Call to Artists

Orillia Opera House - Door Wraps

The City of Orillia invites artists to submit original design concepts for the front entrance doors of the Orillia Opera House. Selected artwork will be reproduced as vinyl wraps and installed on the front doors, transforming the entrance into a vibrant public art feature that celebrates one of Orillia's most treasured cultural landmarks. Only digital designs will be accepted.   

THEME: “The Heart of the City”
Some buildings are landmarks. Others become part of a community's heartbeat. For generations, the Orillia Opera House has been more than a performance venue. It has been a gathering place, a cultural cornerstone, and a symbol of creativity, connection, and shared experience. Through performances, celebrations, challenges, and renewal, the building has played an enduring role in shaping the cultural life of Orillia.

Artists are invited to create designs that explore the significance of the Orillia Opera House as a place of memory, imagination, resilience, and community connection. Proposals may draw inspiration from the building's architecture, history, performances, audiences, backstage spaces, or its role as a beloved gathering place at the heart of the city.

Submissions may explore a range of ideas, including but not limited to:

  • The Opera House as a central gathering place within the life of the community
  • Architectural elements of the Opera House as symbols of permanence and belonging
  • The role of arts and culture in strengthening community identity and connection
  • Layers of past performances, productions, audiences and community events embedded like visual “ghost prints”
  • Fragments of posters, tickets, programs, photographs, or architectural details reimagined in contemporary ways
  • The endurance of the structure over time, how it has persisted, adapted and remained standing despite challenges
  • The relationship between performance and vulnerability in a historic civic landmark
  • Stage rigging, ropes, and backstage mechanics as abstract structure and tension
  • The charged stillness of a space moments before it activates

Artists are encouraged to interpret the theme broadly and creatively while considering the Opera House's importance as a historic landmark, cultural gathering place, and enduring symbol of community life in Orillia.

HONORARIUM
An honorarium of $1000 will be awarded to the selected artist in recognition of their contribution.

ELIGIBILITY
The call is open to all artists. Preference may be given to those who work or reside in the City of Orillia, Chippewas of Rama First Nation, or the Townships of Oro-Medonte, Severn, or Ramara.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE
The deadline for submissions is  Thursday, July 23rd, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) EST.
Selections will take place the week of July 27th, 2026.
Selected artists will have two weeks to submit their final digital design, due Friday, August 14th, 2026, at noon EST.

SUBMISSION DETAILS
Artists are encouraged to submit a proposed concept for the door wrap design. Concepts may be presented as a sketch, draft, digital mock-up, or concept rendering that illustrates the intended composition, colour palette, imagery, and overall artistic vision.

Applicants must also submit examples of previous work that demonstrate their artistic style, experience, and ability to execute the proposed concept.

Artists who prefer not to submit a draft concept may instead submit a portfolio of previous work accompanied by a written concept statement. The statement should describe the proposed vision, sources of inspiration, and how the concept would respond to the project theme and translate into the final door wrap design.

Only digital designs will be accepted. Final designs must be submitted as digital files suitable for large-format production, including vector files (preferred: AI, EPS, or PDF) or high-resolution raster files (TIFF or JPG, minimum 300 DPI at full banner scale) in CMYK colour format.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

  • The following are the dimensions of the windows and doors available for the artwork:
    • Front Entrance Doors (facing West Street) – Mandatory
      • Two (2) doors, each measuring 80" H × 17.75" W 
    • Front Entrance Transom Window (above the doors) – Optional
      • One (1) transom window measuring 24.5" H × 61" W
    • Artists may choose to incorporate the transom window into their design for overall dramatic effect, but it is not required.
    • Only digital designs will be accepted. Final designs are to be submitted as high-resolution digital files suitable for large-format printing. The following are suitable formats:
      • Vector files (preferred): AI, .EPS, PDF
      • High-resolution raster files: TIFF or JPG (minimum 300 DPI at full banner scale)
      • CMYK colour format.
    • Final designs must incorporate a signature.
    • Artists can interpret the theme through any subject matter that resonates with meaning for the artist provided it is suitable for display in a public space.
    • Artwork must be original to the artist(s). Submissions must not incorporate copyrighted material owned by others without permission and must not be generated wholly or in part by artificial intelligence (AI) image-generation tools.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Submissions must include the following:

  • Name of Artist(s)
  • Contact information: address, phone number and email
  • Brief bio of participating artist(s)
  • Artist(s) statement related to the piece and its interpretation of the theme
  • Description of artwork
  • The proposed design. This should be a draft concept, not a finished product, to show the review panel your style and intention.

TERMS

  • Selected artists will be required to enter into a Public Art Agreement and sign a waiver of liability agreement with the City of Orillia.
  • Selected artwork will be digitally reproduced and applied to front doors using a high-quality vinyl wrap.
  • City staff or a contracted installer will manage the production and installation of the vinyl wraps. The City of Orillia is not liable for any loss or damage to the original artwork or digital files.
  • Artwork may be resized, cropped, or adjusted slightly (including minor colour corrections) to ensure optimal reproduction and installation. Any significant modifications will be made in consultation with the artist.
  • The City of Orillia reserves the right to remove or replace any wrap at any time.
  • The artist whose work is selected will receive a $1000 honorarium in recognition of their contribution. This fee covers artist time, design, and reproduction rights for the duration of the installation.
  • There are no application or exhibition fees for participating artists.
  • Artwork will be exhibited on the traffic cabinets for a period of approximately two to five years, or until the wrap is removed due to wear, damage, or other operational needs.
  • Selected designs may be archived by the City of Orillia and/or reprinted for future use in other civic projects, such as street banners, promotional materials, public signage, or digital campaigns. Any reuse will only occur with the artist’s permission. Artists will retain full copyright of their work and will be credited appropriately in all instances.
  • The City of Orillia does not provide insurance for original artworks or digital files. Artists are encouraged to retain copies and will be required to sign a waiver acknowledging this.
  • All submitted artwork must be the original creation of the applicant. Submissions must not incorporate copyrighted material owned by others without permission and must not be generated wholly or in part by artificial intelligence (AI) image-generation tools.
  • By submitting to this call, applicants confirm that the work is their own original creation and that they hold full rights to the submitted design.
  • The City reserves the right to request supporting materials (such as sketches, process work, or layered/source files) to verify authorship if required.
  • By submitting to this call, artists grant the City of Orillia a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, display, and promote the selected artwork for the purposes of the traffic cabinet wrap program, related marketing, documentation, and future promotional materials.
  • The license includes the right to reproduce the artwork in print and digital formats for non-commercial municipal purposes.
  • Artists may reproduce and display their work for personal, promotional, or commercial purposes (e.g., prints, portfolios, websites), provided it is not represented as an official City-issued product without permission.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This project is limited to the locations identified in this Call to Artists. The selection of an artist for this project does not grant any exclusive rights, future commissions, or preference in future public art opportunities at this site or any other City facility. The City reserves the right to undertake future public art projects at this site, including on other windows, doors, or building features, through separate selection processes or direct commissions at its sole discretion.

NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS
Submissions will be reviewed and selected by City staff, in conjunction with community partners in the creative sector based on artistic merit, originality, and demonstrated ability to create engaging public artwork. Only those whose work has been selected will receive notification once a final decision has been made. The City reserves the right not to award the commission.

 



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