Downtown St. Catharines Banner Design Program
The St. Catharines Downtown Association (SCDA) is seeking a professional artist or artist-led team to design a series of original banners that will serve as a welcoming, visually distinctive public art installation throughout Downtown St. Catharines.
Submission Deadline: Monday, February 15, 2026 (4:00 PM EST)
The banner program is intended to:
- Clearly mark the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA)
- Celebrate the identity, creativity, and energy of Downtown St. Catharines
- Enhance the streetscape through bold, cohesive public artwork
This project is artist-led and placemaking-focused. Banner designs are intended to function
as public art, not advertising.
Banner Format & Constraints
- Vertical pole banners
- Approximate size: 22” x 48” (final dimensions to be confirmed)
- Double-sided design
- Installed on existing downtown light poles
Artists should design with legibility, durability, and large-scale outdoor viewing in mind.
Scope of Work – Design (Required)
The selected artist will be responsible for:
- Developing 5–6 original banner designs as a cohesive visual series
- Designs should be simple, graphic, and visually bold, suitable for repetition across the downtown
- Establishing one overarching creative concept
- Participating in up to two rounds of revisions
- Delivering final, print-ready digital files suitable for large-format banner production
The intent is clarity, legibility, and impact rather than complex or highly detailed illustration.
SCDA will manage banner printing and installation through a separate procurement process.
Submission Requirements
Proposals must include:
1. Artist background and experience (individual or team)
2. Portfolio of relevant work (public art, murals, banners, or large-format design preferred)
3. Conceptual approach and proposed themes for this project
4. High-level project timeline
5. Proposed artist fee within the stated range
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
- Artistic quality and originality
- Strength and clarity of conceptual approach
- Relevance to Downtown St. Catharines
- Experience with public or outdoor artwork
- Ability to collaborate within a defined timeline
Submission Details
Submissions should be sent to Executive Director, Kat Dodge at kat@mydowntown.ca with the subject line: Banner Proposal – [Your Name].
Proposals must be submitted electronically no later than Monday, February 16, 2026 at 4:00
p.m. EST.
The SCDA is a non-profit organization that represents over 500 members including commercial property owners, retailers, restaurants and professional offices in the designated BIA (Business Improvement Area)
Download the Full RFP For More Details: