The Nelson & District Arts Council, in partnership with the City of Nelson, invites experienced mosaic artists and artist-led teams to submit proposals for a major new permanent public artwork at the corner of Baker and Ward Streets in downtown Nelson. Up to three artists/teams will be shortlisted and invited to develop site-specific concept proposals, with each receiving a $500 honorarium for the development of their proposal. The project is being developed for application to the Columbia River Basin Public Art Program, administered by the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance and funded by Columbia Basin Trust. The selected proposal will form part of the funding application, and the project is contingent upon successful funding.
About the Project
Until recently, the corner of Baker and Ward Streets served as a downtown public transit stop. With the transit stop now relocated, there is an opportunity to reimagine this prominent but currently underutilized space through public art. A large blank exterior wall dominates the site and has been subject to ongoing tagging. Rather than creating a traditional painted mural, the project will use tile and mosaic to create a highly durable artwork that is well suited to this busy downtown location and provides a more resilient and maintainable treatment for the wall. The artwork will be the centrepiece of a broader vision for the site. Complementary seating and planting are also being explored through separate funding, with the goal of transforming the former transit stop into an attractive and welcoming downtown space.
Artist Brief
The Columbia River Basin Public Art Program supports permanent public art created by Basin artists that celebrates the community’s connection to the Columbia River system and local watershed and enhances the public’s sense of place. Artists are invited to respond to this theme broadly and creatively. The intention is for the entire approximately 1,300 sq. ft. wall surface to be treated with durable exterior tile incorporating original artist-designed mosaic work. The entire surface does not need to be mosaic; larger areas of background tile may form part of the overall composition. Colour, variation, pattern and texture can all contribute to the finished work. How the mosaic is integrated with the surrounding tile is open to the artist’s interpretation.
The Site
The wall is located at the corner of Baker and Ward Streets in the heart of downtown Nelson. It consists of two adjoining sections of different heights:
- Main wall: approximately 60 feet long, with an estimated average height of 13 feet and surface area of approximately 800 sq. ft.
- Taller section, including the Escape Room entrance: approximately 25 feet long, with an estimated average height of 20 feet and surface area of approximately 500 sq. ft.
Together, the two sections provide approximately 1,300 sq. ft. of wall surface over a total length of approximately 85 feet. All dimensions are approximate and are provided for concept development and preliminary budgeting purposes. Detailed site measurements will be confirmed with the selected artist/team prior to final design and fabrication. Existing utility boxes and business signage located on the wall must remain in place and accessible. Proposed designs should take these existing elements into consideration and integrate or work around them as appropriate.
Technical Requirements
This is a large-scale permanent exterior artwork requiring significant mosaic experience and professional tile installation expertise. Applicants may apply individually or as an artist-led team bringing together the skills required to deliver the complete project. The successful artist/team will be responsible for the artistic concept and final design, tile and mosaic selection and fabrication, materials, professional installation, required installation equipment, transportation and coordination of the fabrication and installation team. Where the lead artist does not personally possess the necessary professional tile installation expertise, an appropriately experienced installer must be included as part of the proposed team. All materials and installation methods must be suitable for a permanent exterior installation in Nelson’s climate.
The City of Nelson will undertake the required preparation and remediation of the existing wall prior to installation. This work will be managed and budgeted separately from the artist commission.
Artist Eligibility
The lead artist must reside within the Columbia Basin Trust region, as required by the Columbia River Basin Public Art Program. Applicants must demonstrate significant experience in mosaic artwork appropriate to the scale and nature of this project. Experience with permanent exterior artwork, large-scale mosaic or tile installations, and public art projects will be considered an asset. Applications should clearly identify the lead artist and the roles of other key team members.
Commission Budget
The maximum commission budget is $60,000. The commission is inclusive of all costs associated with designing, fabricating and installing the completed tiled artwork, including artist fees, materials, fabrication, professional installation, equipment, transportation and travel. Applicants are not required to use the full available budget. A preliminary budget must clearly identify artist fees, materials, fabrication, professional installation and other significant project costs.
Preparation and remediation of the existing wall will be undertaken separately by the City of Nelson and is not included within the commission.
Stage 1: Qualifications
Artists and artist-led teams are invited to submit their qualifications and examples of previous work. A design proposal is not required at this stage. Please submit:
- Artist/Team Information
Provide the name, community and contact information of the lead artist, along with a biography and description of relevant experience. If applying as a team, identify key team members and their anticipated roles. - Statement of Interest
In no more than 300 words, briefly describe your interest in the Baker & Ward Mosaic Tile Public Art Project and why your experience is suited to the opportunity. A specific design concept is not required. - Portfolio
Provide up to 8 images of relevant previous work. The portfolio must include examples demonstrating mosaic/tile experience. Please include the title, date, dimensions, materials and location of each work where applicable. - Relevant Technical Experience
Briefly describe your experience with large-scale mosaic or tile work, permanent exterior installations and/or public art projects. If professional tile installation will be undertaken by another member of the team, you may identify that person or describe how this expertise would be incorporated into the project.
Stage 2: Shortlisted Artist Proposals
Up to three artists/teams will be shortlisted based on their Stage 1 submissions. Each shortlisted artist/team will receive a $500 honorarium to develop a site-specific concept proposal. The honorarium will be paid to each shortlisted artist/team upon submission of the requested proposal materials, regardless of whether their proposal is ultimately selected. Shortlisted artists will be asked to provide:
- Concept Design
A visual proposal showing the proposed artwork, its overall composition and relationship to the wall. This may be a drawing, digital rendering, collage or another visual format that clearly communicates the concept. - Concept Statement
In no more than 500 words, describe the proposed artwork, the artistic approach to the site, and how the concept celebrates the community’s connection to the Columbia River system and local watershed. - Fabrication and Installation Approach
Provide an overview of the proposed materials, fabrication process and installation approach, demonstrating that the proposed artwork is technically achievable, durable and appropriate for a permanent exterior installation in Nelson’s climate. - Project Team
Confirm the key members of the project team and their roles, including the professional tile installer where applicable. - Preliminary Budget
Provide a preliminary budget demonstrating how the project can be delivered within the maximum $60,000 commission. The budget should separately identify artist fees, tile and mosaic materials, fabrication, professional tile installation, equipment, transportation/travel and other significant project costs.
Selection Criteria
Stage 1 submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee with artists/teams shortlisted based on:
- quality of previous artistic work
- demonstrated mosaic/tile experience
- relevant experience with permanent exterior, large-scale and/or public art projects
- demonstrated technical capacity to successfully deliver a project of this nature and scale
- strength of the artist/team’s statement of interest
Stage 2 proposals will be evaluated based on:
- artistic quality and originality
- strength of the concept and its relationship to the site
- response to the community’s connection to the Columbia River system and local watershed
- technical feasibility and durability
- capacity of the proposed team to successfully deliver the project
- feasibility of the proposed budget
The selected proposal will form part of NDAC’s application to the Columbia River Basin Public Art Program.
Project Timeline
Call opens: September 1, 2026
Stage 1 submission deadline: September 11, 2026
Shortlisted artists/teams notified: September 13, 2026
Stage 2 concept proposals due: September 23, 2026
Final artist/team selected: September 26, 2026
Funding application to CKCA submitted: September 29, 2026
Design development, fabrication and installation: Spring/summer 2027, subject to funding
Submission
If possible, all submission materials should be combined into a single PDF document. Submit proposals electronically to:
info@ndac.ca
Subject line: Baker & Ward Mosaic Public Art Project
Questions regarding the opportunity may be directed to:
Joy Barrett, Cultural Development Officer, City of Nelson: cultural@nelson.ca