Commissioned
Artwork for
2026 Freewill
Shakespeare
Festival
The Free Will Players Theatre Guild was formed in 1989 by a group of actors in a truly co-operative spirit with the mandate to produce the works of William Shakespeare. The company runs the Freewill Shakespeare Festival, which has grown into a professional theatre festival with an annual audience of thousands. We stage outdoor productions every summer.
ETHNOCULTURAL MANDATE
The Freewill Players is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and to building an organization that reflects the community we serve. We encourage applications from members of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities; Two-Spirit, non-binary, trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer people; disabled people; youth; and members of other equity seeking groups.
ARTISTIC VISION & THEME
Artistic Director, David Horak, has expressed a strong interest in artwork that visually represents
Hawrelak Park and/or the Heritage Amphitheatre, celebrating our long-anticipated return to the
site following a three-year absence due to the park’s renewal.
While the park and/or amphitheatre should be a clear visual focus of the work, artists are
encouraged to explore broader themes of renewal, gathering, homecoming, and the relationship
between performance, place, and community. Interpretations may be literal or abstract, provided
the setting remains recognizable and central to the composition.
Free Will Players welcomes proposals in a wide range of traditional and contemporary visual art
mediums. Please note that photography and digital art will not be considered for this call.
ELIGIBILITY
This opportunity is open to artists based in the Edmonton area. We welcome submissions from
emerging and established artists, and encourage applications from artists who reflect the
diversity of our community, including Indigenous artists, artists of colour, artists with disabilities,
and artists from equity-seeking communities, in keeping with the spirit of community call outs
supported by the Edmonton Arts Council.
USAGE & RIGHTS
The commissioned artwork will:
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Be used as the primary visual identity for the 2026 festival season across print and digital
-
marketing
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Appear on the cover of the official festival program
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Be reproduced on select festival merchandise (such as posters, apparel, or other
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promotional items)
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Be auctioned as an original artwork during the festival (with artist credit clearly
-
acknowledged)
The artist will retain copyright of the work and grant Free Will Players a non-exclusive licence to
reproduce and adapt the image for promotional, marketing, fundraising, merchandise, and
archival purposes related specifically to the 2026 Freewill Shakespeare Festival season.
The commission fee includes all reproduction rights for festival merchandise; no additional
royalties will be paid for merchandise sales.
Artist credit will be provided on all major marketing materials and merchandise where space and
format allow.
The commissioned artwork will be provided to Free Will Players for auction during the festival,
with proceeds supporting the organization’s fundraising efforts.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Interested artists are invited to submit:
● A brief proposal or artist statement outlining their concept
● Examples of previous work (portfolio images or links)
● A short bio or CV
Commission Details
● Commission fee: $2,000, payable upon delivery of the completed artwork
● Submission deadline: January 31, 2026
● Artwork completion deadline: March 15, 2026
HOW TO APPLY
Please email proposals to auditions@freewillshakespeare.com with the subject line
Commissioned Artwork Proposal – Freewill Shakespeare Festival.