City of Windsor Launches Musician Call for Live at The Square
The City of Windsor, with generous funding through Enbridge Fueling Futures, is pleased to launch a call for musicians for the new weekly music series Live at The Square. Running every Friday from July through October 2025, the series will bring local music and energy to the newly completed City Hall Square plaza, transforming the public gathering space into a welcoming venue for community celebration.
This initiative supports the City’s continued investment in inclusive and accessible cultural programming while also aligning with the Strengthen the Core: Downtown Windsor Revitalization Plan’s goals of place-making and creating a vibrant district to attract new residents, visitors, businesses, and investments to the city core.
Through Enbridge’s support, the City can offer this free series and feature a diverse lineup of performers representing the rich creativity of Windsor and the surrounding region.
Performer Applications Now Open!
Local musicians are invited to apply. Eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Individual performers must be based in Windsor-Essex.
- Duos must include at least one local artist.
- Groups must be at least 50% local.
- All performance content must be respectful, inclusive, and suitable for an all-ages public audience.
Artists selected to perform will receive an honorarium starting at $300 per two-hour set, with additional compensation available for up to five performers.
Applications are open beginning Friday, June 27, 2025, and will be accepted on an ongoing basis.
Quotes:
“We are Building Windsor’s Future through a continued focus on investment, growth, and sustainability, while working to Strengthen the Core to revitalize the city’s downtown. This new programming series works to leverage the opportunities available because of City Council’s strategic investments in City Hall Square and the broader reimagining of our Civic Esplanade space. Like the Legacy Beacon at the waterfront, this project is about more than infrastructure and a fantastic new ice rink for the community — it's about creating lasting amenities, assets, and public spaces where we can showcase Windsor’s talent, celebrate its stories, and shape its future. Thanks go out to Enbridge for partnering with us to bring this unique vision to life. I look forward to seeing the lineup for Live at The Square and to the spinoff positive impacts this will have on the creative community, economic development, tourism and hospitality, residents, and visitors in Windsor.”
- Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens
“Live at The Square is exactly the kind of initiative that supports all efforts to Strengthen the Core in downtown Windsor, to the benefit of the entire community across Windsor and the surrounding region. This amazing new space will be an iconic part of the landscape of the city’s core and will attract many performances, events, and activations to help revitalize the downtown. Our continuous focus on the core is having positive ripple effects across the entire community, and I thank Mayor Dilkens; City Council; Enbridge; and every partner, sponsor, stakeholder, performer, and attendee who will be part of what we’re creating here at the new City Hall Square. Thank you for sharing a passion for downtown Windsor and for working together to build a vibrant community.”
- Councillor Renaldo Agostino, Ward 3
“Live at The Square is an exciting opportunity to support local talent while activating one of our city’s most important new civic spaces. This series brings music, creativity, and community to the forefront — helping to shape City Hall Square into a vibrant, welcoming destination where shared experiences and local stories come to life.”
- Michael Chantler, Commissioner of Community Services
“We are thrilled to partner with Enbridge through their Fueling Futures program to bring this exciting series to life in downtown Windsor. Live at The Square will provide a platform for local artists while bringing vibrancy, connection, and music to the heart of the city.”
- Michelle Staadegaard, Manager, Culture