cowan recreation complex public art sculpture competition
We invite artists or artist teams to submit an expression of interest for an exciting public art opportunity to create exterior sculptures that are imaginative, engaging, and visually striking, that invite public interaction, and are inspired by the theme of sport.
This call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) is open to established artists or artist teams with experience creating public art projects.
Public art location and site considerations
The design of the Cowan Recreation Centre aims to balance grandeur with approachability, featuring flowing canopies and curved interior and exterior lines, careful orchestration of natural light and the inclusion of natural wood. With this public art commission, we will be looking for sculpture ideas that complement the architectural design of the facility.
The two exterior locations included in this public art call are:
ground-mounted on a hardscape surface outside the west (main) entrance (4m x 4m area)
ground-mounted on a hardscape surface outside the north entrance (12m x 8m area)
EOIs must propose artwork for both identified sites. EOIs may be submitted by individual artists or artist teams. The theme that has been identified for this this commission is sport. Within this theme, artworks should be representative of at least one of the principal sports that will be played at the facility, which include soccer, lacrosse, cricket, basketball, pickleball and volleyball.
The public art selection process will proceed as follows:
January 2026: first jury meeting to select artists or teams for stage two
March 2026: stage two artist presentations to the jury, followed by deliberation and selection
March/April 2026: presentation of the selected artist(s) to the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and city council for approval
April 2026: legal agreement prepared for selected artist(s) by City of Kitchener solicitor
August 2026: artwork to be complete and installed
September 2026: facility opening