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A variety of independent art spaces, art galleries and public art installations are found in Oshawa. If you are interested in experiencing visual art exhibitions and programs, the City of Oshawa, its partner institutions and grassroots groups all enrich our community through art.
Public Art Task Force
The City of Oshawa is pleased to announce the City's first Public Art Task Force. The Public Art Task Force will help support the Public Art Policy and support the City's Recreation & Culture Services staff on activities including assisting with the development of a city-wide Public Art Strategy, advising on new public art projects and priorities, reviewing public art donations and making recommendations on juried public art competitions.
The Public Art Task Force is comprised of representatives from stakeholder organizations and groups and individual community members who were selected following a public call for applications.
The members of the Public Art Task Force members are:
Dani Crosby - Individual Member
Aleks Nikolic
- representing Oshawa Art Association
Linda Jansma - representing The Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Will McGuirk - representing the Cultural Leadership Council
On March 9, 2015, the City of Oshawa approved its first Public Art Policy! Developed from feedback from the community via a survey and written in collaboration with stakeholders, this policy will provide Oshawa City Council, City staff and the community with a clear and consistent framework for decision-making and a process for the administration, selection and maintenance of public art in public spaces in Oshawa.
Durham College and City of Oshawa Mural Collaboration
Theme of New Mural
Photo Gallery: Civic Square Mural 2018 will appear here on the public site.
The theme of the new mural is human rights and coincides with the development of the City of Oshawa's first Diversity and Inclusion Plan. The collaborative focus of this project prioritizes public input, providing the community the opportunity to guide the design process via a survey, which was available until mid January 2018.
Feedback received online and in-person acted as inspiration for the student's concepts, which was reviewed and selected by the City's new Public Art Task Force. The student's individual concepts came together in the final mural to artistically portray concepts, views, experiences and hopes for human rights.
Past Projects
This is the second time that the City and Durham College's School of Media, Art and Design Community Collaboration course are joining forces to change the face of downtown Oshawa. The current/ original mural will be removed and relocated to another City location in 2018. The community mural project will be an on-going partnership between the City and Durham College and will see a new mural installed every other year. It is the goal of the partnership to involve students in community consultation, provide hands on experience working with the City on creative placemaking and public art projects.
Background
The design and installation of the mural follows the City's Public Art Policy, and connects to the Culture Counts: Oshawa's Arts, Culture and Heritage Plan key strategy of "creating vibrant places and spaces". As part of the Civic Square revitalization, the mural will become a focal point of the space's landscape.
Thank you for your interest. There are no Call for Artist(s) at this time.
Public Art Galleries and Spaces
Art and Culture in the Hall
Art and Culture in the Hall is an exciting collaborative space that features artists, organizations and projects that highlight local history, art and culture. Located at City Hall, the exhibition space is changed 2-3 times per year and is free to visit.
Art @ The ARC is an exhibition program dedicated to displaying emerging artists, arts educators and student artwork. Recognizing the unique role of the Arts Resource Centre within the City of Oshawa, the artwork displayed reflects the goals of the building: delivering arts education, honing artistic and creative skills, and celebrating local talent.
The space is located in the hallways of the Arts Resource Centre and rotates throughout the year displaying artworks and projects.
Gallery 67
Gallery 67 is the Oshawa Art Association's first Pop-Up Gallery space. The name of the gallery was serendipitous although some would say it was "meant to be." The Oshawa Art Association began in 1967 and is celebrating 50 years of service to our community this year. In addition, The Holiday Inn Express and Suites is located at 67 Simcoe Street North in Oshawa!
Visit the Oshawa Art Association for information on current exhibitions, gallery hours and much more.
Living Room Community Arts Studio
The Living Room Community Arts Studio is an all ages, accessible and inclusive art-making, skills and dialogue studio. The community exhibition space features local artists and is free to visit.
The Robert McLaughlin Gallery is the largest gallery in Durham Region with over 4,000 artworks in its collection. The collection contains modern and contemporary Canadian art, as well holds the historic Thomas Bouckley Collection and the largest collection of art by the group, Painters Eleven.
The RMG acknowledges with thanks the ongoing support of the City of Oshawa, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Aked Endowment.
Walking around downtown Oshawa, visitors and residents can discover artworks attached to buildings, enjoy free-standing sculptures and view a range of murals.
