Call for Artists: Public Art for New BC Children’s Hospital Centre for Health Complexity, Vancouver

Overview

This is a two-stage competition to select a qualified artist to design, supply, deliver, and install a permanent public art piece in a designated landscaped area at the future BC Children's Hospital centre for health complexity, located at 3644 Slocan Street in Vancouver, BC. The centre will open in early 2028 and will be the first of its kind in Canada, serving the most medically complex children in BC and the Yukon.

Key Dates

• Extended Deadline: December 31, 2025, 5pm PST
• Late submissions will not be opened

Eligibility

Only professional artists who either (a) reside in British Columbia or the Yukon, or (b) are members of Indigenous Nations whose traditional territories include, span, or intersect with these regions, are eligible to apply. Candidates must meet the Canada Council definition of professional artist: an individual trained in the art field, recognized by their peers as an artist, and demonstrating a history of public exhibition as an artist. Experience in the design and creation of permanent, exterior artwork is required.

Material Opportunities and Limitations

Durable, low-maintenance materials must be used for this commission. Wood is not an option. During site excavation, several impressive granite erratics were uncovered and have been reserved as potential material for use by the artist. This material, sourced from the land and deposited on the site during the last Ice Age, offers enormous potential and is an opportunity to honour Indigenous place-based artistic traditions. Candidates interested in this project should clearly indicate their skill and experience in working with stone.

Selection Process

• Stage One: Expressions of Interest – Interested artists submit credentials. No payment is made for the submission. Artists must not submit ideas nor offer works for sale at this stage.
• Stage Two: Juried Interviews – The jury (made up of local artists and owner representatives) and the public art working group (made up of patients/families, neighbours, clinical and operational staff at BC Children's Hospital, the design-builder, and project team members) will interview up to three artist candidates to select the commissioned artist. The jury includes a professional Indigenous artist/curator and representatives from PHSA's Indigenous Health team.