Call for Proposals: Mississauga Festival of Trees Installations 2026

Overview

CreativeHub 1352 invites artists and artist collectives/groups to submit proposals for temporary tree art sculptures and installations to be presented at the Small Arms Inspection Building as part of the Mississauga Festival of Trees in December 2026. Proposals should respond to the theme Imagining Sustainable Futures, drawing from the form of a tree as inspiration.

Theme: Imagining Sustainable Futures

We are in a pivotal moment of ecological crisis/concern, dependent on collective action and creative solutions to work toward a more sustainable future. Artists should consider what sustainability might look like, presenting trees conveying current concerns locally or globally, or imagining sustainable interactions with ecosystems. Possible areas of exploration include food security, food systems, climate change, collective action, highlighting integral parts of ecosystems (mycelium, pollinators, etc.), technology, speculative fiction, more-than-human worlds, environmental hope/grief, and care.

Project Categories

• Large Format: Height min. 8′ / max. 12′; Installation Area min. 8′ x 6′ x 8′ / max. 9′ x 9′ x 12′; must use at least 40% of 10′ x 10′ x 10′ allotted space
• Small Format: Height min. 4′ / max. 5′; Installation Area min. 6′ x 4′ x 5′ / max. 7′ x 5′ x 7′; must use at least 40% of 7′ x 5′ x 7′ allotted space
• Re-installation of existing works that fit within the theme
• All works must be freestanding 3D structures or suspended structures not exceeding 30 lbs.

Eligibility

Applications are open to individual artists at any point in their career, artist collectives, and ad hoc groups operating in Ontario. The three smaller format trees will be given priority to early stage artists. CreativeHub 1352 recognizes that emerging practices can occur at all ages/stages and individuals starting their practices later in life or needing long breaks can still be emerging practices. Self-identification on the application is requested.

Compensation

• Large Format: $2,500 budget
• Small Format: $1,500 budget
• Re-installation of existing works: $1,000 budget

Submission Requirements

• Artist Statement (250 words max): Tell us about your artistic practice as it relates to the project
• Project Description (500 words max): Detailed description of your proposed sculpture/installation
• Technical Description: Include preliminary list of all foreseeable technical requirements, equipment, materials, lighting requirements, and power needs
• Budget: Itemized by category showing project cost to create, materials, and install
• Visual Support Material: 8–10 images including technical sketches, proposed materials, past work; may include video/audio links; files titled 01_lastname, 02_lastname, onward
• Visual Support Material List: Describing each image in form: 01, last name, dimensions, materials, date, two sentence description if necessary

Timeline

• Submission Deadline: August 31, 2026, 11:59pm ET
• Artists Notified of Approval: October 1, 2026
• Access to Building/Grounds for Installation: December 1–3, 2026
• Final Installation Date: December 3, 2026
• Tear Down Date: December 14, 2026, 10am–8pm

Selection Process

Proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of professionals in the field and community members based on five categories: Concept, Craftsmanship, Feasibility, Budget, and Use of Allocated Space.

Contact

• Email: [email protected] (ATTN: MFT Tree Proposal)
• Address: 1352 Lakeshore Road East, Mississauga, ON L5E 1E9
• Website: www.creativehub1352.ca
• Accessibility: The Small Arms Inspection Building is fully accessible and municipally operated