Call for Artists: Explore Waterloo Region Creative Mistletoes

Deadline:  September 25, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST
Award: Up to seven (7) awards of $5,000 CAD (HST inclusive)

Opportunity Overview

Explore Waterloo Region is seeking to commission up to seven (7) innovative mistletoe creations, each between approximately 1×1 – 2×2 ft. The creations will be hung in public locations throughout the Waterloo Region from November 2025 to February 2026 and promoted as part of a “Mistletoe Trail” initiative that will invite visitors to explore seven different municipalities in the region. Selected artists will fabricate a creative and unique mistletoe for the Explore Waterloo Region to be delivered for installation in October-November 2025.

The commissioned artists will be selected through a single-stage process. Each project budget of $5,000 CAD includes all costs directly associated with the artwork: including taxes, artist fees, production, materials, and other professional services, insurance, travel, delivery of artwork, and other incidental expenses.

Please note: This project has a tight turnaround time to ensure timely installation and will require the selected artists/artist teams to complete the project components within the above timeline.

Community Background

Waterloo Region is located on the Haldimand Tract, on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishnaabe and Neutral People.

We are thankful that we are able to create, collaborate, play and work on this shared land. As beneficiaries of this land, we have a responsibility to acknowledge and understand its history and the current experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. We support community efforts to sustain a relationship with Indigenous peoples based on respect, dignity, trust and cooperation, in the process of advancing truth and reconciliation.

Located in the heart of southwestern Ontario, Waterloo Region is where contrasts come together to spark something new. From rural landscapes to urban energy, old-world charm to next-gen innovation, quiet moments to bold adventures – this is a place full of surprises, ready for the curious to explore.

Waterloo Region is made up of three vibrant cities — Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo — and four scenic townships – North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Each city and township boasts its own unique attributes which are brought together and woven into the tapestry of who we are in Waterloo Region.

Imagine a place where you can glimpse into the future through the cutting edge of technology or feel like you’ve gone back in time as you watch horse-drawn buggies ride down the street. Experience the excitement of vibrant city centres celebrating world-renowned festivals and attractions, while being close enough to escape into the stillness and beauty of the surrounding rural countryside.

You can learn more about the area at: staycurious.ca

Project Details

The artworks will be installed in each of the regional municipalities: Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Exact locations will be confirmed with selected artists. 

Artworks will be suspended in their final locations. Weight will be considered during the selection process. The applicants are encouraged to use light-weight yet durable materials, and work to create proposals whose weight can be adapted based on their final installation location(s)

Artwork proposals will be reviewed on the basis of relation to theme, safety and durability, artistic excellence, expressed written interest in the project and other professional qualification criteria listed below. 

This Call to Artists is open to all Canada-based professional artists; however, artists should note that they are responsible for delivering the mistletoes to Explore Waterloo Region, and preference will be given to artists local to Waterloo Region. Artist teams are welcome to apply but must share the total project award. 

Per the Canada Council for the Arts’ guidelines, a professional artist is defined as someone who meets one or all of the following criteria:

• has specialized artistic training (not necessarily in academic institutions);
• is critically recognized as a professional by their peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition);
• is active in and committed to their art practice;
• has a history of public exhibitions; and/or
• has produced an independent body of work.

Selection Process

The Selection Panel will be composed of art and design professionals and project stakeholders. Up to seven (7) artists/artist teams will be selected based both on designs and qualifications demonstrated from their submitted applications. 

The seven (7) selected designs will be approved by Explore Waterloo Region and/or the local area municipality where they will be located. 

Artists will enter into a contract with Explore Waterloo Region. Explore Waterloo Region will own the works upon acceptance and will be responsible for installation, maintenance and signage. Explore Waterloo Region will retain an Exclusive License to display the works in perpetuity, as well as the right to reproduce images of the works for marketing materials, including, but not limited to: flyers, posters, social media and web-based promotions, and digital displays.  

Design Considerations and Specifications

The artwork should reinterpret the idea and function of a mistletoe, moving beyond traditional imagery to present a fresh and creative perspective. Artists are encouraged to explore symbolism, cultural references, or contemporary meanings that connect with a wide audience. While maintaining recognizable links to the mistletoe’s traditional role as a gathering point or symbol of connection, the design should introduce a unique twist that sparks curiosity, conversation, and a sense of discovery.

