This program offers artists and designers an opportunity to submit proposals for original banner artwork that will be hung in Nanaimo's downtown area. Banners will be on display between May and October 2021, in the Arts District downtown, along
Bowen Road, Third Street and other major routes, creating a vibrant visual presence.
The City of Nanaimo is currently seeking designs for its spring 2021 street banner program with a theme of Nanaimo 2121: One Hundred Years Forward.
The deadline for submissions is midnight, Pacific Time, February 18, 2021. Please read through the Call to Artists and Designers - 2021 Street Banner Designs prior to completing the Submission Form located at the bottom of this page. Incomplete
or late submissions will not be accepted.
The selected applicant will receive an honorarium of $2,500 for their banner design. Fabrication and installation costs are covered by the City and are not included in this fee.
2021 Call to Artists and Designers
Eligibility
This program is open to artists and designers at all levels of experience.
Theme: Nanaimo 2121 One Hundred Years Forward
The City of Nanaimo is working on new civic plans to help guide and support our community to adapt and thrive in the decades to come. Thinking about how we as a community have evolved over the last one hundred years, we invite you to consider the next
one hundred.
How will the decisions and changes we make today shape our city for generations to follow? How will opportunities, challenges and realities we face today be remembered by our future community? How will seeds we plant today blossom in 100 years'
time?
Proposals for 2021 Street Banners are encouraged to illustrate creative responses to the idea of a future Nanaimo. Consider what shapes our infrastructure, parklands, and community places will take. Imagine our shorelines, skies and the city's inhabitants.
Some questions to guide your creative response: How will future generations move through the community? What changes will we have made to adapt in a changing climate? Where and how will people live, work and play? What will we be cultivating? What
will the City need to thrive?
Design Specifications
Banner Dimensions
mini street banners 18" W x 42" L
full-size
street banners 34" W x 80" L
banner sleeve 3.25" on top and bottom edge
Banner Installation
Avoid using any important design elements on the upper and lower sleeve.
Colour
The colour scheme for the 2021 competition is open, we suggest a palette of four highly chromatic colours containing maximum hue, plus black, white and grey.
Preferred designs use colours and images that will take advantage of light passing through the fabric, and take into consideration that colours may fade over time. Dark colours typically hold their colour in outdoor settings over time better than
lighter, pastel colours.
Contrast
When creating your design, consider the effects of a colour combination on design legibility and visual interest. Examples below are for demonstration only, and do not indicate colour preference.
Other Design Considerations
- Designs must be effective from long viewing distances and short viewing duration. Small details and complicated designs are not generally effective. Take into account that banners will be viewed from the road at speeds of up to 50 km per hour.
- Banners should consider the surrounding streetscapes.
- Designs must be non-commercial in theme.
- Designs must be original.
- Designs may use a diptych approach (design split into 2 panels).
- If using lettering in your design, choose a font size and style that can be read at a distance of 50 to 75 feet. Note that words will appear in reverse on one side of the banner.
DESIGNS THAT INCORPORATE LOGOS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Selection and Award
A selection panel formed by the City will review all proposals. Designs are reviewed based on the following criteria (order listed does not indicate the order of importance):
- Originality and creativity
- Quality of presentation
- Uniqueness of style
- Degree to which the design reflects the theme
- Effectiveness of the design to be legible once installed on lamp posts on major streets
The applicant whose banner design is selected will receive an honorarium of $2,500, to be paid upon provision of the final design.
Selected Designs: Next Steps
A selected banner design will be announced in March 2021, with final design slated for completion by March 15, 2021. The City may make recommendations for modifications prior to the final design.
The successful artist will be required to submit their design in a high quality digital vector format (.ai .eps .pdf .svg). We can also accept .jpg files saved at required print measurements, with a resolution of 300 dpi.
The successful participant
will retain copyright of their design and will grant the City license to use the selected design for the purpose of creating the street banner and for non-commercial promotional materials. At the end of the installation period, banners will be removed
and discarded.
How to Apply
The applicant is responsible for offering a design that illustrates their own interpretation of the theme. The City of Nanaimo will be responsible for the fabrication and installation of the banners.
Applicants must supply:
- A completed application form.
- A written statement about your proposed design, and how it supports the banner theme (one page PDF).
- A brief biography (up to 350 words) and your CV ( PDF).
- A colour rendering of your design. This may be an original sketch, painting or computer-generated image of the design idea, following the format outlined in the design specifications below. We will accept digital images in JPG, PDF or TIFF format
on flash drive or via web submission.
Note: You may propose up to three (3) different banner designs as one single submission.
Submissions must be received no later than midnight, Pacific Time, February 18, 2021. There are two ways to submit your design:
- Submit your application and required documents online using the form below; or
- Drop off your application and required documents in-person to the Culture & Events Dropbox, located at the Bowen Complex, 500 Bowen Road). The dropbox is located on the lower level of the building near the tennis courts (Pine Street Entrance). Hand-delivered
submissions MUST include a complete package. Please include one (1) original hard copy and one (1) electronic version in MS Word/PDF format submitted on a flash drive. The application must be enclosed and sealed in an envelope/package clearly
marked:
Your Name
Street Banner Program
City of Nanaimo
Culture and Events
Terms and Conditions
Once submitted, the application is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The City advises applicants that submissions may be subject to the provisions of FOIPPA and the Community Charter.
Personal information provided in the submission will be collected pursuant to FOIPPA and the Community Charter. Personal information will not be released except in accordance with the FOIPPA. Questions about the collection
of your personal information may be referred to the Legislative Services Department at (250) 755-4405, or via email at foi@nanaimo.ca.
Questions
Thank you for your interest! Applicants will only be contacted if their design is chosen. The selected design will be announced in March 2021. Questions regarding the Street Banner Program may be directed to Culture & Events staff at cultureandevents@nanaimo.ca.
Download the Call to Artists and Designers - 2021 Street Banner Designs here,
or complete online!
The deadline for submissions is midnight, Pacific Time, February 18, 2021. Please read through the Call to Artists and Designers prior to completing an application.
By completing your application form online, you acknowledge that you understand and agree with the terms of the Street Banner Program process as described in this program guideline, and you verify the information included in the submission is complete and correct.