Public Art Master Plan 2026 - 2036

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City of Hamilton's Public Art Master Plan (PAMP) serves as our roadmap for shaping Hamilton's unique character and transforming its public spaces through art. This long-term strategy aims to:

  • Enhance public spaces;
  • Celebrate the unique and diverse identity of our communities;
  • Promote local culture and storytelling;
  • Establish standards and guidelines to support and strengthen access to public art; and;
  • Support local artists and arts communities.

How we can define public art
Publicly commissioned art is artwork created by artists, or in collaboration with artists, through a public process and existing in a publicly accessible City of Hamilton owned or managed location. It can exist in the form of murals, functional pieces, temporary or permanent installations, integrated into community design, or take other forms..

Where we've been
Hamilton's current PAMP was established in 2016 and has achieved a great deal in shaping the city's cultural landscape. Benefits of our current PAMP include:

  • Added 11 new permanent public art pieces, guided by a new policy for artist selection;
  • Built a transparent public art process involving over 10,000 community members;
  • Supported local economy by supporting artists, engineers, fabricators, and consultants;
  • Enhanced gathering spaces, promoting safety and community connection;
  • Strengthened neighborhood identity and celebrated local stories; and;
  • Improved streetscape with functional and artistic elements.

Where we're going
To help shape the future of public art, it's time to renew our Public Art Master Plan for 2026-2036. As Hamilton continues to grow and the landscape of public art evolves, the City is re-imagining its Public Art Master Plan. This renewal of focus will reflect the shifting social, cultural, and artistic worldviews that are significant in shaping our community through public art.

We invite residents to join the conversation in shaping the future directions for public art across our city.

NEW for round 2 of the PAMP survey: Submit your Stories & Ideas

By responding to one or both of the Ideas or stories tools you will be entered for a chance to win a $250 gift card to a Hamilton movie theatre of your choice or CF Limeridge Mall (2 chances to win!). Review the Official Contest Rules

  • To submit your story and / or idea, you will be required to provide a screen name and valid email address.
  • You are not required to use your legal name for your submission, however your email address is required and will be used to contact you should you be selected in one of the gift card draws.
  • Once your story / idea is submitted, it will be published with only your selected screen name. Others will be able to like or comment on your story. Your email will not be published.

City of Hamilton's Public Art Master Plan (PAMP) serves as our roadmap for shaping Hamilton's unique character and transforming its public spaces through art. This long-term strategy aims to:

  • Enhance public spaces;
  • Celebrate the unique and diverse identity of our communities;
  • Promote local culture and storytelling;
  • Establish standards and guidelines to support and strengthen access to public art; and;
  • Support local artists and arts communities.

How we can define public art
Publicly commissioned art is artwork created by artists, or in collaboration with artists, through a public process and existing in a publicly accessible City of Hamilton owned or managed location. It can exist in the form of murals, functional pieces, temporary or permanent installations, integrated into community design, or take other forms..

Where we've been
Hamilton's current PAMP was established in 2016 and has achieved a great deal in shaping the city's cultural landscape. Benefits of our current PAMP include:

  • Added 11 new permanent public art pieces, guided by a new policy for artist selection;
  • Built a transparent public art process involving over 10,000 community members;
  • Supported local economy by supporting artists, engineers, fabricators, and consultants;
  • Enhanced gathering spaces, promoting safety and community connection;
  • Strengthened neighborhood identity and celebrated local stories; and;
  • Improved streetscape with functional and artistic elements.

Where we're going
To help shape the future of public art, it's time to renew our Public Art Master Plan for 2026-2036. As Hamilton continues to grow and the landscape of public art evolves, the City is re-imagining its Public Art Master Plan. This renewal of focus will reflect the shifting social, cultural, and artistic worldviews that are significant in shaping our community through public art.

We invite residents to join the conversation in shaping the future directions for public art across our city.

NEW for round 2 of the PAMP survey: Submit your Stories & Ideas

By responding to one or both of the Ideas or stories tools you will be entered for a chance to win a $250 gift card to a Hamilton movie theatre of your choice or CF Limeridge Mall (2 chances to win!). Review the Official Contest Rules

  • To submit your story and / or idea, you will be required to provide a screen name and valid email address.
  • You are not required to use your legal name for your submission, however your email address is required and will be used to contact you should you be selected in one of the gift card draws.
  • Once your story / idea is submitted, it will be published with only your selected screen name. Others will be able to like or comment on your story. Your email will not be published.

