City of Nanaimo Announces Call to Artists for Luminous Paths 2027

Artists are invited to submit proposals for light-based installations for Nanaimo’s biannual winter arts festival

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed March 17, 2026 10:00 AM

Summary

The City of Nanaimo is pleased to announce that the Call to Artists for Luminous Paths 2027 is now open. Artists and creative teams are invited to submit proposals for temporary light-based public art installations that will transform Maffeo Sutton Park (Sway-a-Lana) into an immersive illuminated landscape during the city’s biannual winter festival.

First launched in 2025, Luminous Paths is Nanaimo’s winter celebration of light, art, land and community. The festival invites artists to reimagine public space through illumination, projection, sound, and interactive artworks that encourage curiosity, play and connection.

Taking place in a popular park along Nanaimo’s downtown waterfront, the month-long festival features temporary art installations that animate familiar spaces after dark and draw residents and visitors outdoors during the winter months. Opening and closing celebrations, live performances, free tours and community engagement activities complement the illuminated artworks throughout the festival period.

Artists are encouraged to create works that respond thoughtfully to place and environment while inviting audiences to explore the park in new ways. Proposals may incorporate light, sound, motion or other creative approaches to produce engaging outdoor experiences suitable for evening viewing.

Potential themes for artists to explore include transformation and renewal through light, the interconnectedness of community, land and water, pathways that connect people and place and shared experiences of discovery in public space.

Temporary public art projects will be selected in summer 2026, with installations presented during the festival from Feb. 15 to March 12, 2027. The submission deadline is June 14, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time). Full details, eligibility requirements and the online submission form can be found on the City’s website.

Link to Strategic Plan: Luminous Paths aligns with the goals of the City of Nanaimo’s City Plan by facilitating public art that is accessible and freely available to everyone throughout the community to experience and enjoy.

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