Botanical Garden

2026 Call for Artists

Outdoor Art Exhibit at the Memorial University Botanical Garden, STUMPED

Memorial University Botanical Garden invites proposals from artists interested in contributing to the Botanical Garden’s bi-annual outdoor art exhibit. Titled “Stumped,” this year’s exhibit will kick off a Story Forest at the Botanical Garden. Up to fifteen tree stumps will be provided as canvases. Completed art pieces will be on display along the trails of our boreal forest within the Garden from July 11 to September 30.

About the Exhibit:

Reclaimed from the forest floor, the Garden will supply up to fifteen stumps through a public call for artists. Each selected artist will be supplied with a stump and an honorarium. Stumps will be installed along the walking trails through our boreal forest.

Artists are asked to consider weather implications in their design as their stump will need to endure a Newfoundland summer season. Media used will need to withstand normal weather conditions for July to September or be treated with protection from the elements.  A sealant may be used. Note that the stumps may be touched or sat on.

A label celebrating the work of art, the artist’s name, and statement will accompany each work.

Theme:
Our boral forest holds untold stories full of magic, science, and adventure. Stumped will guide Botanical Garden guests though a Story Forest, where they will happen upon portals to the world of stories, transforming ordinary trail into magical literary waypoints, blending outdoor learning, imagination, and the restorative calm of the forest.

Your stump will represent your favourite story(s), whether from literature or your own adventures, that include a blend of nature and the flora of our province. Expressing your vision and interpretation will encourage viewers to envision and experience nature in a novel way.

Art pieces may be impressionistic, realistic, abstract, etc. Textile, mixed media, paint – all This is your story and vision of the world of plants and the artistic inspiration found in nature.

Locations:
Nestled in the boreal forest, up to 15 stumps will be placed along our trails as part of the Story Forest adventure. These exact locations are still to be determined. Do you have a favourite spot along the trails you would like to place a stump? Let us know in your submission.

Who is Eligible?
The call for proposals is open to all artists, amateur and professional. Submissions from a team of artists are also welcome. One submission per individual or team may be entered.

We strive to make our space accessible, and this includes the submission process. We encourage anyone to enter our open call. Should you require any additional information or accommodations to facilitate your submission email us at garden@mun.ca or call us at 709-864-8590, no later than May 1.

Each selected artist or team will be paid an artist fee of $583, based on CARFAC-RAAV, Category II Organization Group Exhibit for 3 months or less.

 

Selection Criteria:
Up to fifteen submissions will be selected by a jury on the basis of:

• The creative response to the 2026 theme;
• The originality, coherence, and clarity of the concept and creative approach;
• Connection of the art to the flora of Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Concept will be durable in an outdoor setting for 3 months.

 

Logistics:

Stumps will be delivered to and picked up from the selected artists in the metro region by Botanical Garden staff. Arrangements for artists outside the metro St. John’s area will be made separately. The artist may choose to offer their work for sale. Post-exhibition, unsold works will be returned to the artist. 

 

How to Apply:

Submission deadline is May 11, 2026.

Submission must include:

1. Name of applicant/team and contact information
2. Short bio (150 words or less)
3. 2-5 images in .jpg format presenting a visual representation of intent: can be of actual creation, a sketch, or drawing.
4. Short statement of intent, connecting your proposed project to the theme of the exhibit.
5. Location preference for your creation (pondside, or forest walking trail), if applicable

Submissions will be accepted in person at MUN Botanical Garden during regular business hours or via email at garden@mun.ca.

Important Dates:

Call for Artists issued: March 31, 2026
Submission Deadline: May 11, 2026
Stumps Awarded: May 20, 2026
Installation: July 1 – July 10, 2026
Exhibit Opening: July 11, 2026
Exhibit Close: September 30, 2026

 

About the MUN Botanical Garden

Created in 1971 and opened to the public in 1977, we are the provincial botanical garden, a place to wander, play and be inspired.

Vision

Embracing Memorial University's special obligation to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, we will connect people and plants by igniting curiosity and a sense of wonder.

 

Mission

A University Garden:

Our passion and motivation is cultivating dynamic research, teaching and learning, and public engagement, making us an indispensable resource for the University.

A Botanical Garden:

Our hallmark will be excellence in horticulture, plant conservation, and environmental sustainability.

A Community Space:

We are the keepers and champions of the Province's flora, protecting and sharing this knowledge in a beautiful space where learning is fun, where plants are exciting, where everyone wants to visit.

 

Land Acknowledgement

We respectfully acknowledge the territory in which we gather as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk, and the island of Newfoundland/Ktaqmkuk as the ancestral homelands of the Mi’kmaq and Beothuk. We would also like to recognize the Inuit of Nunatsiavut and NunatuKavut and the Innu of Nitassinan, and their ancestors, as the original people of Labrador. We strive for respectful relationships with all the peoples of this province as we search for collective healing and true reconciliation and honour this beautiful land together.