2026 Canoe Mural Project: Street Art Edition
Wednesday, July 1st at 12pm in River Mill Park / Free Event
Where street art meets paddle culture!
Hull Ya! The 2026 Canoe Mural Project: Street Art Edition brings together artists to transform real canoes into bold, street-art-inspired works influenced by the iconic landscape paintings of Tom Thomson.
Each canoe becomes a three-dimensional canvas, reinterpreting this iconic painter’s work to create truly unique murals that reflect the culture, landscapes, and stories of the local area. During Canada Day festivities in downtown Huntsville, these canoes will be painted live—giving the public a front-row seat to the creative process as the artworks come to life.
The finished works will be exhibited at River Mill Park in downtown Huntsville throughout the summer of 2026, inviting residents and visitors to explore the area while celebrating creativity, local identity, and Canada’s enduring canoe heritage.
SPONSOR
Thank you to our generous sponsor
Algonquin Outfitters
CALL FOR ARTISTS!
The Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HfA) is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Canoe Mural Project: Street Art Edition.
On Canada Day 2026, seven artists will create original murals inspired by the work of Tom Thomson. These murals will be painted live outdoors in Downtown Huntsville’s River Mill Park as part of the Town’s Canada Day celebrations. Each piece will be created on the underside of a canoe, incorporating and reimagining one of Thomson’s iconic paintings.
Following the live painting event, the canoes will be exhibited free to the public in River Mill Park through fall 2026. In 2027, they will be featured in the Algonquin Outfitters Paddle Art Auction, raising thousands of dollars in support of Ontario arts and culture organizations. Through these initiatives, the murals will reach tens of thousands of viewers while contributing to the vitality of the arts community.
HfA invites submissions from Ontario-based artists working in street art, specifically using spray paint. The application deadline is May 22, 2026. As part of the application process, artists will be asked to identify which Tom Thomson painting they wish to interpret. Selected artists will receive a canoe, spray paint, a $1,000 honorarium, and production support. Artists must be available to paint live on-site in Huntsville from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM on July 1, 2026.
