Public Art

Public art improves livability, quality of life and wellbeing. It showcases local artists, helps to revitalize and beautify neighbourhoods, engages residents and visitors with art, reflects our histories and identities, and cultivates community pride. We invest in public art.

Year of the Arts Projects

In celebration of the provincial Year of the Arts, the City of St. John’s has two exciting initiatives planned for visual arts:

Downtown Pedestrian Mall Public Art

The City is excited to feature the work of visual artists on new, vibrant signage throughout the Downtown Pedestrian Mall this summer.

This year, the work of various visual artists will be featured, including:

Molly Margaret
Yelyzaveta Anysymova
Rashelle Beach
Kyle Bennett
Vessela Brakalova
Krista Burton
Heather Coughlan
Emma Dooley
Jay Mach
Shan Leigh Pomeroy
Susy Randell
Nicholas Watton
Stephanie White

The artwork enhances the vibrant, colourful streetscape of Water Street, contributes to the fun, inviting atmosphere of the Downtown Pedestrian Mall for residents and visitors and helps celebrate the unique characteristics of the City of St. John’s.

Artists for this project were secured through a call for artwork during Spring 2024.

Year of the Arts Mural

The City of St. John’s seeks an Artist or Artist Team to design and complete a mural celebrating the art and artists of Newfoundland and Labrador, in recognition of the provincial Year of the Arts. The mural is to be installed on a portion of the concrete retaining wall running west from the Harvey Road/Bonaventure Avenue intersection to the gate below The Rooms, adjacent to the “Come Home 2022” mural completed by artists Molly Margaret and Lily Taylor as part of the City’s “Come Home 2022” celebrations.

The mural design should celebrate the varied and diverse contributions of the arts and of artists in St. John’s, and Newfoundland and Labrador – in recognition of the provincial Year of the Arts, while contributing to a vibrant, welcoming streetscape and celebrating the unique characteristics of the City of St. John’s.

Additional project specifications and submission requirements can be found in the Request for Proposals. Complete submissions should be emailed to arts@stjohns.ca, with “Mural 2024” in the subject line. Submissions must be received before 4:00 p.m. NDT, Friday, May 31, 2024.

Art procurement

The City regularly issues a public call to individual artists and commercial galleries for submissions of artwork to be considered for purchase by the City for inclusion in the Civic Art Collection. Artwork in the collection can be seen throughout City Hall and other City buildings.

Murals

We hire artists to create murals in many neighbourhoods. Murals enliven and beautify the City and reduce unwanted graffiti.

Our mural sites include:

McBride's Hill - Great Fire of 1892 Commemorative Mural (Artist: Julie Lewis)
Mural on Duckworth Street West (Artists: Derek Holmes and April Norman)
Mural on Duckworth Street near Prescott (Artists: Derek Holmes and April Norman)
The Outer Battery (Artists: Derek Holmes and April Norman)