Calls

Cultural dancers perform at Windsor's 125th Birthday Celebration in May 2017

City of Windsor arts, culture and heritage opportunities

From time to time, the City of Windsor - through the Cultural Affairs Office - offers arts, culture and heritage opportunities in the form of public art calls, project funding, and opportunities to participate in the local creative community.

Current Calls include:

Arts, Culture & Heritage Fund (ACHF) Grant Program

The City of Windsor's Arts, Culture & Heritage Fund (ACHF) invests in the soul of our city by providing financial assistance to locally-developed arts, culture and heritage projects that provide exciting, surprising and meaningful opportunities to strengthen our creative community. This funding initiative supports the City of Windsor's priority to build a strong and stable creative community that contributes to a prosperous creative economy and to making Windsor an amazing place to live. Visit www.ACHFWindsor.ca for current deadlines; program guidelines; objectives and key priorities; eligibility requirements; consultation requirements; applications; current deadlines; final reports; past recipients and more. ACHF funding is administered through two funding rounds per year.

  • 2024 Round 1: Closed. Applications were accepted from January 15 to February 9, 2024.
  • 2024 Round 2: Closed. Applications were accepted from June 24 to July 19, 2024.
Please note: The Application link will be live only once an application window has opened. When you select the ACHF Application link during application rounds, you will be redirected to the MyWindsor Portal and required to create a local account or use an existing Google account to proceed with your application.

Pelissier Street Parking Garage Murals Project

The City of Windsor is inviting Windsor artists to participate in creating two new public art installations in the Pelissier Street Parking Garage in downtown Windsor. The City is seeking to commission one or more artists, or artist-led teams, specializing in mural design and painting, to create two permanent new murals that will be integrated into the main level interior space of the Pelissier Street parking garage. The commissioned artist(s) will be expected to complete the murals by May of 2025. 

The murals must focus on one or more of the themes identified in the Public Call to Artists – Pelissier Street Parking Garage Murals Project, which is open to artists residing within the city of Windsor, Ontario. The works must be completed using exterior primer and paint formulated for use on concrete or masonry and must include an anti-graffiti clear coat upon completion.

The new main level murals are intended to help beautify the parking garage that is frequently used by residents and visitors attending events, including Windsor Symphony Orchestra concerts and the Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) at the nearby City-owned historic Capitol Theatre. The projects will also complement existing creative works and installations in the adjacent Art Alley, which was created in partnership between the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association, the City, and artists. That space includes graffiti murals, Indigenous art, lampshade art, light installations, and sculptures, and forms the backdrop for ongoing downtown events, including the Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market. These works of art will brighten up the parking infrastructure, create a new point of interest in the core, and connect to the already-established collection of community public art on display throughout downtown Windsor, including within Art Alley and the nearby WIFF Alley.

This initiative also ties into the City’s Strengthen the Core: Downtown Windsor Revitalization Plan (STC), which launched in April to address safety, security, and cleanliness downtown while implementing measures and supporting activations to encourage new residents, businesses, and investments in the city’s core. Included in STC’s seven initial action items are Action Item 4 – Place-Making, which seeks to encourage people and businesses to move downtown by investing in infrastructure and initiatives; and Action item 5 – Vibrant District, which creates vibrancy by attracting and engaging residents and visitors with unique amenities, gathering spaces, and engagement opportunities. The ongoing revitalization of the Pelissier Street Parking Garage strongly aligns with both action items and the overall plan.

Public Art - Ford City Mural Survey

The Culture team is in the process of finding a new home for some public art murals in Ford City – specifically at this time, "Shift Change" by artist Steven Johnson. The piece examines the auto industry's incredible success that created a boomtown climate on Drouillard Road. In its heyday, the neighbourhood bore daily witness to thousands of workers spilling from the gates that connected it to Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. This mural's depiction of workers exiting the Whelpton gate was inspired by a photo taken in the 1950s by local photographer Fred Lazurek. The mural was recently removed from its former home on Whelpton Street in Windsor to make way for exciting renovations to the building where it previously hung. It is currently in storage awaiting a new home. We appreciate you taking the time to participate in this Ford City Mural public consultation survey to help determine where it might go as a new home.

Become a Pathway to Potential Broker: Offer Program Participants a 90% Discount to Increase Accessibility in Arts, Culture and Healthy Living

Through the City of Windsor's Pathway to Potential (P2P) Program, you have an opportunity to offer your program participants a 90% discount on their experience with you.

  • Eligibility: Program eligibility is based on an annual income.
  • Funding: Funding is limited and based on a first come first serve basis.
  • Pay 10%: The registrant is responsible to pay 10% of the program cost at the time of registration.

Interested?: If you are interested in finding out if your arts, culture and healthy living programs can be a part of the City's P2P Family, and for additional information on P2P Sports, Arts, and Culture Brokerage Programs, please visit www.pathwaytopotential.ca, call 519-255-2489, or contact as at p2p@citywindsor.ca by email.

Pathway to Potential is funded by the City of Windsor and the County of Essex.

Street Space - Painted Crosswalks

Street Space is paving the way for painted crosswalks to be installed in various Windsor neighbourhoods to showcase, promote, and share creative work. Opportunities within Street Space include increased community involvement; enhancement of the cultural experience for residents and visitors; and celebration of Windsor's arts, culture, and heritage. Helping you tell your story of Windsor.

Windsor Culture Map - Community Stories

Link to Culture Map program information.

As part of the Windsor Culture Map, we invite individuals, groups and organizations to submit Community Stories that help create Windsor's unique sense of place. City of Windsor Culture staff review the information submitted for accuracy and content prior to publication. Submissions require the following: 250 to 300 words (in English, but also in the writer's native tongue, if possible); 4 photographs (high quality, high resolution, copyright-free); and captions for each of the photographs. Submissions must be sent to culturalaffairs@citywindsor.ca with the subject line: "Community Stories Submission". Submissions are accepted year-round.

Our Space Program

Link to Our Space program information.

Individuals, organizations, artists, performers, and cultural activities are encouraged to create an activity, event, performance or showcase within the Windsor Sculpture Park. The Cultural Affairs team will work with you to enhance our civic spaces, engage audiences and promote an appreciation for arts, culture and heritage in the City of Windsor. This program will enhance and transform our Windsor Sculpture Park through partnership projects that celebrate and explore identity, and develop community connections and sense of place through organizing creative opportunities. Proposals must be for an interactive activity and can feature two or three-dimensional work or digital media, such as video projects. They may offer participatory experiences or include performance components. All proposals will be considered by the Cultural Affairs team and selected based on the criteria stated in the proposal form. Connect, develop, and display with your friends, family and neighbourhoods in the Windsor Sculpture Park.

2023 Windsor Centenarians

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is calling all 2023 Windsor Centenarians! Our Centenarians are part of a generation that helped define our community and are living links to the rich and varied history of our city. To help capture and share their stories, our Mayor is asking residents to step forward if you or a loved one is celebrating the milestone of 100 years or greater in 2022. You have stories to tell. Please get in touch with the Mayor's office at mayoro@citywindsor.ca. Mayor Dilkens is looking forward to the opportunity to visit with some of these incredible people throughout this year to thank them for being part of Windsor’s Story.

Stay tuned for future arts, culture and heritage opportunities.

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