The City of Prince Albert is inviting Indigenous visual artists to submit original designs for a new transit shelter art initiative aimed at celebrating Indigenous culture, strengthening community pride and creating more welcoming public spaces across the Saskatchewan city.
The 2026 Call for Indigenous Art for Transit Shelter Art Designs will see three artworks selected during the first phase of the project. The initiative is being led by the City’s Arts & Culture Division in partnership with the Community Development Department and is aligned with Prince Albert’s Municipal Cultural Action Plan.
Transit Shelter Art to Celebrate Indigenous Culture and Community
The project is intended to highlight the identity, culture and creativity of Indigenous peoples in Prince Albert while incorporating public art into infrastructure used by residents every day.
By placing Indigenous artwork on transit shelters, the City hopes to improve the experience for transit users while adding bright and meaningful visual elements to public spaces. Officials say the initiative is also designed to foster a stronger sense of belonging and community pride.
Public art programs have increasingly become part of municipal efforts to improve streetscapes and strengthen connections between infrastructure, culture and local identity. In Prince Albert, the transit shelter initiative will provide Indigenous artists with an opportunity to have their work displayed prominently within the community.
“We’re looking for designs that reflect Indigenous culture and pride and continue to beautify our city,” says Judy MacLeod Campbell, Arts & Culture Manager. “The transit shelters have been the target of vandalism over the last several years, and our belief is that adding art—grounded in Indigenous culture and history—will create a welcoming and positive environment that contributes to reconciliation, pride, and community belonging.”
Three Indigenous Art Designs to Be Selected
Three designs will be chosen during the current phase of the program, representing two different approaches to incorporating artwork into transit shelters.
Metal Designs and Vinyl Wrap Planned for Shelters
Two of the selected artworks will be developed as metal designs for shelter backs, while a third will be used for a vinyl wrap on a shelter back.
Each artist whose artwork is selected will receive a $1,000 honorarium, providing direct compensation for the creative work chosen for the municipal project.
The City has also indicated that the initial three selections may not be the end of the initiative. Additional artworks could be selected during future phases, potentially expanding the presence of Indigenous-designed public art throughout Prince Albert’s transit network.
The approach gives the municipality an opportunity to evaluate the first installations while leaving room for the program to grow over time.
Public Art Initiative Supports Prince Albert Cultural Plan
The transit shelter project forms part of Prince Albert’s broader cultural development efforts under its Municipal Cultural Action Plan. Through the initiative, municipal infrastructure will serve not only a transportation function but also as a platform for local artistic and cultural expression.
For Indigenous artists, the call provides an opportunity to create artwork that will be visible to residents, transit passengers and visitors in everyday public settings. The designs are expected to reflect Indigenous culture, history and community identity while helping transform transit shelters into recognizable pieces of public art.
The initiative also responds to concerns surrounding vandalism at transit shelters in recent years. Rather than viewing the shelters solely as functional structures, the City is seeking to create spaces that residents can identify with and take pride in.
Prince Albert Looks to Build Pride Through Indigenous Public Art
With three designs planned for the first phase and the possibility of further selections, the 2026 program could establish a foundation for additional Indigenous artwork across Prince Albert’s public transportation infrastructure.
The project combines municipal infrastructure improvements with cultural representation and paid opportunities for Indigenous visual artists. By incorporating artwork into transit shelters, Prince Albert is seeking to make everyday public spaces more welcoming while recognizing Indigenous culture and creativity as an important part of the community’s identity.
The selected designs will ultimately bring Indigenous artistic expression into highly visible locations across the city, supporting the municipality’s broader goals of reconciliation, cultural recognition and community belonging.