Call for Submissions

Strathcona County is seeking handmade or artist designed items that will be used to thank and recognize key contributors of the 2026 Alberta Summer Games. Each selected artist/artisan will be responsible for producing a single item type (with minor variations allowed) to ensure consistency across gifts.  

Submission deadline: Friday, January 16, 2026, at 8 am MST  

Production period: approximately 17 weeks 

Interested artists can apply today!

Learn more at asg2026.com

Strathcona County invites individual artists and artist teams to participate in a live mural jam coinciding with the 2026 Alberta Summer Games. Over four days (Thursday–Sunday), five selected artists/teams will create medium-scale indoor murals around the circumference of an elevated running track overlooking an indoor soccer field. The public will be able to safely observe progress from the track, creating a dynamic exchange between artists and audience.

This call seeks artists whose work celebrates movement, care, collaboration, and the spirit of youth. We welcome proposals across styles, from bold graphic abstraction to figurative storytelling, so long as the final artworks are family friendly, inclusive and responsive to the site.

Eligibility

• Open to professional artists and artist teams residing in Alberta.
• Artists 18+ are eligible; emerging artists are encouraged to apply.
• Priority may be given to artists with a demonstrated commitment to youth engagement, inclusive storytelling, ecological awareness, or live-paint settings.
• Strathcona County encourages applications from Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, disabled artists, and artists from rural and suburban communities.

Details

• Painting weekend: Thursday to Sunday, July 16 – 19, 2026
• Location: Indoor Soccer Field & Running Track Concourse, Millennium Place, Sherwood Park, Alberta
• Number of murals: 5
• Audience: All-ages public, athletes, coaches, families, and visitors during the 2026 Alberta Summer Games

Site and mural specifications

• Site: Interior perimeter walls adjacent to the running track that circles an indoor soccer field at Millennium Place. Spectators will view murals from the track and concourse.
• Bays: Five distinct paint areas (one per selected artist/team).
• Approx. dimensions: ~14 ft (h) × 25 ft (w) per bay (each wall varies slightly). Please be prepared to adapt the composition to minor size differences.
• Surface: Painted interior wall (existing coatings to be confirmed).
• Access: Step ladders and portable scaffolding permitted
• Environmental conditions: Climate controlled interior; steady public traffic on the track.
• Lighting: Overhead facility lighting.

Theme and community guidelines

• Themes: Inclusivity · Timeless design · Non‑representational form · Action · Movement · Youthful energy. Designs that explore rhythm, cadence, and flow.
• Content standards: All imagery must be appropriate for all ages.

Artist fee and supplies

• Artist Fee: $40 CAD / sq ft (+ GST if applicable) of completed mural area (inclusive of materials and travel).
• Wall 1: 13.33 ft (H) × 20.33 ft (W) = 271.00 sq ft ($10,840 fee)
• Wall 2: 13.50 ft (H) × 20.12 ft (W) = 271.62 sq ft ($10,865 fee)
• Wall 3: 14.20 ft (H) × 24.00 ft (W) = 340.80 sq ft ($13,632 fee)
• Wall 4: 13.50 ft (H) × 24.33 ft (W) = 328.46 sq ft ($13,138 fee)
• Wall 5: 13.50 ft (H) × 33.45 ft (W) = 451.58 sq ft ($18,063 fee)

Materials and equipment

• County provides wall prep (wash/prime), basic onsite tools (drop sheets, buckets, rollers, trays), step ladders, access to water, and facility coordination.
• Artist provides: all paint, brushes, specialty colours, detail tools, PPE, sealers/varnishes as preferred (costs covered within the per / sq ft fee).

Insurance

General liability coverage provided for public viewing areas. Artists who operate as a registered business (with GST#) must carry personal/professional liability insurance and WCB coverage where applicable (confirmed in artist agreements).

Schedule (subject to change)

• Call opens: October 27, 2025
• Deadline to apply: December 8, 2025
• Notifications: February 2026
• Site walkthrough: March 2026
• Designs for selected artists: April 2026
• Painting days: Thursday–Sunday, July 16–19, 2026 (games weekend)
• Clean up and documentation: Sunday evening, July 19, 2026

Selection criteria

Evaluated by internal selection committee

1. Artistic Quality (45%): strength of portfolio, originality, command of composition, colour, and scale.
2. Context (25%): alignment with themes (inclusivity, timeless design, action/movement, youthful energy).
3. Capacity & Feasibility (20%): demonstrated ability to complete work at the indicated scale and within a live-paint, four-day timeline.
4. Professionalism & Safety (10%): experience working in public venues; safe practices and collaboration with facility staff.

Shortlisted artists will receive a design brief and produce a concept for committee approval prior to painting.

For more information or to apply: Mural jam call for artists

Need some extra space as a ‘home-base’ for your creative print practice? 

A/P now has up to 10 individual studio spaces that are 5’x8′ that can be rented on a 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, or annual basis!

• Individual Studio Rentals are for folks who are working in print-media (expanded practices with additional media welcome) and includes Printmaking Facility Access.
• Each individual studio space includes a desk, chair, and rolling lockable file cabinet, and space to pin your work up.
• Individual studio renters are welcome to bring in additional storage shelves/containers etc.
• In the event that there are no Individual Studio vacancies, new studio requests will be added to a first come first serve waitlist. 

INDIVIDUAL STUDIO OPTIONS

All Individual Studio rentals may be purchased at any time and MUST BE activated within 3 weeks of purchase.

Individual Studio Rental purchases are non-refundable, cannot be transferred to other A/P renters, and will expire if not activated within 3 weeks of purchase. 

Depending on availability, two adjacent individual studios may be combined to create one 10’x8′ individual studio – contact A/P staff for corresponding fees for this option.

For more information, contact Jamie at programming@albertaprintmakers.com or visit our website HERE

BuckingJam Palace (BJP) Music Foundation is currently exploring what a purpose-built or renovated venue for small to mid-sized live/performing arts organizations might look like in Calgary. If you are a musician, collective, or small to mid-sized organization looking for space to create, produce, and present your work - we invite you to connect with us by filling out this survey. 

Since 2014, BJP has been hosting local, national, and international jazz artists in our historic home in Mount Royal where musicians spend time collaborating, recording, and performing for our small audiences of 50. More recently, we have also been hosting concerts at external venues within Calgary to meet the demand of our touring artists and growing audiences.

We know that we are outgrowing our house concerts, but we still want to maintain the spirit of our house concerts and offer space for our musicians to not only perform; but also to create, record, and collaborate with each other. As such, we are looking for alternative venues and what it might look like to collaborate with other artists, collectives, and small to mid-sized organizations.

We have prepared a survey to start the conversation and to have a better understanding of your needs. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and we ask you to fill it out by October 31, 2025. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Aimee-Jo Benoit, Executive Director at BJP Music Foundation at ed@buckingjampalace.com. 

For more information about BuckingJam Palace Music Foundation, please visit our website at https://buckingjampalace.com/about/