10 Years of Gritty to Pretty
“Every spring, since 2015, we’ve put a call out for ‘artists that want to leave their mark on Downtown Halifax,’ and every year, we get to see the most beautiful public art ideas,” says Kimberly Dossett, DHBC’s Director of Finance & Operations (and Founder of the program.)
“I remember our first year we had 8 applicants, and last spring we had 27 applicants. It grows every year, which is a wonderful thing.”
DHBC has worked with over 50 artists and invested upwards of $500,000 into beautifying Downtown Halifax through Gritty to Pretty. This year, they have handpicked locations and added themes, all in the hope of receiving the best applications to date.
“We wanted this year to be extra special because it is a milestone, so we put more time into securing locations ahead of time,” says DHBC’s Placemaking Manager Jonathan Goldson. “This way our artists can conceptualize how they would use that medium (picnic table, wall, park etc.) before even sending us their application.”
DHBC has partnered with different organizations to designate the following canvases/locations:
Raymond Taavel Park, Port of Halifax, I Heart Bikes, NSCAD University, CIBC Building, and 5 DHBC Picnic Tables.
*you can read detailed descriptions on each opportunity below.
The application deadline is Sunday, June 15, 2025, 11:59 p.m. and artists are encouraged to submit for multiple projects as long as they fall within the five grant streams: (1) Open Grant, (2) Mural Grant, (3) Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) Open Grant, (4) BIPOC Mural Grant, and (5) Façade Lighting Grant.
APPLY NOW!
For more information on each pre-selected mural opportunity click below:
And then when you're ready to apply, pick your stream and use the forms below:
The application deadline is Sunday, June 15, 2025, 11:59 p.m. and artists are encouraged to submit for multiple projects as long as they fall within the five grant streams above.
If you have any questions, please contact Jonathan Goldson, DHBC's Placemaking Manager, jonathan@downtownhalifax.ca or 902-423-5668.
To view more Gritty to Pretty projects from the past years, see below or take our Self-Guided Art Tour.
2024 Gritty to Pretty Projects
Location: Bus shelter at the corner of Barrington St. and Spring Garden Rd.
Location: Pavilion 22
Location: Bearly's House of the Blues on Granville St.
Location: Lower Water St. - along the railing by the benches in front of the Salter Lot, across from the Brewery Market.
2023 Gritty to Pretty Projects
2022 Gritty to Pretty Projects
