Snow Sculpture Competition - Professional Artists - Information & Application

Introduction

The City of Thunder Bay is hosting its annual SnowDay on the Waterfront event at Prince Arthur's Landing - Marina Park on Family Day - Monday, February 17, 2025. SnowDay on the Waterfront encourages visitors to embrace winter while participating in fun outdoor activities such as ice skating, ice fishing, snowshoeing and outdoor games. The event's main attraction showcases unique snow sculpture creations. 

Invitation to Artists

This competition is open to professional artists, and professional artist-led teams. Teams local to Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario are strongly encouraged to apply. 

• Medium Block Teams - maximum 4 team members 
• Large Block Teams - maximum 5 team members

Theme

SnowDay on the Waterfront will not require artists to adhere to a theme. Proposals must keep within the spirit of the event as fun and family friendly while considering the typical design restrictions required to maintain public safety. 

Project Specifications 

Artists may propose up to a maximum of three (3) concepts for selection. The submission should indicate whether additional carving time may be required. 

Teams in this category will have the choice of the following block size:

• Medium block - 8'H x 8'D x 8'W
• Large block - 8'H x 8'D x 12'W

Teams in the large block category can request up to two large blocks grouped together to make a larger or multi-part sculpture (height may not be increased). The City of Thunder Bay reserves the right to determine the total number of blocks available. 

Concept artwork must not:

• Include any openings or climbable elements
• Incorporate materials other than snow (ex. paint, wood, stone, etc.)
• Pose a hazard in terms of position/orientation, materials used, or circulation of the site
• Exceed 10' in height
• Require team members to position themselves unsafely while carving

Competitors are not required to include a lighting element(s) that will illuminate their completed sculpture. Effective use of lighting element(s) will be taken into consideration by the jury. Consider temporary battery or solar light options. All lighting fixtures are the artist’s responsibility. All sculptures will be in the Festival Area of Prince Arthur's Landing - Marina Park. The specific location of your sculpture will be assigned by City staff. 

Sculptures will be available for viewing for approximately 2 weeks following the event. However, if sculptures pose a safety concern due to weather or other factors after installation, the City reserves the right to remove the sculpture before that time. 

Carving Timeline

Carving for all teams takes place from Wednesday, February 12 to Saturday, February 16, 2025. Teams who wish to carve after dark are responsible to provide their own lighting and must indicate this on their own application. 

Tools are the sole responsibility of teams and must be removed from the park between active carving sessions. The use of power tools of any kind is strictly prohibited. Teams must also specify their anticipated carving schedule on the application. Requests for additional carving time will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and must be made at the time of application.

Carving may only take place during the following times (unless requested in application):

• Wednesday, February 12               9:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Thursday, February 13                   9:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Friday, February 14                         9:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Saturday, February 15                    9:00 am – 5:00 pm
  
  

Please also note that regular hours for City staff are 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Outside of those hours you will have an on-call contact to assist with urgent matters/inquiries. Snow removal from around sculptures during carving will occur daily at 5:00 pm, weather permitting.

Sculptures must be complete, and all equipment removed from the park by Saturday, February 15 at 5:00 pm to allow for final snow removal. The jury will be reviewing the sculptures on Sunday, February 16, 2025. 

Safety
Before carving takes place, all selected teams will be required to sign a Photo Release as well as an Indemnity and Release of Liability Waiver and must send a team representative to attend an orientation/site safety meeting. The meeting date will be communicated by City staff and is a mandatory requirement. Teams without a representative in attendance will be disqualified from participation.

Honorariums, Meal Tickets and Accommodations
Selected teams will receive an honorarium per sculpture.

Each team member will be provided a daily meal ticket for days that the team is actively carving on-site (from Wednesday, February 12 to Saturday, February 15, 2025) in the form of $25 Waterfront District BIA bucks. Carvers who do not sign in to carve on a given day will not be eligible for a meal ticket on that day.

Accommodations may be provided for teams from outside the District of Thunder Bay and is based on double-occupancy. The number of accommodations is limited and will be assigned on a first-come first-serve basis to eligible teams. 

The City of Thunder Bay is not responsible for any additional costs incurred by the teams in providing a submission, travelling to the site, insurance, or creating sculptures.

Award

SNOW SCULPTURE JURY PRIZE - $1000 cash prize (awarded by a jury)

SNOW SCULPTURE JURY HONORABLE MENTION PRIZE - $250 cash prize (awarded by a jury)

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD - $500 cash prize (awarded by votes from the public)

Sculptures that are deemed complete and eligible will be reviewed by a jury of qualified people, including members of the City of Thunder Bay's Public Art Committee, City administration, and sponsor representatives. Judging will take place Sunday, February 16, 2025. 

One team will be selected by the jury to be the recipient of the $1,000 cash prize. In addition, one team will receive the honourable mention prize of $250. Winners of the Jury Prize and Jury Honourable Mention will be notified first by phone, then announced on the City of Thunder Bay’s Culture and Events social media channels by Wednesday, February 28, 2024.

The People's Choice Award prize is a $500 cash prize. This will be awarded to one team based on public votes submitted by physical ballot and online voting (via the City of Thunder Bay’s Get Involved web page).  Three voting stations with physical ballots in Marina Park will be available on Sunday February 16, 2025, and Monday, February 17, 2025. One voting station with physical ballots will remain open at the Water Garden Pavilion until both online and physical polling closes on Monday, February 24, 2025 @ 4:00 pm EST. The winner for the People’s Choice Award will be notified first by phone, then announced on the City of Thunder Bay’s Culture and Events social media channels by Wednesday, February 26, 2025.