Squamish Public Library Coast Salish Art Commission

The Squamish Public Library is inviting Skwxwu7mesh Uxwumixw (Squamish Nation) artists to submit proposals for a permanent interior art installation. According to the library's press release, the commissioned artwork, planned to be installed in the fall of 2026, will be 'prominently displayed, offering meaningful and visible acknowledgement' of the Nation's culture and land.

The call is part of a provincial enhancement project for various B.C. libraries, launched after the COVID-19 pandemic, for which the Squamish library has received a grant. Director of library services Hilary Bloom said that this call for artists is one of several ways the province's grant is being used, and that the enhancement project is focused on the overall community while strengthening Indigenous relations.

The library's work to do the latter intentionally reflects the statement on the library's homepage, which acknowledges that the library sits on the unceded ancestral lands of the Squamish Nation. The commission follows earlier Coast Salish art commissions at the library, including window wall art by Siobhan Joseph commissioned in 2021, and is intended to further a long-term relationship with Squamish Nation artists.

Eligible applicants are Skwxwu7mesh Uxwumixw (Squamish Nation) artists ready to create a permanent interior artwork responsive to the themes of reconciliation, accessibility, and community. Proposals should demonstrate a clear concept, technical feasibility, and alignment with the library's mission to honour the Nation's culture and land.

This opportunity is especially well-suited to Squamish Nation artists with experience in Coast Salish visual traditions and the capacity to produce a permanent commissioned artwork installed in a prominent public interior.