- September 18 – October 4 – Public-facing Period (Culture Days)
- Before October 31: Reflection and wrap-up
All applicants are asked to reserve the Phase Two Information session dates in their calendar
Why:
Inspired by the bold vision and vibrant spirit of Guelph’s creative community, Art in Real Life (Art IRL) aims to:
- Cultivate meaningful opportunities for artists and culture workers, while strengthening the City’s reputation as a leading cultural city.
- Connect communities and artists by expanding opportunities for accessible and inclusive engagement with the arts in public spaces.
- Champion local creativity by supporting artist-led experiences rooted in the lived knowledge of place.
Artists are invited to explore the City of Guelph’s Culture Plan 2030.
How:
Art IRL projects unfold in real life, in real time, in real space—through direct, shared experiences between artists, communities and place.
During Culture Days (September 18 – Oct 4, 2026), the awarded artist(s) will present a free, accessible and welcoming opportunity for the community to witness, engage with, or participate in their art.
Artists are encouraged to think expansively about what it means to experience their art in real life, and how community members will encounter it—by chance or intention, through observation, participation, contribution, or presence. How will community participation in your art create new and inclusive possibilities?
Public engagement may take many forms, including (but not limited to) gatherings, workshops, guided walks, conversations, performances, exhibitions, temporary installations, or other site-responsive activities.
Artists are encouraged to consider accessibility in broad and creative ways—including timing, location, language and format—so that participation is possible for people with different schedules, abilities, and circumstances.
Award
The artist(s) will enter an Artist Agreement with Guelph Arts Council.
Through funds received from the City of Guelph, Guelph Arts Council will award a $10,000 (CAD) budget to the selected artist or artist collective. The project budget will be managed by the artist(s).
Eligible expenses include:
- Artist fees
- Production and/or presentation fees (including materials, any required insurance, equipment and/or venue rental, hospitality, etc.)
- Travel and accommodation for project-specific events in Guelph
Disbursements will be made throughout the project on a mutually agreed schedule. Any project expenses in excess of the budget are the responsibility of the artist(s). Artists can seek additional funding for their project (e.g. applying for a grant or seeking partnership); however, the project itself cannot be a fundraiser.
Guelph Arts Council will work with the City of Guelph to:
- Provide administrative and logistical assistance, including working with selected artist(s) to identify sites and coordinating permits for use of public space(s) managed by the municipality
- Promote the project and recognize the artist(s)
- Photo-document project-specific events in Guelph
The selected artist(s) will:
- Deliver the project within the program’s timeline and budget
- Create a free, publicly accessible opportunity for community members to engage with the project
- Promote the project through their networks
- Provide regular progress updates to GAC staff
- Provide feedback on project successes and challenges
Selection Process and Criteria
Artists and art collectives will participate in a two-phase selection process: Phase One – Expression of Interest and Phase Two – Project Proposal.
A Selection Committee will review each phase based on the following criteria. Only shortlisted artists will advance to Phase Two.
Phase One – Expression of Interest
Applicants should submit the following materials using the online form below:
- Expression of Interest – a brief description of the project concept and the vision for how the artist(s) will engage the community in their art (500 words or less in pdf, doc or docx format, up to 2 MB per file)
- Artist CV – up to three pages in pdf, doc or docx format, up to 2 MB per file
- Support Materials – three to six examples of past/current artistic work, such as images of artworks, short writing samples, links to video or sound files, etc. (pdf, doc, docx, jpg, jpeg or png format, up to 5 MB per file)
Please include only the items listed above. Additional materials will not be presented to the Selection Committee.
Phase One Evaluation Criteria
Qualifications and experience (40 per cent):
- The artist(s) delivers work of high artistic quality on time and on budget (20 per cent)
- The artist(s) engages community in their art (10 per cent)
- The artist(s) expresses a lived connection to the place we call Guelph (10 per cent
Quality of expression of interest (60 per cent):
- The project will deliver work of high artistic quality and produce a creative outcome that can be shared and celebrated with the public (20 per cent)
- The project has a vision for inclusive community involvement through shared arts experiences (15 per cent)
- The project will creatively animate public space(s) by thoughtfully responding to the physical, social, and/or historical conditions of place (15 per cent)
- The project is realistic and achievable (10 per cent)
Phase Two – Project Proposal
Shortlisted artists will be invited to develop their Expressions of Interest into a Project Proposal. They will attend a one-on-one information session with Guelph Arts Council staff who will share feedback and invite questions from the artists. Shortlisted artists will receive a $500 honorarium for their Project Proposals.
Project Proposals must include a detailed project outline (up to five pages in length). The proposal should:
- Detail project goals and outcomes
- Highlight opportunities for community engagement with their art
- Identify community partners the artist(s) might like to engage in their project (these relationships may be existing or new)
- Identify potential sites of activation within the downtown area
- Identify key project stages and timelines
- Forecast a project budget
Project Proposals must be formatted as a single file (up to 5 MB, in pdf, doc or docx format) and sent electronically to [email protected].
Phase Two Evaluation Criteria
Artistic Experience (20 per cent):
- The artist(s) have the knowledge and skills required to coordinate and deliver the project on time and on budget (5 per cent )
- The artist(s) professional experience and skills are aligned with their project proposal (5 per cent)
- The artist(s) have demonstrated experience and inventiveness in working collaboratively with community (5 per cent)
- The proposed project is realistic and achievable (5 per cent)
Project Quality (40 per cent):
- The project has artistic merit (25 per cent)
- The project is innovative and unique (15 per cent)
Community Engagement (40 per cent):
- The project creatively animates public space(s) (15 per cent)
- The project engages community in strong and inclusive ways (15 per cent)
- The project reflects a lived connection to the place we call Guelph (10per cent)
General Information
Artist agreement
In Phase Two, the shortlisted artists will be required to enter into an agreement with Guelph Arts Council to receive the artist honorarium. If awarded, the selected artist(s) will enter into an additional agreement with Guelph Arts Council. Between July 3 and 31, the artist(s) and GAC staff will work together to finalize project logistics, which will be documented in the agreement to be jointly signed by July 31, 2026.
Conflict of interest
Applicants must disclose any potential conflicts of interest in their submission, including any which may involve Guelph Arts Council staff, City employees, Council members, or members of the City’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC).
Reserved rights
Guelph Arts Council is not obliged to accept any of the submissions and reserve the right to not recommend any proposal or finalist, and/or to terminate or re-advertise any project.
For more information, or to request assistance with the application process, please contact:
Preetam Sengupta
Guelph Arts Council
administration@guelpharts (preferred)
519-836-3280