The 88 Keys Project
The 88 Keys Project was an initiative of Culture Counts: Oshawa's Arts, Culture and Heritage Plan, which includes a strategic direction to "create vibrant places and spaces."
Three local artists were chosen to transform piano's into works of art. These pianos are located at Northview Community Centre, South Oshawa Community Centre and here at Civic Square.
Marnie Packman is an artist in Durham Region that heavily focuses on combining visual arts with musical themes. In addition to music as a subject matter, Marnie has been repurposing obsolete technologies that are read in alternative contexts, no longer reflecting their original function.
Monique Ra Brent is an artist, teacher and mother from Durham Region. Born in California and raised in Toronto, Monique has been painting, drawing and teaching since childhood. In addition to her current creative and commissioned art projects, Monique is also a Paint Nite instructor.
An extension of the visual arts program at R.S. McLaughlin C.V.I., U.A.S.C. Graffiti School is a collective of high school students and mentors from the Oshawa area that are continuously seeking opportunities to impact the community through street and urban art. Youth involved in the program range in age from 11-19.
Canada 150 Durham College Collaboration
A new art collaboration inspired by Canada 150 and the multitude of community partner milestone anniversaries in 2017 is now temporarily on display on the windows of the Arts Resource Centre located adjacent to Oshawa City Hall.
Designed by Durham College's 2016/2017 School of Media, Art and Design's Community Collaboration students, the artwork visually captures the contributions of community organizations - who are celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2017 - to Oshawa.
Each student was assigned an organization or a time-period for an organization to artistically capture the milestone. The art initiative also artistically illustrates the Canada 150 milestone - 1867 to 1917.
The project follows the recently completed community mural project located on the retaining wall outside City Hall in Civic Square. The mural was designed and created by the 2015/2016 Community Collaboration class.
Photo Gallery: ARC Durham College will appear here on the public site.
Mural in front of Civic Square: A Collaboration with Durham College
In the Fall of 2015, the City of Oshawa Recreation and Culture Services branch began a collaboration with Durham College Faculty of Media, Art and Design's Community Collaboration Course to create a mural for the front of Civic Square at City Hall. The public art project was the first collaboration of this kind for both the Faculty and branch. Together, Recreation and Culture Services staff worked with Durham College Faculty to embed the project into the class curriculum. All steps including community engagement, design development, design selection, creation and installation were a collaborative process between students, Faculty, City staff and residents of Oshawa. The project was a successful opportunity for academic and City process to work together to fulfill a public art project for their shared community.
Group Portrait1957 by Douglas Coupland
Location: Facade of Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery Address: 72 Queen Street
About the artwork:
Collection of the Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Group Portrait 1957 was commissioned by the RMG from artist Douglas Coupland in 2010. Inspired by the buildings minimalist architecture designed by Arthur Erickson, the sculpture is a visual reference of form and colour that honours the gallery's extensive collection of works by Painters Eleven. The RMG has the largest collection of work by this group of Canadian abstract expressionist painters who were active between 1954 to 1960.
Location: Outside City Hall - Park at south end of building
Address: 50 Centre Street South
About the artwork:
Collection of the Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Upstart II is a 25' tall aluminium sculpture created by Clement Meadmore in 1987 and installed at City Hall in 2012. Meadmore's work combines elements of abstract expressionism and minimalism to produce this large-scale and dramatic work of pure geometric form.
Location: Inside City Hall - First Floor, Main Lobby Address: 50 Centre Street South
About the artwork:
Installed in 2011, Oshawa Rising is a sculpture made of reflective stainless steel. Its intent is to reflect the movement, light and shapes of people who walk by - representing a symbol of Oshawa's past, present and future.
River Tree/Bench by Reinhard Reitzenstein
Location: Rear of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery Address: 72 Queen Street
Collection of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Commissioned by the Jury Committee of the RMG
About the artwork:
The sculpture consists of a 24' bronze Ironwood tree lying on its side, its position due, perhaps to high winds, or the ravage of time. River/Tree's curved "spine" - the juncture from the roots has protrusions reminiscent of a backbone - and delicate root system, speak to a sublime beauty in nature that can only be truly appreciated through sympathetic understanding of what has been lost. River Tree/Bench was selected by the Jury Committee of the RMG and was commissioned. The sculpture is installed at the rear of the building by the Oshawa creek.
