LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we honour our ancestors and the original caretakers of this land long before we were here. We recognize the Treaty 7 territory, home to the Blackfoot Confederacy, comprising the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani First Nations, as well as the Tsuut'ina and the Îethka Nakoda Wîcastabi comprised of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations. Additionally, the City of Calgary is shared with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, encompassing the Battle River Territory, for the Calgary Nose Hill Métis District #5 and the Calgary Elbow Métis District #6. As one of North America's leading hubs for connectivity, YYC welcomes a global community of visitors, connecting them to nationally significant landmarks and experiences throughout the region. These include Banff National Park, the Canadian Badlands, Waterton Lakes, the Rocky Mountains, and many authentic Indigenous tourism experiences. Committed to the growth and prosperity of the diverse communities on these traditional lands, Calgary Airports supports the lives, work, and leisure of those who inhabit and visit the areas we serve.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: JANUARY 15, 2026, at 11:59pm (MST)

CONTRACT PERIOD:  FEBRUARY 28 – DECEMBER 2026

TO APPLY: Submit applications electronically in PDF format to: indigenouspublicart@gmail.com

E-mail subject line should read: Treaty 7 Indigenous Artist YYC Application.

CONTACT: For more information about the project, contact Project Coordinator Dawn Saunders Dahl via email at: indigenouspublicart@gmail.com to arrange a phone call or video conference. 

BUDGET:

• Supplies and installation will be provided
• $13,500  Artist Fee includes all costs for site visit(s). One Artist or Artist team will be selected. A tour of the installation site can be arranged for the artist.

Please Note: There will be future calls for artists for all Indigenous groups connected historically and contemporarily to Calgary and surrounding areas.

1. BACKGROUND:

In May of 2025, an Indigenous reconciliation strategy was released in alignment with Canada's ongoing Reconciliation efforts to establish a framework to create a respectful, inclusive, and educational environment at YYC Calgary International Airport  and YBW Springbank Airport . This strategy honours the seven First Nations of Treaty 7 and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, recognizing their rich cultures, languages, and histories. Inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action, particularly Call to Action 92. 

The goal for this strategy is to foster understanding, respect, and sharing of local Indigenous cultures, underscoring the responsibility of corporations to contribute to reconciliation by promoting and respecting the culture of the Treaty 7 Nations and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. We aim to deepen the appreciation of Indigenous histories and traditions by promoting these principles and advancing reconciliation and cultural awareness.

The Indigenous Reconciliation Strategy will guide Calgary Airports on its path of transformation and communicate its commitment and responsibility for truth and reconciliation. This strategy is a living document within the organization, ensuring that progress is continuously monitored, and content and direction are renewed through evaluation and evolution. We strive to create a lasting impact that aligns with our shared vision and values by focusing on the Truth and Reconciliation Call’s Call to Action #93, subsections II and III.

2. GOALS:

Inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Calls to Action, particularly Call to Action 92, our goal is to foster understanding, respect, and sharing of local Indigenous cultures. This project underscores the responsibility of corporations to contribute to Reconciliation by promoting and respecting the culture of local Indigenous Peoples. We aim to deepen the appreciation of Indigenous histories and traditions by promoting these principles and advancing Reconciliation and cultural awareness. The Reconciliation Strategy states under the Statement of Commitments, that we are committed to: “collaborating with Indigenous artists and cultural practitioners to create spaces that celebrate and preserve Indigenous culture and histories.”

The intent is for the artwork that will support the Indigenous Reconciliation Strategy to create spaces that celebrate and preserve Indigenous culture and histories. The selected artist will be a member of one of the Treaty 7 First Nations and develop an original concept that considers the cultural context of Treaty 7. Calgary Airports intention is that the large 2D artwork will be:

• Welcoming and inviting for visitors and staff by conveying Indigenous prominence, presence, and permanence.
• A reflection of Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Ways of Doing, Ways of Connecting and Ways of Being.
• An innovative experiential opportunity for all visitors and staff to learn about and learn from Indigenous histories, epistemologies, philosophies, and methodologies.
• A reminder of both ‘Truth’ and ‘Reconciliation’, the important work that we all must do to learn the truths, and actively reconcile the consequences of these truths in the spaces where we learn, work, or socialize.
• Fabricated to serve both aesthetic and acoustic functions, the artwork fabricated will absorb sound in a large open space.

This project will also support YYC’s Thematic Master Plan, a strategic framework that guides the design and selection of physical elements across YYC Calgary Airport. This plan ensures that expansions, renovations, and installations by Calgary Airports and its partners (airlines, tenants, etc.) reflect a central theme rooted in Calgary’s identity.

3. ARTIST OPPORTUNITY:

The selected Artist, or Artist Teams, will design artwork on the back wall of the new Centralized Passenger Screening area.  The selected artist will be responsible for the design and will be consulted on the fabrication and installation stages of the project. This call is open to all Calgary and surrounding area Treaty 7 First Nations artists that are 18 years of age and older.