Share your public art stories

Is there a particular public art piece or experience (here in Hamilton or elsewhere) that holds significance to you that you would like to share?  What did it mean to you?

Submission story examples (2)

"When in Chicago I saw “the bean” (Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor).  It was a great communal experience – my family enjoyed seeing themselves reflected in the public square, and everyone around us were also pointing each other out and moving around together trying to find their reflections in the crowd.  There were lots of accidental interactions that wouldn’t have happened if the public art wasn’t there."

"When I was in elementary school an artist came to our class and had us describe animals from our imagination which they painted on ceramic tiles to make into a fantasy zoo mural.  The mural was installed on a building beside our school and every day I looked for my animal at recess. It felt really comforting to see my animal, especially when I was having a bad day."

Notice of Collection
The City of Hamilton collects information under the authority of Section 227 of the Municipal Act, 2001. Any personal information collected for the Public Art Master Plan Consultation will be used to inform The Public Art Master Plan 2025 to 2035. Information collected for this initiative will be stored on servers located in Canada and will be subject to Canadian laws.

Questions about the collection of this personal information can be directed to the Cultural Projects Specialist, Tourism and Culture Division, Planning and Economic Development Department, 28 James Street North, 2nd Floor Hamilton, ON L8R 1A1. 905-546-2424 ext.7612.

Thank you for sharing your story with us.

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  • Share Interactive art/sculpture on Facebook Share Interactive art/sculpture on Twitter Share Interactive art/sculpture on Linkedin Email Interactive art/sculpture link

    Interactive art/sculpture

    by Laurie Bee, 20 days ago

    This life-size sculpture of Oscar Peterson is located outside the National Arts Centre in Ottawa ON. His piano recordings are played 24/7, and can only be heard within say...4 metres of the sculpture. It attracts passersby as does the invitation to sit beside the figure on the bench. I passed it daily for a year and often saw people sitting beside him for a moment. Like the comment about public art in Chicago, the sculpture garden there is full of art to interact with.

  • Share Fixing architecture in hamilton with the help of artists on Facebook Share Fixing architecture in hamilton with the help of artists on Twitter Share Fixing architecture in hamilton with the help of artists on Linkedin Email Fixing architecture in hamilton with the help of artists link

    Fixing architecture in hamilton with the help of artists

    by Bingus goop, 26 days ago

    When I was little I always loved going downtown to see the unique buildings and parks, but over the years they have been ruined by wear and tear. Instead of fixing them the city has decided to just replace them with new buildings. Letting artists help with restoring old buildings and turning some abandoned places to art galleries and such to make them more engaging

  • Share Integrate Art Throughout the City on Facebook Share Integrate Art Throughout the City on Twitter Share Integrate Art Throughout the City on Linkedin Email Integrate Art Throughout the City link

    Integrate Art Throughout the City

    by BeepBoop, 27 days ago
    When I lived in Reykjavik, I was struck by the integration of art into public spaces. There, you found large graffiti pieces that were skillfully done and said something about the city, years before we similar pieces in Hamilton. Another thing I would like us to follow suit on are the sculptures. The sculptures there are not just stodgy, colonial works of art, but capture the feeling of the city with the lines of their minimalist architecture reflected in the sculptures. There is a clear dialogue between the art and the architecture. And they were everywhere, not just in overly... Continue reading
  • Share Grow Art on Facebook Share Grow Art on Twitter Share Grow Art on Linkedin Email Grow Art link

    Grow Art

    by AutomaticJane, 28 days ago

    I am someone who constantly has to come up against the bitterness of reality and while trying to grow the ability to dream.

    It is important to foster the energy of dreaming and art can do that. It’s a very powerful force in some of the grittiest situations in all of life, whether that grit be internally, economically, politically or environmentally, within our families, within our communities, art is incredibly important, to provide a space where hope can grow.