Location: Rear of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery Address: 72 Queen Street
Collection of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery
About the artwork:
Crown is a welded steel sculpture by Saskatchewan artist Douglas Bentham. The sculpture was first loaned to the gallery in the late 1970s and later donated in 1986. Crown is a controversial piece and has raised many discussions about the practice and creation of art. One of Canada's most prominent sculptors, Bentham's work can be found in public and private collections in Canada and the United States. With over 40 solo exhibitions and over 100 group exhibitions in public and commercial galleries, his work has gained national and international recognition.
Location: Rear of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery Address: Tribute Communities Centre
Collection of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Commissioned by the RMG and purchased with the financial support of the RMG Acquisition Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance Program.
About the artwork:
Reverb is installed adjacent to the Tribute Communities Centre, Durham Region's premier sports and recreation facility, and the venue of the boxing and weightlifting events at the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games.
The sculpture is impactful, standing at 19' high. The curved form implies a megaphone, an amphitheatre and stage, a net or goal, as Reverb reflects the activities that occur in the Tribute Communities Centre. The "blurb" shapes on the structure represent the fans and are positioned like a rake of seats. A microphone positioned above centre ice inside the Tribute Communities Centre will transmit a signal to the lights within the steel structure, transforming the sound into coloured beams of light around the sculpture that will be triggered every time the crowd inside cheers.
Reverbis full of meaning and references. The laser cut stainless steel references industrial production and the facets align Oshawa's history as a port city and as an industrial capital.
Mushrooms by St. Stephen's Catholic Secondary School
Location: Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens
Address: 155 Arena St, Oshawa, ON L1J 4E8
About the artwork:
These steel mushroom sculptures were donated by St. Stephen's Catholic Secondary School, Bowmanville, to the City of Oshawa. Between 2014 - 2015, the students of the Manufacturing class designed and fabricated the sculptures. The school has also donated sculptures to locations such as The Toronto Zoo, Harris Steel (Windsor), Gerdau Steel, Whitby, and the Town of Essex.
Graces by Mary Ann Barkhouse
Location: Front lawn of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery Address: 72 Queen Street
About the artwork:
Collection of The Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Commissioned in 2007, Grace by Mary Ann Barkhouse is a modern interpretation of the Three Graces by Antonio Canova, representing 3 beavers as the goddesses of Beauty, Mirth and Good Cheer resting on a slab of Canadian Shield granite. Working with animal imagery in a variety of mediums, Barkhouse is best known for her examination of Indigenous culture and environmental sustainability.
Located throughout the City of Oshawa on both City-owned and public facilities are over 15 murals that highlight the history, culture and significant milestones of the community. If you would like more information on the murals and their locations, contact Culture Counts.
On the Lake (The Argyle)
Address: 35 King Street East
About the artwork:
Commissioned in 1995 and painted by Ross Beard, The Argyle was a steam ship that docked at Sydenham Harbour (now Oshawa Harbour) in the early 1900s. Oshawa sported the deepest port in Southern Ontario Horseshoe. On the right of the mural is the Argyle, the cargo ship and passenger ship that went from Oshawa to Toronto for .75 cents or a return fare of $1.00 dollar. Travelling the Great Lakes, the Argyle was also the link to New York State across Lake Ontario. To the left of the mural, on the shore of the Syndem Harbour, is the Wilson House. The Wilson's were the very first family to officially settle in Oshawa. The Robinson house is painted next to the pier.
Oshawa 1935
Address: 23 King Street West
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1995. The mural was created by father and son team Dan & Peter Sawatzky. This mural depicts Oshawa's Four Corners on Kingston Road (now King St. & Simcoe St) as it would have appeared in 1935. It exhibits the manually operated traffic sign, used and operated by Officer Ed Stauffer as he directed traffic during busy times. Down in the heart of Oshawa on the main street were train tracks for the Oshawa Carriage Works, which remained until 1962.
