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PUBLIC ART

The City of New Westminster's Public Art Program is administered by the City’s Art Services staff, a division within the Community Services Department. Art Services staff provide leadership in the planning, coordination and implementation of public art for the City in alignment with the Public Art Policy.

Image credit (above): birds on a branch by Metz & Chew

 

In 2012, the City of New Westminster adopted its first Public Art Policy which laid out the foundation for creating an exciting and engaging Public Art Program. The goals of this Policy creates and promotes diverse and inclusive opportunities that help animate the urban landscape, nurture civic dialogue and support the development and growth of the arts in the city. 

In 2021, with guidance from the Public Art Advisory Committee, staff initiated a review of the Policy to ensure that it is informed by current leading practices in public art and is aligned with key City policies and priorities. The revised Policy provides a clear foundation to create a more responsive, diverse, equitable and sustainable program.

BE HEARD OPPORTUNITY
 

Residents: Please visit this page for a feedback survey and more details regarding the Public Art Plan.

Artists/Arts Community: Join us for an in-person engagement session on October 21st at Anvil Centre. Click here to register.

New Westminster Public Art PRogram

 

  • Calls and Opportunities

    STEWARDSON WAY: SKYTRAIN PILLAR ART PROJECT

    CALL FOR LOCAL FIRST NATION AND URBAN INDIGENOUS ARTISTS WHO WORK IN DIGITAL MEDIA
     
    CALL CLOSES: June 15, 2025

    The Stewardson Way Project is a partnership between TransLink and the City of New Westminster. 

    Link to Call here

  • PROJECTS IN PROGRESS: WPP Park Space C

    Brent Sparrow and Kelly Cannell

    The City is expanding Westminster Pier Park (referred to as WPP) to the west, adding approximately 2.0 acres of park space. The new public park areas (referred to as Park Space ‘B’ and Park Space ‘C’), located between 660 Quayside Drive and WPP will be constructed above a three story parkade. Park Space C, the site for this project is the largest park area, located west of WPP will be constructed by the City with a contribution from BOSA who are developing 660 Quayside.

    The riverfront is an important site for many Indigenous communities and is an opportunity to share a deeper understanding of these territories and enrich the experience of the park for residents and visitors.
     
    In 2024, the City issued a Call to Artists seeking a Coast Salish artist or artist team from a nation with connections to the New Westminster area. A selection panel shortlisted three artist/teams and invited them to propose artworks for the new park. Ebb and Flow, consisting of two multi-media sculptures representing traditional Musqueam Salish markers by Brent Sparrow and Kelly Cannell was chosen.
     
    Artwork Description:
     
    "The concept, titled EBB AND FLOW, captures the essence of the river while offering an engaging opportunity for the public to learn about the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking people who stewarded this land for thousands of years. The graceful design reflects the river's movement and highlights the significance of sockeye salmon and sturgeon in our culture and ecosystem.
     
    The sculptures will be carved from old-growth red cedar, measuring approximately 10 feet tall, 3 feet wide, and 14 inches deep. Each cedar piece will be sheathed in a custom aluminum partial cover, serving as a design element and added weather protection."
     
    The artists have been working with the design team to integrate the artworks into the overall park design.
     
    Completion is planned for November 2025.
     
    Image credit: Concept rendering featuring one of two posts.

  • Projects in Progress: Agnes Street Park

    Karen Tam 譚嘉文
    Brookfield Properties is developing a residential tower at 810 Agnes Street and supporting the design and construction of a park on City-owned land adjacent to the tower. Funding for this project includes additional contributions for public art to be integrated into the overall design of the park.
     
    The new park is located at 824 Agnes Street, the former site of the Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) and in a neighbourhood known as the second Chinatown in New Westminster. The Agnes Street Park will celebrate and pay tribute to the municipality’s early Chinese Canadian community as part of an ongoing Chinese reconciliation process.
     