The selected designs must be suitable for display in a family-oriented public setting. Consideration will be given to:

• Colour palette – visually appealing and appropriate for a broad audience.
• Structural design – how the piece is built and its stability.
• Contextual design – how it integrates with its surroundings.
• Functional design – suitability for its intended purpose as a hanging mistletoe visible in a public space.

Mistletoes will generally measure approximately 2 x 2 feet, and no smaller than 1 x 1 feet. While exact sizes may vary, artists should ensure the works remain clearly visible in a public setting, during both daytime and nighttime.

All pieces must be constructed from durable, low-maintenance materials suitable for outdoor display over the winter season (planned installation from November 2025 to February 2026).

Design concepts should present original interpretations of the mistletoe theme and align with Explore Waterloo Region’s “Stay Curious” brand—celebrating curiosity, the unexpected, and the off-the-beaten-path character of local destinations.

Artists are encouraged to incorporate elements of Explore Waterloo Region’s Brand:

Promise: Waterloo Region is a curious place for curious people.

Reward: You’ll take home stories as original and offbeat as the place that inspired them.

Values: Ingenuity / Imagination / Legacy Teamwork / Inclusiveness Sustainability / Respect

Sensory Identity: Whimsical / Refreshing / Clever / Kinetic / Clean

Personality: Quirky / Fun / Ambitious / Inventive / Unpretentious

Inclusion of interactive elements is encouraged, particularly those that invite visitor engagement and photography opportunities. Proposals incorporating such features will be viewed favourably.

Project Timeline

• August 26, 2025: Call to Artists Published
• September 25, 2025: Submission Deadline
• Week of October 7, 2025: Selection Notifications Sent 
• October 2025: Mistletoe Fabrication
• By November 10, 2025: Installation

This project has a tight turnaround time to ensure timely installation and will require the selected artists/artist teams to complete the project components within the above timeline.

Submissions

Professional artists and artistic teams are invited to respond to this Artist Call by submitting a single PDF document. This PDF document must include:

• Letter of Intent: One (1) page maximum. Outline of artistic experience, ability, approach and interest in this project, site and community, highlighting relevant experience and your connection to Waterloo Region if applicable. 
• Artist Statement: One (1) page maximum. Provide a description of the proposed concept addressing the public art vision and how it meets the design considerations and specifications listed below. This statement may be used in public presentation materials.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV): 3-page maximum. Detail professional experience as an artist, past public art experience, and other information relevant to this Request for Qualification (RFQ). If applying as a team, provide one CV per team member.
• Concept Images: A maximum of ten (10) images of the proposed mistletoe. For each image, a title and image number should be provided in the file name. 
• Fabrication and Maintenance: Provide a detailed description, including dimensions and estimated weight; materials (include copies of any manufacturer’s technical data), fabrication methods, durability of the proposed materials, and a list of post-installation maintenance requirements and estimated costs associated with the maintenance of the artwork after installation.
• Budget: Applicants should develop their proposals based on the overall commissioning budget of $5,000 CAD identified for the design, supply, and fabrication. This includes, but is not limited to: taxes, artist fees, production, materials, and other professional services, insurance, travel, delivery of artwork, and other incidental expenses.
• If applying as a team, please list team members and submit the required credentials for each. Please also only provide the contact information for the designated contact person. 

Application Delivery and Deadline

Submissions must be received by September 25, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted via Google Forms. Emailed, faxed, or mailed applications will not be accepted. It is your responsibility to ensure the application package is complete and submitted by the posted deadline.

Please upload your submissions through the Google Form. Final submissions must not exceed 10 MB in total size.

Questions and requests for clarification will be received by email until September 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM EST. Applicants who need additional support applying for this opportunity are encouraged to contact Ima Esin, Cultural Planner at ima@stepspublicart.org by September 18, 2025 at 4:00 PM EST to appropriately accommodate your needs and to discuss alternate formats for submitting your application.

Contact

Ima Esin, Cultural Planner
P: 1-888-783-7780
E: ima@stepspublicart.org

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