The London Arts Council (LAC), in partnership with the City of London, invites visual artists who are 18 years of age or older and reside in London, Ontario, or in one of the three surrounding First Nations, including Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Munsee-Delaware Nation, to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for consideration in the Rapid Transit Bus Shelter Urban Infrastructure Public Art Project (Stage 2).

Each submission will be reviewed by a panel of assessors, who will select five (5) artists to develop original designs for the 10 Rapid Transit bus shelters. Each selected artist will be commissioned to create artwork for two (2) paired shelters at the same bus stop, based on community-informed themes identified through the public consultation process and the project specifications.

Following consultation with LAC and completion of the design development process, selected artists will be required to submit their final artworks as digital files in accordance with the prescribed digital specifications and project requirements. Upon approval of the final artworks, the City of London's contractors will fabricate the artworks into panels and install them above the designated bus shelters.

For Stage 2, the themes identified for each location are informed by local history, notable historical figures, industry, heritage buildings and sites, health and healthcare, education, transportation, and London UNESCO City of Music designation. Detailed themes and related background information will be shared with the selected artists.

Application Deadline

Friday, October 16, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.

Incomplete submissions and submissions that do not comply with the required format will not be accepted.

Eligibility Requirements

Individual visual artists (professional artists and/or creators and practitioners of traditional arts) who are 18 years of age or older and reside in London, Ontario, or one of the following surrounding First Nations communities, are invited to apply:

• Chippewas of the Thames First Nation
• Oneida Nation of the Thames
• Munsee-Delaware Nation

NOTE: Proof of residency is required.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Previous experience in the creation and/or presentation of visual art; and
• Previous experience participating in commissioned and collaborative art projects.

Application Requirements

Artists wishing to be considered must submit the following:

• Artist Biography (maximum 500 words)
• Artist Statement (maximum 500 words)
• An Expression of Interest (maximum 750 words) outlining your artistic background and experience; your interest in participating in this opportunity; and how participation will contribute to your artistic growth and professional development.
• Detailed Artist Curriculum Vitae, including information about your artistic practice, exhibitions, commissions, presentations, publications, awards, and other relevant professional experience.
• Five (5) to ten (10) examples of previous work that best demonstrate your artistic style, technical skills, and creative process.
• Up to three (3) additional supporting materials may also be submitted to strengthen your application. Examples may include reviews, articles, catalogues, letters of support, project documentation, or other relevant materials.

Artwork Submission Requirements

Submitted artwork samples must:

• Be an accurate representation of your original work;
• Be created by the applicant;
• Be the sole intellectual property of the artist; and
• Not infringe upon the copyright, trademark, or intellectual property rights of any other individual or organization.

For information regarding copyright in Canada, please refer to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO): https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/h_wr02281.html

Guidelines on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

LAC recognizes that Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are becoming increasingly common in creative practice, project development, and proposal preparation. These guidelines establish expectations for the ethical, transparent, and responsible use of AI in public art projects.

Public art commissions are intended to showcase artistic excellence, originality, community relevance, and each artist’s unique creative vision. While AI may be used as a supporting tool, Expressions of Interest (EOI) submissions must primarily reflect the artist’s own ideas, professional experience, artistic approach, and creative authorship.

Artists are required to disclose any significant use of AI in the preparation of their submission materials, including its use in written content, visual materials, or other supporting materials. Where applicable, artists must also disclose any intended use of AI during project development, design, or artwork creation.

Failure to disclose significant AI-generated content may affect the assessment of a submission and participation in the project.

Digital Specification

• Please note that the combined file size of all uploaded documents must not exceed 10 MB.
• Image files must only be submitted as .pdf, .jpg, .jpeg, or .png
• All files must be clearly labeled with the artist's name and the title of the artwork.
• Do not submit compressed or archived files (e.g., .zip files).
• Do not submit materials that require additional software, plug-ins, applications, or extensions to be downloaded or installed in order to view or access the content.

For additional information about this opportunity, including background information, project timeline, project budget, and selection process, please review the Information Package available on LAC's website.