Public Art
Public art has the power to energize and enhance our public spaces, make us think, and transform where we live, work, and play.
Opportunities for Artists
Check out our Public Art Opportunities web page that includes current Calls to Artists and information on how to join our Create Victoria Newsletter to stay informed of new artistic opportunities and initiatives at the City of Victoria.
Artist Residency Programs
Indigenous Artist in Residence
Coast Salish artist Dylan Thomas (Qwul’thilum) has been selected for the role of Indigenous Artist in Residence with the City of Victoria. The Indigenous Artist in Residence program provides the opportunity for a local artist to develop artistic works and engage the community in dialogue, workshops, events, and activities throughout the term. Learn more.
Artist in Residence
Victoria-based dancer and visual artist, Kemi Craig has been selected as the City’s third Artist in Residence. The Artist in Residence program aims to ‘keep art in mind’, providing the opportunity for a local artist to work with City staff and the community to identify and develop a creative artwork for one or more public art projects over a two-year term. Learn more.
Meet Commercial Alley Artist, Eliska Liska
Originally from the Czech Republic, Eliska spent five years touring around Europe and Mexico, leaving a trail of murals behind her. She works in many different mediums, including painting, pottery, printing, drawing, digital illustration, felting and murals
Eliska’s project “Feeling Fuzzy Inside” depicts a series of activities that have the power to inspire passion in young people. The activities she has portrayed are music, thoughts and words, movement, and art. Each panel is connected by neutral-coloured backgrounds, linear figurative drawings and bursts of colour.
The artwork will be on display from October 2022 - October 2023. Are you interested in having your art featured in Commercial Alley next? Learn more and apply now.
Mural Roster + Mural Toolkit
The City of Victoria has a Mural & Community Art Roster of pre-qualified, local artists for mural and community art opportunities. Check out our new Mural Toolkit, a helpful step-by-step guide for artists and business owners who are interested in the mural-making process in Victoria. Learn more.
City Banners
Local artist Mateusz Napieralski was chosen to design the winter banner that will be displayed from November to February over the next five years.
The City's summer banners were designed by Indigeneous artist Dylan Thomas. The four-part banner series depicts some of the lesser-known Lekwungen legends about the territory in and around Victoria. Learn more.
Sacred, an Indigenous Art Display 
Sacred is an Indigenous multi-media art display at City Hall. Learn more about this permanent public art installation which is part of the City's ongoing work towards Reconciliation.
Concrete Canvas - Rock Bay Murals 
Concete Canvas is a new, one-time art project for emerging muralists and mid-career artists wanting to try their hand at making murals! The project seeks to transform an industrial part of Victoria into an outdoor gallery for street art and creative expression. Learn More.
Public Art Installations
Art in Kiosks
To celebrate local creatives and enhance everyday artistic encounters, new artwork installations have been placed in downtown kiosks. Artworks are rotated every three months and can be viewed along Douglas Street and in City Parkades. To view the map of current installations and to read artist bios and statements, click here.
Art on Parkades
Two local artist teams were selected to create new public art to enhance the stairwells of two City parkades. Scott Amos and David Parfit of Monkey C Interactive have developed an interactive musical railing for the Bastion Square Parkade back stairwell. Artists Jennifer Johnson, Joanne Thomson and Beth Threlfall collaborated with three youth artists to create a mural series that now enhances the stairwell at Centennial Square Parkade.
Woven
In August 2015, City Council selected a Vancouver-based, mother and son Musqueam First Nation artist team, Susan Point and Thomas Cannell, for their Woven Together proposal to create contemporary First Nations artwork to enhance the exterior of the Johnson Street Parkade. The artwork was installed in July 2016. Learn more.
Community Colour
A partnership between the City of Victoria and the United Way Greater Victoria, the Create Community Colour Mural program matched a professional artist with two or more youth ages 14 - 20 to collaboratively produce 10 colourful murals. Learn more.
The Hands of Time
The Hands of Time, the Victoria 150 Public Art Project, was a three-stage, national juried public art competition to create public artwork(s) that celebrate Victoria's 150th anniversary of incorporation in 2012. Discover these 12 bronze sculptures around downtown with The Hands of Time walking tour brochure. [PDF - 426 KB]
Please note that sculpture #2: Holding a Railway Spike is currently removed for maintenance. We hope to have it reinstalled by Summer 2023.
Public Art Inventory
The City of Victoria has partnered with the Capital Regional District, the District of Saanich and the Township of Esquimalt to create a searchable online tool, known as the Public Art Inventory. Learn more.
