RFP: Curatorial & Production Services – Downtown Temporary Public Art Festival

Summary

Details about the opportunity are on the City’s Procurement site: https://victoria.bonfirehub.ca/

INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW: The City of Victoria is requesting proposals from qualified multi-disciplinary event & program management organizations/companies to curate, develop and produce a temporary public art festival that will be delivered in February 2026. The City intends to contract a qualified Proponent/Contractor capable of conceiving and developing a theme for this program and subsequently delivering this through a professional curator and production staff. The successful Proponent/Contractor shall have expertise and capacity to plan, lead, produce, and deliver contemporary time-based media and light installations and public space activations in indoor and outdoor spaces within the boundaries of downtown Victoria (BC). This program will be delivered as part of the City’s OUR DWTN revitalization program which will provide residents and visitors with a safe and enjoyable experience when exploring the city center. Currently, the area of focus includes Wharf to Blanshard Streets and Belleville to Discovery Streets.

There will be an emphasis on featuring lək̓ʷəŋən artists and content and hiring regional artists. There will also be an emphasis on extended reality and light-based installations (architectural projections, mobile apps, interactive environments etc.) to add light and vibrancy that revitalize the downtown core during the darkest season of the year. Activities/programming should prioritize free events and programming in public spaces and may include new temporary works of public art (installations, performances, and/or aural experiences), participatory workshops, exploratory walks, talks, public readings, culinary and market experiences and more. We strongly encourage the proponent provide opportunities for local businesses and organizations to participate in the festival.