Glenbow is thrilled to open three artist calls for works to be installed for Glenbow’s reopening at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture. These three artist commissions are a core part of Glenbow’s future programming and the future vision for the museum. Each artist commission addresses a key element in Glenbow’s curatorial vision and will create unique and incredible experiences for visitors to the museum when it reopens in 2026.
Learn more and respond to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) through Art to Public
Open Call Artist Commissions
Entry Mural
For the entryway at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture, Glenbow is seeking responses from Indigenous artists from Treaty 7. This wall-application artwork will greet all visitors as they enter the museum through the new entrance off Stephen Avenue. The artwork will be installed for approximately two years, providing future opportunities to showcase diverse work from many artists.
Read the RFQ
Theatre Curtain Textile
In the new theatre at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture, Glenbow is seeking submissions from artists to create a theatre curtain installation that will function as a retractile light blocking set of curtains for the main floor theatre. This piece will be visible both inside and outside, along 9th Avenue. This call is open to any artist in Canada.
Read the RFQ
Atrium
In the atrium on the main floor of the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture, Glenbow is seeking artist submissions for an artwork that could be suspended from the multi-storey ceiling. The chosen artwork for this space will form an important aspect of the museum’s identity. It will be highly visible from the atrium floor below, the exterior street, and an interior viewpoint on the second floor. This call is open to any artist from anywhere.
Read the RFQ
Information Session
The Vinyl Appliqué Mural is specifically open to qualified Indigenous artists and artists’ teams with traditional ties to Treaty 7. In respect to many oral traditions from Nations across Treaty 7, Glenbow and Art to Public hosted a virtual session on November 19 to provide information from the Request for Qualifications over Zoom. The recording is available to anyone interested in learning more through video format.
Glenbow Artist Commissions
When Glenbow reopens at the JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture in 2026, visitors will experience five new artist commissions. These include a mural in the new entryway, a hanging commission in the new atrium, a textile work for the theatre curtain, Faye HeavyShield’s recently announced work for the new vertical gallery, and a yet-to-be-announced work for the visitor desk.
Learn more about HeavyShield's new work
Fostering Diverse Arts Experiences
The theatre curtain textile for the new theatre, hanging installation for the atrium, Faye HeavyShield’s artist commission, and another yet-to-be-announced commission are made possible thanks to a $1 million gift from the Fischer-Cuthbertson Family.
Learn more about their gift