    In 2023, artist Karen Tam was selected for her concept, "Grove of Wild Bamboo and Sweet Peas," that draws inspiration from archival photographs and documents, creating a visual narrative that bridges the past, present, and future of this site. It reflects on the history and stories of the Chinese community in New Westminster, where the CBA building served as a hub and space to bring together family, kinsfolk, and friends, in its incarnations as a Chinese hospital, Chinese school, and meeting hall.
     
    "As I delved into the history of the Chinese community in New Westminster, I was struck by the depth of contributions made by early families and the important role they played in shaping the city. In addition to researching archival images and institutional collections, I connected with individuals and families who generously shared their personal histories and photographs. Their openness and willingness to share these stories added an invaluable personal and historical dimension to the artwork. I was particularly inspired by the resilience of these families and their ability to create community despite systemic barriers. The process of incorporating their narratives into the final design allowed me to visually honour their experiences and ensure their histories are recognized and remembered."
     

    About the Artist

    Karen Tam 譚嘉文 is a Tiohtià:ke/Montréal-based artist and curator exploring the constructions and imaginations of cultures and communities through her installations. Since 2000, she has exhibited her work in North America, Europe, and China at venues such as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Victoria and Albert Museum, and He Xiangning Art Museum. Tam has received grants and fellowships from the Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts du Québec, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Winner of the 2021 Giverny Capital Prize, she was a finalist for the 2017 Louis-Comtois Prize, and a finalist for the 2016 Prix en art actuel from the Musée national des beaux-arts de Québec.

    Tam holds an MFA in Sculpture (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) and a PhD in Cultural Studies (Goldsmiths, University of London). She is Adjunct Curator at Griffin Art Projects and is represented by Galerie Hugues Charbonneau.

     
     
     
    Image Credit: Grove of Wild Bamboo and Sweet Peas 竹盛豆苗青 (conceptual rendering detail) by Karen Tam
     

  • Projects in Progress: Irving House Artist in Residence Pilot

    Holly Schmidt and Janet Wang

    The Irving House Artist in Residence Pilot was a partnership between Public Art and the City of New Westminster Museum & Archives. Two artists, Janet Wang and Holly Schmidt were invited to explore and experiment in response to the site and surroundings of the Irving House. Artists were encouraged to investigate the stories and narratives of one of British Columbia's oldest post-contact historic homes, and to engage in dialogues that deepen a shared understanding of the role of these sites in our current context.

    The residency aims to support artists with time, space, resources to further their research, interests and overall artistic practice. It also seeks to generate new observations or perspectives, and facilitate meaningful and contemporary public art responses to the understanding of place and the overall context of Irving House.

    Artists were invited to propose their own conceptual approaches to the residency that best meet the needs of their practice and initiate reciprocal exchanges with the areas' communities, museum and public art staff, and to share their thinking and working processes through public events/talks.

    Artists for the 2023 pilot residency program were selected from the public art program Artist Roster.

    This residency ran from June to October 2023.

    The artists created temporary public art interventions that can be found on the grounds of the Irving House, on the windows of the adjacent annex building and inside the House. The artworks will be on display from April 2024 - April 2025.

    Check out Holly Schmidt's Weeds of Cultivation  on our Registry.

    Check out Janet Wang's Arrangements and AR monuments on our Registry.

    About the Artists:

    Holly Schmidt

    Janet Wang

    Learn More:

    Check out the Artist Talk from May 15, 2024 to learn about their research, experimentations, interventions as well as reflections on their on their time at the Irving House.

    Photo credit: Rachel Topham Photography

     

     

     

     

  • Public Art Tours

    ​Learn more about the artworks commissioned over the years:

    Explore the Registry through self-guided tours:

  • Public Art Resources

    Image Credit: Fabrication of Guardians of the Pump by Hanna Benihoud

    Art at Work: Exploring Regional Public Art Programs

    Learn About Public Art Programs in New Westminster, Burnaby, Richmond and North Vancouver.