2027 Floating Public Art Commission at Waterfront Toronto

Waterfront Toronto wants a professional artist or artist team to create a temporary floating artwork for Harbour Square Park Basin on Lake Ontario, installed from late May or early June to early October 2027. The 2027 theme, 'Out of Scale: Larger than Life on the Water', invites work that takes a familiar form, object or story and transforms it, with scale understood physically, emotionally, culturally or historically.

The request for proposals is open to practising professional artists and teams in Canada with relevant experience. Artists must use Ontario-based contractors, and local subcontractors are strongly encouraged. Questions are accepted until 26 November 2026.

The commissioning budget is C$100,000 plus HST and must cover artist fees, drawings, marine engineering and other consultants, permits, anchoring, insurance (C$2M professional and C$5M general liability for water installations), studio and storage, materials, transport, installation, maintenance and removal. Proposals are due by 5pm ET on 3 December 2026.