Full Steam Ahead
Address: 64 Simcoe Street South
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1995. The mural was created by Gus Froese. Full Steam Ahead is a collage celebrating the history of Oshawa and the Oshawa Carriage Works. Located at the back of the mural is Parkwood and how it stands today. Also painted in the mural is one of Oshawa Carriage works cars, a 1924 McLaughlin Buick. On the extreme right is an original depiction of the Queen's Hotel. Established in 1874 boasted state of the art technology with ensuite bathrooms, running water, and electricity. Painted in the centre is the Oshawa Carriage Works with their employees out front. Back behind the Oshawa Carriage Works is Oshawa's Newspaper at the time. "The Oshawa Daily Reformer" later to become the "Oshawa Times". On the far left of the mural is a depiction of the Oshawa Harbour and Barnhart's Pavilion, the local dance hall, where the youth went to socialize and dance.
Oshawa's Development (Historical Industry and Development)
Address: GO Bus Station, Bond Street
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1996. The mural was created by Robin Burgesse. This mural portrays Oshawa's development with the slogan "Building on a Strong Foundation". Listed at the top are early companies from Oshawa's past. The panels below depict scenes from three influential companies - Warren Mills, Williams Piano Factory, and the McLaughlin Carriage Company. Many local faces are also featured.
General Motors of Canada
Address: GO Bus Station, Bond Street
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1996. The mural was created by John Hood. The first panel illustrates members of the McLaughlin Family, founders of the McLaughlin Carriage Company and McLaughlin Motor Car Company, the forerunner of General Motors of Canada. The second panel shows GM's car symbols: Buick, Saturn, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac. The diversity of the work force is illustrated on the third panel through the use of gender, race and age. Through the instillation of technology, car designs change as shown on the fourth panel. The Crash Test Dummies found at the GM South Plant are painted on to the fifth panel. The loon found on the sixth panel is seen at either the GM Canada Headquarters, at the McLaughlin Bay, or the 2nd Marsh project. The inspiration for the next portion of the mural came from an actual letter and enclosed photograph. It shows three generations: a grandmother, a mother, and a granddaughter, standing proudly in front of their new "Sunfires." They wrote GM expressing how pleased they were with their new cars. In the final panel painted are two examples of the cars produced in Oshawa: the Buick Century and the GMC Pick-up.
Winfields Farms
Address: McLaughlin Band Shell Memorial Park
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1996. The mural was created by David Yeatman. Winfield Farms was the home of champion racehorse Northern Dancer. Both the 1964 Kentucky Derby and Queen's Plate winner, Northern Dancer is pictured after his historic Kentucky Derby win with jockey Bill Hartack and EP Taylor, owner of Winfields Farm. Winfields Farm became one of the most renowned thoroughbred stables in North America.
Ontario Regiment - 130 Years of Service
Address: McLaughlin Band Shell Memorial Park
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1996. The mural was created by John Hood. This mural commemorates the 130 year history of Oshawa's own Ontario Regiment and its involvement in the nation's conflicts and UN peacekeeping mission. All of the medals depicted at the bottom of the mural are accurate representations of Canadian Military decorations.
Driving Force
Address: 15 Celina Street
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1996. The mural was created by Rudolf Stussi. The evolution of Oshawa's automobile industry is depicted in this mural. In 1899, the McLaughlin Carriage Factory was destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt within a year. The McLaughlin Motor Car Company, founded in 1907, began producing automobiles and, in 1918, became General Motors of Canada. The mural illustrates the role of General Motors during the Second World War in the manufacture of combat vehicles. The far right of the mural depicts the later technological advancements in automobile production.
Borsberry Music Hall
Address: 31 Celina Street
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1997. The mural was created by Brian Romagnoli. This mural depicts Borsberry Music Hall, a 700 seat theatre that was located on the north side of King Street, just east of Simcoe Street, in the early 20th century. It played host to a number of dramatic and musical productions. The inside of the Borsberry Music Hall is portrayed as a montage on the mural. Pictured outside the Music Hall is a McLaughlin Buick from 1924. The artist decided to give the mural a little life and incorporated the doorway to the apartments above into the mural painting it blue and yellow.
Recreation by the Lake
Address: 72-74 Celina Street
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1997. The mural was created by Brian Tony Johnson. The Lake Ontario Waterfront is pictured in this mural. It was a favourite gathering place for the Oshawa middle class. Streetcars running north and south along Simcoe Street were a popular means of getting to the waterfront. Barnhart's Pavilion (pictured in the background) was famous throughout Oshawa and beyond for its Friday night dances. Also pictured is "The Ocean Wave", a merry-go-round and prominent fixture at the lake.
