Public Art

The City of Fredericton’s Public Art Program makes art accessible to everyone. Local, national, and international artists are commissioned to produce permanent and temporary art installations, creating inspiring and beautiful communal spaces. These artworks enrich the daily lives of residents and entice visitors from all over the world to visit our city.

2025 Calls for Public Art Proposals

The City of Fredericton is calling for submissions by local artists for its Temporary Public Art Program, which will be displayed in Fredericton over the summer and into the fall. The goal of this program is to host a vibrant outdoor space for people to enjoy in the city.

The Temporary Public Art Program, which started in 2020 at Phoenix Square, has grown to other public spaces in Fredericton such as Killarney Lake Park. Public spaces under consideration this year include city parks, Phoenix Square just outside City Hall, and the Garrison District. However, each location will have different conditions and challenges the artist must consider.

Proposals will be reviewed by a jury who will consider safety, sturdiness, public engagement, and the environment around the piece. Proposals for certain locations may require further investigation based on the project and location proposed. Artists are responsible for developing the concept, creating the artwork, safe installation, and removal at the end of the display period. Artists will also need to collaborate with City staff to make necessary modifications to meet any challenges.

The call is open to professional artists in the greater Fredericton region. Artists are encouraged to submit the following:

•    A resume and biography indicating their education level, artistic practice, and body of work.
•    Indicate the location(s) for proposed temporary artwork(s).
•    A proposed design concept including text and drawings or diagrams.
•    An itemized budget to a maximum of $5,000 for all costs related to production, transport, installation, removal, and artist fees.
•    A timeline and process for creation and installation.

Submissions need to be sent to culture@fredericton.ca by April 4, 2025. Artists are also encouraged to send questions to the email provided.

Artists – Subscribe to the Public Art Mailing List to be notified of future public art calls

Virtual Public Art Tour

Take a tour of Fredericton’s public art from anywhere in the world with this interactive map that includes photos and descriptions of permanent public art installations.

Visit the Virtual Public Art Tour

Temporary Public Art

As part of the City of Fredericton’s Temporary Public Art Program, new public art is installed every summer throughout the city. 2024’s art installations include:

Jean Hudson’s Waves

Location: Along the City’s South and North Riverfront Trails, near the Westmorland Street Bridge.

Jean Hudson’s Waves is a functional art piece in the style of multiple tête-à-tête (head-to-head) chairs connected with the pattern of a wave along the top rail. Silhouettes of fish appear to swim upstream on each seat, forming a long zig-zagging school of fish, intended as a reminder to keep litter out of the river for the sake of the fish that live therein. Two colourful sets of eight seats have been installed on each side of the Wolastoq (Saint John River).

You may recall another of her recent works, Harold the Hippo, who became a notorious character at Killarney Lake last summer and is now located in the duck pond at Odell Park. In similar style to Harold, Jean created Waves from reclaimed metal barrels. A large part of the inspiration for her art comes from seeing discarded items in an imaginative way.

Hudson hopes that the work will inspire connection in the community. “Like waving to a neighbour, in a world of increasing smartphone addiction and loneliness, “Waves” will provide a sense of togetherness, community and fun,” she says. “Seating face to face, or beside each other, waving to a passerby, or seated looking at the views in opposite directions, “Waves” equally celebrates the beauty of the north and south sides of Fredericton and its friendly residents.”

Gary Crosby’s The Crow Murder, Mysteries

Location: On the south end of the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge and other locations throughout the summer.

Gary Crosby’s The Crow Murder, Mysteries features a series of interactive instalments throughout various locations in the City. The heart of the installation features several detailed crow sculptures, each a testament to the elegance and mysterious character of the bird. The crows, hand-carved and carefully painted for a lifelike appearance, will first be displayed on the South end of the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge.

Accompanying the murder of crows is a QR code that observers can scan with their smartphones to lead them to a short mystery story they can try to solve. Intertwined in the stories will be aspects of the City’s history and local attractions to create a unique interactive experience. Once the display has been up for two weeks, the installation will be moved to a new location, accompanied by a new mystery. The answer to the previous mystery will be posted on Gary’s website after each 2-week period. You can find more information on Gary’s website.

Crosby states, “The Crow Murder, Mysteries is more than an art installation; it is an evolving story set within the natural beauty of the City, a celebration of creativity, mystery, and community engagement. Through the combination of exquisite craftsmanship, thoughtful placement, and interactive storytelling, this project invites visitors to see the city—and perhaps even the crows that inhabit it—in a whole new light.”

1% for Public Art Policy

Public art contributes to a unique sense of place, creates energetic and inspiring public gathering spaces, and increases access to the visual arts. For these reasons and many more, the City commits 1% of the non-land expenditure of new municipal buildings to acquiring and installing public art.

Read the Public Art Policy

Past Calls for Proposals

2024 Temporary Public Art Proposals – Closed

The City of Fredericton invites proposals from professional artists to install temporary public artworks at Phoenix Square in front of City Hall as well as at alternate city-owned locations.

The temporary public art program is meant to contribute to a welcoming and vibrant space for the community and visitors to enjoy throughout the summer and fall. Although the public art is only intended to last for a short time, designs should be well constructed, vandal-resistant, and able to withstand summer and fall weather.

Each location will have variable conditions that the artist must consider. Proposals will be reviewed through a lens that includes public safety, sturdiness, public engagement, and how well it fits with the environment, while not posing an impediment to public use of the space.

Phoenix Square in the heart of downtown Fredericton is enjoyed by tourists, locals, and office workers, many who use the nearby benches or bistro tables. Applicants should note that in addition to seating, there is a prominent water fountain, large umbrellas, garden beds, large flowerpots, and other immovable objects that will need to be considered in the design process. Applicants are advised to examine the detailed site drawing here.

Artists are to submit the following:

a resume and biography indicating their education level, artistic practice, and body of work;
indicate the location(s) for proposed temporary artwork(s);
a proposed design concept including text and drawings or diagrams;
an itemized budget to a maximum of $5,000 for all costs related to production, transport, installation, removal, and artist fees; and,
a timeline and process for creation and installation. Phoenix Square art is to be installed by the first week of July until mid-October. Other locations to be determined.

A juried selection will take place the week following the submission deadline. Artists submitting proposals for Phoenix Square can expect to be notified by mid-May.

Proposals for other city-owned locations will be considered at this time but may require further investigation based on the project and location proposed. The City reserves the right not to accept any proposals. Artists are encouraged to send questions to the cultural development officer by email: culture@fredericton.ca.

Eligibility: Open to professional artists in the greater Fredericton region.

Public Art Commission for the Fredericton Performing Arts Centre – Closed

The Fredericton Playhouse Inc. is interested in incorporating a contemporary art installation that will be prominently and permanently installed in the lobby. The designated site for the artwork located at the top of feature stairs (see page 5 of Request for Qualifications) is generous in scale and will be viewed from both the interior and exterior of the building. The art installation is anticipated to be bold and visually strong.

The City of Fredericton (on behalf of the Fredericton Playhouse Inc.) is issuing this Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) for professional artists working in the public art realm to create, fabricate and install an original site-specific public artwork for a new Performing Arts Centre. The Performing Arts Centre is planned for opening in the Fall of 2026 in downtown Fredericton. This RFQ is the first of a two-stage process.

Read the Request for Clarifications