Call to host Nation Artists and Designers

Building Signage and Banner Artwork for Burnaby Village Museum

Deadline to apply: October 11 at 11:59 pm

About this project

The City of Burnaby is looking for one artist from a host Nation to create a series of building signs and a banner for the exterior of the Museum’s Indigenous Learning House. These artworks will create a cohesive exterior design to match an interior renovation of the Learning House. The City of Burnaby wishes to honour the role of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim speaking peoples as the original stewards of the lands on which the City of Burnaby is now located. The City acknowledges relationship-building and presence as vital in the process of seeking commissioned artwork.

The City invites artists from the host First Nations: xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Nations, to respond to this call. The City is commissioning original artwork that reflects the character and meaning of these lands and the host Nations’ connections to them.

The designs are for a series of building signs and a banner which will be part of a renovation to the Museum’s Indigenous Learning House, a 450 square foot space where Indigenous educators share Indigenous culture with the public. The building signs are important for wayfinding and must feature the building’s name in 3 languages: English, hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim. The artwork will need to match the exterior paint colours that have been selected. The goal of this project is to offer maximum visibility to Coast Salish design for those who visit the 10-acre Museum and to draw people to the Indigenous Learning House.

Artist medium(s)

The artwork requested should be scalable colour graphic designs in a vector format.

• Building Signs:
• 100.5”(w) x 20” (h)
• 173.5” (w) x 20” (h)
• 34.5” (w) x 20” (h)
• Banner: wall size approx. 12’x 4’ - artwork size – 9’ (h) x 3’ (w)

Context for creation

The City is committed to working with host Nations to find new ways to build and improve relationships between non-Indigenous Canadians and Indigenous communities. The production of a series of Coast Salish artworks that share design and cultural expressions of host Nations will benefit all citizens in Burnaby. hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7meshSníchim-speaking peoples are the original stewards of the lands on which the City of Burnaby is now located. The audience for this project will be all citizens of Burnaby, employees of the City of Burnaby, dignitaries and all visitors to the Burnaby Village Museum.

Design completion by: December 10, 2024

Eligibility

We invite submissions from all artists from xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛəm (Kwikwetlem) Nations̓.

Artist fee

$5,000 (inclusive of all design).

Production will be undertaken by the City of Burnaby. 

Selection process

A panel/selection committee will review proposals and select a project:

1. Museum Curator
2. Art Designate
3. Indigenous Knowledge Designate

Deadline to apply: October 11 at 11:59 pm. 

Please submit requirements by email to bvm@burnaby.ca.

Please include these items in your proposal: 

1. Statement of interest: A letter of interest no more than 2 pages that explains why you are interested in this opportunity and/or description about yourself, your goals and related artistic experience you have, and your connection to one of the 4 host Nations on whose unceded territory the City of Burnaby is now located.
2. Digital images and descriptions: up to a maximum of 10 images of past work that relate to this opportunity and feature text/building signage. Please include a corresponding image list in MS Word or PDF format that includes for each image: title, media, dimensions and date completed.
3. A concept design (in physical or digital files), which could also be a hand drawing, of your proposed artwork/design(s). The images should be at highest resolution possible and be able to be shared among the selection committee.

Anticipated timeline: 

• September 16, 2024: Call to artists is open
• October 11, 2024: Deadline for submissions
• October 12-16 2024: Selection panel is convened
• October 16, 2024: Selected artist is notified and contracted to begin work
• October 16, 2024: Artwork created
• December 10, 2024: Artwork completion
• December-January, 2025: City of Burnaby fabrication and installation
• March 2025: Project launch

For inquiries please contact:

Jane Lemke
Museum Curator, Burnaby Village Museum
604-297-4542
bvm@burnaby.ca