Victorian Order of Nurses - 100th Anniversary
Address: Centre Street North and Bond Street West (West wall of GO Bus Terminal)
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1997. The mural was created by Robin Burgesse. The Victorian Order of Nurses Mural depicts the 100-year history of the VON. It was commissioned by the VON Durham branch. The VON was founded by Lady Isabel Aberdeen, the wife of the Governor Genera, on the request of the National Council of Women as Canada's "memorial" for Queen Victoria's 1897 Diamond Jubilee.
Famous Oshawa Generals
Address: 76 King Street West
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1997. The mural was created by Paul Ygartua. The Oshawa Generals Major Junior Hockey franchise was established for the 1937-38 season and immediately became a hockey powerhouse by winning seven consecutive Ontario championships through to 1944. The team has won five additional Ontario titles since then and has been the Memorial Cup champion four times, in 1939, 1940, 1944, and 1990. Featured are well-known Oshawa Generals stars of the past, including Billy Taylor, Bobby Orr, Terry O'Reilly and Eric Lindros.
Kingston Road Stage Coach
Address: Carriageway - Simcoe Street South (North Wall)
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1998. The mural was created BJR Hunter, Matt Whelan, Melissa Verge, and Nicol Janecko who were local students of O'Neill Collegiate and Vocational Institute and Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School. This mural depicts the first stage coach line that operated on Kingston Road (Highway 2) between Fort Frontenac (Kingston) and Fork York (Toronto), 1817 to 1855. The Last stop before Fort York was at Oshawa House on the northeast corner of King and Centre Street.
Oshawa's 75th Anniversary
Address: 121 Simcoe Street South
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 2000. The mural was created by Tony Johnson. Incorporated as a City in 1924, Oshawa celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1999. This mural is a collage of important people and places in Oshawa's history including: Donald Jackson, world famous figure skater; Lloyd Chadburn, WWII war hero; Honourable Colonel Michael Starr, former Oshawa Mayor and Federal Labour minister; Robert Attersley, former Oshawa Generals hockey player; and Colonel R. S. and George McLaughlin, co-founders of General Motors of Canada, who, along with their wives, Adelaide and Annie, were patrons of Camp Samac, Memorial Park, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, and the Canadian Automotive Museum.
Camp X
Address: 100 Simcoe Street South (South wall of OPUC Building).
About the artwork:
Commissioned by the City of Oshawa in 1999. The mural was created by Tony Johnson. On December 6, 1941, Camp X - Special Training School 103 officially opened on the shores of Lake Ontario. Under the auspices of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's Special Operations Executive and his Canadian Chief of Security, Sir William Stephenson, five hundred secret agent graduates were schooled in a gruelling ten to twelve week curriculum that included hand-to-hand combat, interrogation techniques, psychological warfare, explosives training, as well as espionage, sabotage, and survival skills behind enemy lines. Hydra, the immensely powerful short wave radio installation at Camp X, numbered among its key operators, William "Bill" Hardcastle. Ian Fleming, author and creator of "James Bond", was also trained here.
Olympic Torch Relay
Address: 100 Simcoe Street South (South wall of OPUC Building).
About the artwork:
This painting was created at the GM Centre as a part of the Olympic Torch Ceremony on December 16, 2009. It depicts a female torchbearer running with the Olympic Torch.
Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Live Mural Experience
Address: Civic Recreation Complex, Main Lobby
About the artwork:
Painted by David Arrigo in 2013. These three paintings were presented to the City of Oshawa in celebration of the two year countdown to the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. The first is a one of a kind work that represents the event hosted by Oshawa (boxing), as well as elements of the city's identity and culture. The second painting depicts the Pan Am/Parapan Am Torch Relay, and the third depicts the lighting of the Pan Am/Parapan Am Cauldron.
exciting collaborative space that features artists, organizations and projects that highlight local history, art and culture. Located at City Hall, the exhibition space is changed 2-3 times per year and is free to visit.
Studio is an all ages, accessible and inclusive art-making, skills and dialogue studio. The community exhibition space features local artists and is free to visit. 
on both City-owned and public facilities are over 15 murals that highlight the history, culture and significant milestones of the community. If you would like more information on the murals and their locations,