Help shape UBC’s Public Realm with Art!

This fund supports placemaking projects that help animate and activate public outdoor spaces at UBC Vancouver (also known as the Public Realm), creating a more connected, vibrant campus. This may include:

• Temporary outdoor public art pieces in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, woodwork, and murals.
• Performance art activated in public outdoor spaces, including musical acts and live theatre.
• Small-scale placemaking projects that encourage community connection in public outdoor spaces.

Up to $2,500 in funding may be awarded to one project this year, with funding going towards the following items:

• Project supplies, materials, and equipment rentals.
• Funding to safely install and decommission the project.
• Up to $500 honorarium for the student artist.

This fund is meant to support art in the public realm—the collection of outdoor spaces between buildings shared by the UBC community and visitors, including courtyards and pathways. We encourage you to imagine how your project can animate and activate different spaces on campus, particularly those that are currently under utilized.

Here are a few guiding principles when imagining a space for your project:

• Projects must take place in public, outdoor spaces (public realm) at UBC Vancouver.
• Projects may not be affixed to walls or buildings in a way that alters them. However, if you have an idea for a mural or display, we can explore spaces that may be temporarily available. Note that murals or displays may require funding for maintenance, depending on the duration of their installation.
• Projects cannot make permanent changes in the UBC landscape and must include a plan for decommissioning in a sustainable manner upon completion.
• An Outdoor Event Application must be submitted for use of outdoor, public realm space. Additional time will be required if the details in the Outdoor Event Application indicates that a Development Permit is required. Support will be available to complete these regulatory documents. Nominal fees will apply for the Outdoor Event Permit and, if required, the Development Permit.
• Outdoor Event Applications must note that the submission is for the Student Art + Placemaking Fund.
• Any structures being built must be deemed structurally sound and safe via engineering approval.
• Projects may not be installed on Main Mall or access roadways.

You can browse and download maps of the UBC Vancouver campus using the Location Library or the UBC campus map. If you have a project idea but are uncertain about location, please submit it and we’ll explore opportunities or alternatives that may work with campus stakeholders.

We welcome all types of temporary projects for submission—from outdoor concerts, to temporary structures, rain art, and more! We want you to get creative, share your talents, voices, and perspectives and help shape spaces on campus. Projects will be evaluated by a Community Art Committee that includes stakeholders familiar with UBC public realm guidelines, as well as UBC community members.

We encourage all forms of art and expression, however, content that is not aligned with UBC’s values and policies will not be considered. Please note that there are some guidelines around what can be displayed in public spaces on campus, including no violent/graphic images, nudity/sexually explicit materials, etc.

Check out the City of Vancouver Placemaking Grant and the City of North Vancouver Placemaking Program for project examples.

Check back on this page in October 2025 to apply! You can review the application questions in advance to help prepare your submission. Please wait, however, until the application link is live to submit your application online in the fall.

Reach out to info.inpsired@ubc.ca with any questions or feedback about the program.