‘So many possibilities’: Brandon grant program accepting pitches for new public art

Artist Nereo Zorro paints a mural at Compass Credit Union in downtown Brandon, Man., in October 2025. The piece touches on the themes of legacy and prosperity—connecting the past with the future and memory with hope. (Weichen Zhang)

Downtown Brandon is set to get a fresh infusion of artistry, colour and connection.

The Brandon Downtown BIZ has put out a call for proposals to create new public art projects that spark connection in the city’s core.

Artists, business owners, or community groups can pitch their ideas to enhance the neighbourhood, be it through murals, sculptures, or other creative projects that add colour, creativity and vibrancy.

According to Brandon Downtown BIZ executive director Emmy Sanderson, the projects are being funded through a city grant program aimed at combating graffiti and beautifying public spaces. The city approved budgetary funding for the program and tasked the BIZ with facilitating it.

“We assembled an advisory committee of local artists to review all the grants that come in, and we did our first intake last August and another one in November,” Sanderson told CTV News.

Fifteen applications came in and six were approved. Sanderson said two were completed last year before the cold forced the artists to hang up their paintbrushes for the winter.

Beyond the finished products, which turned formerly blank, unassuming walls into works of art, Sanderson said the new public murals helped folks connect and engage.

“When the artist was working, people would come watch, and there’d be conversation,” she said.

“So it’s not just about that finished art. It’s about the whole process that creates conversation and dialogue and community and positivity.”

Proposed pieces are encouraged to focus on fun, lighthearted themes with the potential to be meaningful and thought-provoking.

Still, Sanderson said applicants can be as creative as possible, using anything from lighting to vegetation. The pieces can be permanent or temporary.

“There’s just so many possibilities,” she said.

Proposals are being accepted until May 30. Details can be found on the BIZ’s website.