Public Art - Asphalt Artwork
ByWard Market District Authority
York Street West between Sussex Drive and ByWard Market Square, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (45°25'39.8"N 75°41'38.5" W).
York Street West is one of the preeminent destinations in the ByWard Market District. Located at the intersection of Major Hills Park, the US Embassy, and the National Capital Commission (NCC) Courtyards, York Street West has some of the highest pedestrian traffic in the area, making it one most-visited areas of the ByWard Market District. In 2019, York Street West saw between 4,000 and 12,000 daily visitors (depending on the day and season).
Currently, the area of intervention is approximately one westbound traffic lane on the north side and one eastbound traffic lane on the south side. In the middle is a pedestrian median, a slip lane and perpendicular parking, which is regularly repurposed as an outdoor market on weekends. On the west end is a small plaza with a signalized intersection for westbound traffic only, and on the east end, there is an
unsignalized intersection.
The site area is predominantly asphalt and concrete with limited landscaping. On either side of the street is a mix of commercial, residential, and office uses. The area has been chosen for its prominence against the backdrop of Parliament Hill and its importance as a pedestrian connection to the historic ByWard Market District.
The City of Ottawa ByWard Market Public Realm Office, the ByWard Market District Authority, the City of Ottawa Public Art Program, and the Ottawa Art Gallery (Project Team) are seeking an expression of interest from professional visual artists for the design and execution of an asphalt mural on portions of York Street West at Sussex to ByWard Market Square.
Funded through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative, the mural must be an ambitious, arts-driven street design with the goal of catalytic improvements to a key location in the city.
The Project Team invites professional artists or artist teams to submit an Expression of Interest for the opportunity to design, fabricate, install, and seasonally maintain for a period of 2 years (2026-2028) an asphalt artwork/mural on York Street West, located in the ByWard Market District, between Sussex Drive and ByWard Market Square.
The Project Team will guide this two-stage competition, and the Call to Artists document provides information, details and submission requirements relating to the York Street location and to this public art process.
This Expression of Interest is an equal opportunity, open to all professional artists with experience in creating temporary and permanent public art and working with multidisciplinary teams. City of Ottawa, ByWard Market District Authority, and Ottawa Art Gallery employees are not eligible to apply.
The Project Team supports cultural activities that are inclusive of Ottawa's diverse communities, including people from diverse ancestries, abilities, ages, countries of origin, cultures, genders, incomes, languages, races and sexual orientations. Applications from First Nations, Inuit and Métis are welcome and encouraged. The Project Team recognizes both official languages (English and French) as having the same rights, status and privileges.
The public art installation on York Street West will integrate visually significant elements that provide identity and distinctive character to the site. The artwork will enhance the site by creating an environment that is aesthetically interesting and engaging for the community. Public asphalt art is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it is also functional. According to a Bloomberg Philanthropies 2022 Asphalt Art Safety Study, asphalt art resulted in a 50 per cent decrease in collisions involving pedestrians or cyclists and a 27 per cent increase in drivers yielding to pedestrians with the right-of-way.
The artwork(s) should be conceptually and visually innovative, and reflect a thorough and sensitive understanding of place, context and setting, along with the surrounding neighbourhood and build on the future of Ottawa. Applicants should be mindful of the operational activities and regular daily use of York Street West for both pedestrians and vehicles and consider how artworks can contribute to an inviting public realm.