Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Windsor is inviting Windsor artists to create two new public art installations in the downtown Pelissier Street Parking Garage.
Mayor Drew Dilkens announced the public call for artists at a special “Classical in the Concrete” concert by the Windsor Symphony Orchestra (WSO), performed on the main level of the parking garage as part of the weekend’s “Fall in Love With Downtown Windsor” events.
“When we launched our downtown Windsor revitalization plan in the spring, we said we would focus on safety and security, cleanliness and activations to highlight the amazing potential of the area and attract folks to the core,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens. “These two initiatives – naming the floors of the Pelissier Street Parking Garage in partnership with the WSO and launching a call for artists to create new murals for this space – are part of how we are working to Strengthen the Core and create opportunities for artists and vibrant places where people want to be.
“I look forward to watching these projects move forward and to returning to this space next year to both see and hear what we have created together.”
The city will commission one or more artists, or artist-led teams, specializing in mural design and painting, to create two permanent new murals that will be integrated into the main level interior space. The commissioned artist(s) will be expected to complete the murals by May 2025.
Murals must focus on one or more of the themes identified in the Public Call to Artists – Pelissier Street Parking Garage Murals Project, which is open to artists living in the city. The works must be completed using exterior primer and paint formulated for use on concrete or masonry and must include an anti-graffiti clear coat upon completion.
Two wall spaces available:
- Northeast Main Walls: 60.7 feet long by 14 feet high; surface area approximately 849 square feet.
- Southeast Main Walls: 117.3 feet long by 11 to 17 feet high; surface area approximately 1466 square feet.
Applications are being accepted until Nov. 1 and submission forms are available at CityWindsor.ca. The full budget for the project is $55,000:
- $20,000, plus HST, is available for the Northeast Main Walls mural.
- $35,000, plus HST, is available for the Southeast Main Walls mural.
Art projects will complement existing creative works and installations in the adjacent Art Alley, which was created in partnership between the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association, the city, and artists. That space includes graffiti murals, Indigenous art, lampshade art, light installations, and sculptures, and forms the backdrop for ongoing downtown events, including the Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market.