    It allows those who don’t have the means to see outside of their own world, and allows them to see color... Continue reading

  • Share Cute Buses on Facebook Share Cute Buses on Twitter Share Cute Buses on Linkedin Email Cute Buses link

    Cute Buses

    by Xan_artistry, about 1 month ago
    Similar to what the city has done with the putting local artists art on the electrical boxes, and some of the giant murals around the city, I think it would be really cool to incorporate local artists art into the buses. What comes to mind is the ads at the back of the bus, maybe having a few of those available for artists (free of charge) to showcase their work. And then, maybe those spots can be for x amount of time and then other artists get put In there. That way the buses get these beautiful designs and art... Continue reading
  • Share The Art of Community on Facebook Share The Art of Community on Twitter Share The Art of Community on Linkedin Email The Art of Community link

    The Art of Community

    by SmileyFace, about 1 month ago

    Times have changed, and creating genuine connections and community is harder than ever—despite all our technology. That’s why I think that Hamilton’s public arts planning should focus on community engagement: bringing people together through accessible, creative activities year-round.

    Instead of solely investing in physical installations, why not prioritize experiences that foster connection, joy, and kindness? Interactive art, shared creative moments, and hands-on participation can transform public spaces into gathering places, where art becomes a bridge between neighbors, not just something to observe.

    In a time when our society feels more disconnected, let’s use art to unite, inspire, and remind each... Continue reading

  • Share Hamilton's own Quilt of Belonging - created by Seniors in our Community on Facebook Share Hamilton's own Quilt of Belonging - created by Seniors in our Community on Twitter Share Hamilton's own Quilt of Belonging - created by Seniors in our Community on Linkedin Email Hamilton's own Quilt of Belonging - created by Seniors in our Community link

    Hamilton's own Quilt of Belonging - created by Seniors in our Community

    by amyb, about 1 month ago
    In 2017 we visited the Cotton Factory to view Canada's Quilt of Belonging for the 150th Birthday celebration. It was an amazing piece of living art, crafted by people from across the country, telling their story about Canada, their roots, and belonging.

    I am fortunate to teach at Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre, and they have a group of quilters who are very talented, and there are many such groups around the city, including a Quilters Guild. I think it would an amazing project to have these Seniors create Quilt Blocks illustrating their connection to Hamilton. The quilt could travel around... Continue reading

  • Share The toilet installation that vexed me to no end on Facebook Share The toilet installation that vexed me to no end on Twitter Share The toilet installation that vexed me to no end on Linkedin Email The toilet installation that vexed me to no end link

    The toilet installation that vexed me to no end

    by Tinakins, about 1 month ago

    A few summers ago the City of Hamilton had some art installations off the Bayfront Trail in the water at Princess Point that were just terrible, the absolute antitheses of the environment they were supposed to be viewed in, made with shitty materials, poorly constructed, etc. One of the installations was two toilets on a platform. Toilets, man. Another of the installations was a geodesic polyhedron-ish dome that was so shabby and ugly that I would ride by feeling all pleasant on my bike and the moment I saw the thing it would fill me with rage. I refer to... Continue reading

  • Share I always end up here on Facebook Share I always end up here on Twitter Share I always end up here on Linkedin Email I always end up here link

    I always end up here

    by sr, about 1 month ago

    Going eastbound on Main, before getting downtown, there’s a mural of a robot, resting outside with the words, “In all my endless treks across the universe, I always return here”
    I see this mural when I’m on the bus. Public transit can be a lonely space, despite being around so many people, but this mural makes me feel connected to those around me. There is something vulnerable about it.
    Too often, we forget we are all vulnerable. This feeling of invulnerability feeds our individualism. This mural seems to be acknowledging the robot’s vulnerability to a place it calls home- it... Continue reading

  • Share Art in Motion: Lessons from Bilbao on Facebook Share Art in Motion: Lessons from Bilbao on Twitter Share Art in Motion: Lessons from Bilbao on Linkedin Email Art in Motion: Lessons from Bilbao link

    Art in Motion: Lessons from Bilbao

    by rwakulat, about 1 month ago

    Immediately upon arriving by train in Bilbao, Spain about 15 years ago, I was struck by how public art seemed to weave itself into the very fabric of the city. It was more than a tourist visit; it felt like an artistic experience with murals, sculptures, and creative urban design framing our stroll from the station to the Guggenheim Museum. Far from being isolated to a single landmark, art was part of the everyday landscape, shaping public spaces in ways both grand and subtle.

    Bilbao’s transformation from an industrial city into a cultural hub is well-documented, but what stood out... Continue reading

Page last updated: 28 Mar 2025, 11:59 PM