REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
LIGHTS ON STRATFORD 2026/27
Main Festival Locations: Market Square & Tom Patterson Island
Interactive Light Art Installations
OVERVIEW
Lights On Stratford (LOS) invites Canadian artists, studios, and creative teams to submit proposals for interactive light-based artworks to be presented as part of the 2026/27 festival.
Selected works will be installed in Market Square and Tom Patterson Island, forming the core of the festival’s public experience. These highly visible locations act as primary gathering spaces and anchor points within the festival trail.
LOS is seeking immersive, interactive, and story-driven installations that encourage shared experiences and invite audiences to actively engage with the work.
ABOUT LIGHTS ON STRATFORD
Lights On Stratford is an annual winter light art festival in Stratford, Ontario. Now entering its 7th season, the festival transforms the city’s downtown core into an interactive, accessible, and engaging nighttime experience.
• 2026/27 Festival Dates: December 18, 2026 – January 10, 2027 (with potential extension to January 17)
• Hours: Thursday–Sunday, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
• Admission: Free and open to the public
Audience
Lights On Stratford attracts a broad and diverse audience, including:
- Local residents and families
- Regional visitors from across Southwestern Ontario
- Cultural tourists and weekend travelers
- Youth and emerging arts audiences
- Intergenerational groups seeking accessible, outdoor winter experiences
The festival emphasizes interactivity, discovery, and repeat visitation, encouraging audiences to explore the city through art.
2026/27 THEME
CANADA: NORTHERN LIGHTS
Celebrating Canadian Art and Artists
While LOS remains an international festival, this season places a dedicated focus on Canadian artists, voices, and perspectives, highlighting the diversity and creativity of artists working across the country.
Proposals are encouraged to respond to themes such as:
- Canadian identity and storytelling
- Winter landscapes and seasonal experience
- Light as a cultural and environmental medium
- Community, gathering, and shared experience
ELIGIBILITY
This call is open to:
- Canadian citizens, or
- Artists and creative teams currently based in Canada
Collaborations are welcome, but the lead artist or majority of the team must meet the above criteria.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Lights On Stratford is committed to equitable, diverse and inclusive programming, and encourages applications from artists of all backgrounds and lived experiences.
We strongly encourage submissions from artists who identify as Indigenous, Black, people of colour, disabled, and/or members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We recognize the importance of diverse perspectives and are committed to creating space for a wide range of Canadian voices within the festival.
PROJECT OPPORTUNITY
This call seeks large-scale, outdoor light-based installations for two primary festival locations:
Market Square
- Central urban gathering space
- High pedestrian traffic
- Surrounded by heritage architecture, retail, and restaurants
- Serves as a key festival hub and event space
Tom Patterson Island
- Natural park environment within the Avon River
- Features pathways, trees, and open landscape
- Offers opportunities for immersive and environmental installations
The following videos provide additional context including previous LOS programming within Market Square and Tom Patterson Island:
ARTISTIC DIRECTION
We are seeking works that:
- Prioritize interactivity and audience participation
- Create a strong sense of shared experience
- Incorporate storytelling or narrative elements
- Engage audiences across multiple levels and heights, from ground plane to overhead
- Encourage movement, discovery, and play
- Are visually compelling both from a distance and up close
Works should be welcoming, accessible, and intuitive for a broad public audience.
SITE CONSIDERATIONS
General
- Outdoor winter conditions, including snow, ice, wind, large temperature fluctuations, and extreme cold
- High public interaction and durability requirements
- Nighttime presentation from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Market Square
- Hardscape urban environment
- Access to power infrastructure, details provided upon request
- Consideration of crowd flow, safety, and accessibility
- Note: water feature with weight restrictions (see Plan)
Tom Patterson Island
- Natural terrain and variable ground conditions
- Tree canopy and environmental sensitivities
- Limited vehicle access; installation planning required
- Footbridge access ONLY
TECHNICAL + PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Lights On Stratford will provide:
- Freight and logistics
- Crewing for installation and deinstallation
- Installation equipment such as lifts
- On-site operational support
Artists are responsible for:
- Design and fabrication of the artwork
- Technical specifications and requirements
- Integration with provided infrastructure
BUDGET
Budget range is $25,000 – $75,000 CAD per project.
Budget may include:
- Artist fees
- Design and fabrication
- Equipment and materials
- Travel and accommodation, if required – to be discussed (we have many accommodation partners etc.)
Lights On Stratford will separately cover freight, crewing, and installation equipment.
TIMELINE
- RFP Issued: April 17, 2026
- Proposal Deadline: May 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT
- Notification of Successful Proponents: June 19, 2026
- Installation Period: December 2026, exact schedule to be confirmed
- Festival Launch: December 18, 2026
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Please include:
- Project description and concept narrative
- Visual materials such as renderings, sketches, or previous work
- Description of interactivity and audience experience
- Technical requirements and site considerations
- Installation plan and timeline
- Budget breakdown
- Team bios and relevant experience
Please send your proposal to Kaileigh Krysztofiak (kaileigh@lightsonstratford.ca) by May 29th, 2026 at 5pm EDT.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
- Artistic merit and alignment with the theme
- Strength of interactivity and audience engagement
- Clarity of storytelling and experiential design
- Feasibility within site and environmental conditions
- Ability to activate space across multiple levels and heights
- Experience and capacity of the proponent
CONTACT
Kaileigh Krysztofiak
General Manager
Lights On Stratford
kaileigh@lightsonstratford.ca
lightsonstratford.ca
