Building a Stronger Kelowna Call for Artists

The City of Kelowna invited professional artists and artist-led teams to submit their Expression of Interest for several public art commissions that were part of Building a Stronger Kelowna (BSK), a group of recreational projects that work together to build deeper community connections across the city.

Building a Stronger Kelowna’s suite of projects is a unique opportunity to develop a curatorial program of permanent and temporary artworks that connect in and across a group of community recreation facilities in the city. Public art projects will be original, inspired by Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley, and help tell the stories of this place.

Public art sites have not been determined yet and will evolve out of the integrated project delivery approach that is being used by the Building a Stronger Kelowna team and the call for artists. Artists who applied to this call may be considered for public art commissions at any of the locations.

Building a Stronger Kelowna public art will contribute to the identity of the project and to the City of Kelowna. Public art opportunities will vary in size and complexity, encouraging applications by experienced artists and cultural makers, as well as those who have not completed large-scale public artworks. Local, national, and international artists or artist-led teams with public art experience and cultural makers working in any artistic medium were invited to apply. Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit artists with connections to the syilx Okanagan people’s territory were encouraged to apply, with preference given to Canadian applicants where applicable. 

The call for expressions of interest submissions is now closed. We thank all of those who have submitted.  

Shortlisted artists will be contacted and invited to submit a concept proposal for a Building a Stronger Kelowna public art site and proceed to Stage two of the selection process.