Visual arts & new media

The Town of Okotoks is thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity for artists to bring the summer stampede season celebration and the magic of the winter holiday season to life through captivating window painting murals.

We seek imaginative individuals or artist collectives with a flair for creating visually stunning and conceptually engaging Stampede/Summer Event and Winter Holiday-themed murals. This project aims to transform our Municipal Centre into a vibrant celebration of the holidays and summer events, fostering community spirit and joy among residents and visitors throughout the year.

Selected artist(s) will have the honour of showcasing their talent and creativity on a prominent platform, contributing to the visual landscape of our community during these special times of the year.

Key Details: 

One to two artists will be selected to design and paint one to two murals at the Okotoks Municipal Centre.

1. One mural for the Stampede/Summer Event mural (open theme)
2. Winter Holiday/Light Up mural with a Whoville theme from The Grinch that Stole Christmas, aiming to recreate the whimsical and festive atmosphere of Whoville in Okotoks, complete with vibrant colours, playful characters, and enchanting holiday scenes.

• Size: 12 windows, 25” x 25” and 12 windows, 25” x 76”
• Shape: see Appendix A
• Fun and colourful murals are encouraged.

Paint dates: 

• Stampede/Summer Event mural - June 24 through June 28, 2025
• Winter Holiday/Light Up Mural - November 4 through November 8, 2025
• Work must take place between 8 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday.
• Materials can be stored on site.

Compensation: 

• $3000.00 per mural
• Including paint, materials, and installation included.

Submission Requirements: 

• Artist Statement: A brief (one page max) artist statement of your artistic background, inspirations, and approach to creating art.
• Portfolio: Showcase a selection of past work that highlights your artistic style, versatility, and proficiency in creating visually engaging artwork. Include images or descriptions of previous mural projects, if available.
• References: Include three references or testimonials from previous clients, teachers, or collaborators to provide evidence of your professionalism and quality of work.
• Concept or Vision: Provide a description or sketch of the proposed design for each mural using the attached template. (See Appendix A)
• All contracted artists are required to present proof of $5M insurance and Workers Compensation Board coverage.

At the Town of Okotoks, we value diversity, creativity, and community engagement. This project is an opportunity to infuse our space with the festive spirit and artistic brilliance that reflects the essence of the summer stampede and winter holiday season.

Interested artists are invited to submit their expressions of interest online using the Call to Artists form. Questions can be submitted to Allan Boss, Culture & Heritage Team Leader at culture@okotoks.ca with the subject “2025 Municipal Centre Window Murals Expression of Interest” by June 2, 2025.

The Town of Okotoks values equity, diversity, and inclusion where every person has a right to equal treatment; and where we are strengthened by diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Building an equitable, diverse, and inclusive community that is collaborative and supportive of all residents is a priority and marginalization is not tolerated.

A Message from AFA Chair Cynthia Moore

The Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) Board of Directors is pleased to have approved its 2025-26 annual budget based on the increased provincial allocation of $34.6 million. I am pleased to share highlights of our plan with Alberta’s arts community. We are grateful for the government’s continued commitment to increase funding for the arts and its second consecutive increase of $4.5 million to the AFA in Budget 2025. 

This year, the AFA will focus on increasing support for arts organizations. Total spending allocated to operational and project grants for organizations will increase by 10 per cent. At the same time, I am pleased to share that increased support for individual artists announced last year will be maintained. The AFA will be sharing information with operational clients about how their funding may be impacted through its regular grant notifications.  

The AFA will begin rolling out new and updated grant programs this year based on the findings of our program review begun in 2022. This year AFA is beginning the process of modernizing its grant programs to provide more targeted and appropriate funding support to arts organizations and individual artists. While the grant review is unrelated to the AFA’s 2025-26 budget, increased funding from Alberta’s government has well-positioned the AFA to effectively update its programs to reflect today’s provincial arts sector.

We will continue to make the AFA Art Collection more accessible to more Albertans, including through additional support for the Travelling Exhibition (TREX) program. TREX providers will be curating additional AFA artworks into more exhibitions, expand their outreach and increase opportunities for new communities to book exhibitions.

I want to express our appreciation for the government’s continued commitment to increase funding for the arts with the second consecutive increase of our budget. Our commitment is to prioritize and invest in artists, art and cultural materials. This work is in line with the AFA’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, which is available to read in both English and French on our website. 

We look forward to continuing to support and contribute to the growth of Alberta’s arts sector.

Cynthia P. Moore, Chair
Contact the Chair at afacontact@gov.ab.ca