Open

Submission deadline

Two people walk on a sidewalk beside a waterway. They are looking toward a tower made from compacted waste for recycling – bottles, fabric, cardboard, and other materials.

Monument (Sundial) by Adam Basanta in Willow River (Victoria) Park. Photo by Iqra Majeed.

 

CAFKA – Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener + Area is seeking submissions for our next biennial exhibition of contemporary art in public spaces during June + July 2027. 

CAFKA is an art gallery without an art gallery. We are a non-profit artist-run centre staffed by a small team of artists + arts administrators working within a unique + challenging exhibition model. We partner with various sites across the public + private sectors to present an exhibition of temporary contemporary art once every two years in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. 

CAFKA invites proposals from artists who are seeking an opportunity to bring their artwork out of the gallery and into common spaces. We are open to artists working across disciplines and originating from local, national, and international communities. The CAFKA.27 program will include artists selected from this open call as well as invited artists.

 

CAFKA.27

Tapestry hanging on a grey painted brick wall. The tapestry resembles chainlink fence – silver-grey, orange, and yellow ribbons are woven, into striped panels. Ribbons cross-over in a diamond shape. Hot pink ribbons hang from the bottom of the piece like tassels.

Fence Piece by Brandon Hoax at the Willow River Centre. Photo by Iqra Majeed.

 

The CAFKA Programming Committee + CAFKA.27 Jury will assess proposals + portfolios and consider artists' experience + potential to develop work for exhibition in public spaces. 

The curatorial theme of CAFKA.27 will be established after jurying by identifying common threads between successful proposals and the Waterloo Region community. 

Please refer to the CAFKA.25 biennial webpage for examples of recent biennial installations, performance art, video, and exhibition locations. 

Selected artists will be paid CARFAC 2027 solo exhibition fees and will receive curatorial, logistic, and administrative support for their project, working closely with the CAFKA Programming Committee and staff to develop + realize their work. 

We welcome submissions from artists of all identity backgrounds and a variety of professional experiences. Should you require accommodation at any time throughout the submission process, please contact Julie Hall at [email protected]

 

Our Community

A group of community members of all different ages sitting and standing together while watching a performance.

Gathering on Gaukel Block for a performance of Syrus Marcus Ware’s BLACK BUNKER during CAFKA.25. Photo by Iqra Majeed.

 

The Waterloo Region is located around O:se Kenhionhata:tie (Willow River, colonially known as the Grand River). This land – its wetlands, forests, farms, and urban dwellings – is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishnaabe and Attawandaron (Neutral) People. We live, work, create, and collaborate here with the joy and responsibility of being in relationship, respecting treaties, and resisting ongoing colonial violence.

The region as a whole is home to over 700,000 people, who speak more than 120 languages, and to countless other plant and animal lifeforms. We live together in three cities—Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge—and four townships—North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich. Each place within our region has a distinct character and an interwoven story.

 

Application Package

Three people making music with a blue atlas cedar tree in a round room. From the ceiling, a sculpture hangs in the shape of the wooden skeleton of a house.

Sonification of a blue atlas cedar tree under Jacob Irish’s Aloft at Kitchener City Hall. Featuring Jacob Irish, Nathan Stretch, Mason Smyth, and Gerard Yun. 

 

CAFKA biennials take place in June and July in public spaces throughout the Waterloo Region including outdoor and high-traffic locations. 

Please develop proposals considering: 

  • public intervention (i.e. unsupervised touch and potential for vandalism)
  • outdoor environmental conditions such as wind, rain, and intense sun

In a single PDF document, please include the following in your application package: 

  • short bio (150 words)
  • artist statement (250 words)
  • CV with contact information, website, and social media links
  • project proposal or portfolio proposal (500 words)
    • project proposal: visual + conceptual description of proposed project, including potential exhibition sites, relevance to the community in Waterloo Region, technical + labour requirements for installation + maintenance (i.e. skilled labour, equipment, volunteers, etc), and proposed budget
    • portfolio proposal: visual + conceptual description of previous relevant work that you would contribute to the CAFKA.27 biennial, with a brief description of projects’ technical requirements and approximate budgets
  • up to 10 images or links to video/audio work (totalling up to 10 minutes in length)

Note: Applications missing any of the above elements will still be reviewed, but complete applications have the strongest chance of being fully understood and championed. 

Please email your submission as a single PDF to [email protected] with the subject line “[Your Name] CAFKA.27 Submission” no later than November 30, 2025. 

Successful applicants will be notified in January 2026. 

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