Next Steps
Start planning your next public art project.
Overview
This section outlines practical guidance for moving from vision to action. It brings together best practices, funding options and key contacts to support artists, organizations and partners in planning and delivering future public art projects.
Best Practices & Resources
Recommended best practices for commissioning and creating public artworks.
These guidelines are for individuals looking to create, commission or propose a public art project in Chinatown. They support a community-aligned approach to public art, regardless of project size, budget or initiating organization.
Funding pathways
There are multiple pathways for artists, community organizations, and businesses to find funding for their public art projects in Chinatown — including national, provincial, municipal, community, private and non-profit. These pathways provide financial, as well as other support and services, for both artists and those who commission art projects.
Best Practices & Resources
Recommended best practices for commissioning and creating public artworks
The following is a list of recommended best practices are established guidelines to ensure high-quality, equitable and sustainable outcomes.
These guidelines are for individuals looking to create, commission or propose a public art project in Chinatown. They support a community-aligned approach to public art, regardless of project size, budget or initiating organization.
- Artist selection: Use a clear, fair and simple process with standard assessments to select artists. Requests for Qualifications help assess experience; Requests for Proposals are used when a detailed concept is needed.
- Community consultation and feedback: Engage community members early and often so projects reflect Chinatown’s stories, values and lived experiences.
- Artist fees: Provide fair, industry-standard compensation at all stages of the project to ensure equitable and sustainable artist participation.
- Maintenance and sustainment: Plan for long-term and frequency of care of the artwork, including who maintains it, expected costs and durability considerations.
- Accessibility: Ensure the project and public engagement are accessible — physically, linguistically and culturally — to people of all ages and abilities.
The following are additional resources for public art best practices in greater detail:
- Public Art 101 by Calgary Arts Development
- City of Calgary recommendations for public art design, conservation and maintenance
- CARFAC Public Art specific Minimum Fee Schedule
- CARFAC Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule
- Sustainability in Public Art
Search for artists or arts organizations relevant to your project through the Calgary Arts Development Community Directory
Selected reconciliation resources
Funding pathways
There are multiple pathways for artists, community organizations, and businesses to find funding for their public art projects in Chinatown — including national, provincial, municipal, community, private and non-profit. These pathways provide financial, as well as other support and services, for both artists and those who commission art projects.
Funding pathways for artists
National, provincial and local granting foundations
These organizations provide project funding for artists.
Municipal artist calls
These organizations offer public art opportunities, including calls for self-identified community projects and calls for community engagement.
Microgrants funding
Smaller grants are available for community-based arts, festivals, artist projects and engagement activities.
- Calgary Arts Development Public Art Opportunities
- Calgarians are invited to submit their public art ideas through Calgary Arts Development’s online form.
- The City of Calgary Arts & Culture Funding Opportunities
- The Calgary Foundation
- The City of Calgary Arts & Culture Chinatown Activation Microgrant
Funding pathways for community organizations & businesses
Microgrants and project-specific funding
Smaller grants are available for community-based arts, festivals, artist projects and engagement activities.