Looking for support in making the case to attend? Download our 1-Pager here. Check back regularly as more information on programming becomes available through the spring.
The Creative City Summit continues in St. John’s, Newfoundland from October 3–5, 2023.
An itinerary of timely culture sector topics will be presented through expert speakers, peer presentations, facilitated discussions, networking, and local culture offerings from the City of St. John’s and regional partners. Tickets on sale this spring!
YOU ARE HERE
At the Intersections of Creativity, Culture, and Place
Finding our place in the world is a complex undertaking. But in St. John’s we will explore how cultural planning, creative industry investment, and honouring the place you are in, appreciating and activating all it has to offer, builds a foundation for vibrant and livable communities.

Check back as more information is added regularly!
“[Waterloo was] my fifth Summit and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them. It is great to see that there is definitely a constant quality of overall content and coordination through the years. I always get inspired.”
– 2022 Delegate,
Waterloo Creative City Summit
INFORMATION
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April 1, 2023
Registration opens for all with special Early Bird rates available to CCNC members through the Members NewsJune 10, 2023
Regular registration rates, Virtual Delegate Passes, Artist and Student Passes, and Day Passes available for allFees
CCNC Member Rates
Member Early Bird — $725.00
Regular Member — $825.00
Member Virtual Pass — $190.00
Find the code for special Member rates in the Members News e-newsletter or login to the Members Portal and check the CCNC Bulletin on the Discussion ForumsPublic Rates
Regular — $900.00
Virtual Delegate Pass — $265.00
Become a CCNC member to access Member ratesOther
Youth / Student / Artist — $370.00
Presenters* — $600.00
One Day Rate — $480.00*Peer-to-Peer (P2P) presenters will receive access to this special rate upon confirmation of their accepted submission.
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Delta Hotels St. John’s will be this Summit’s primary hotel. It is connected to the St. John’s Convention Centre by walkway.
120 New Gower Street St. John’s, Canada A1C 6K4
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We respectfully acknowledge the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador, of which the City of St. John’s is the capital city, as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk. Today, these lands are home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We also acknowledge, with respect, the diverse histories and cultures of the Mi’kmaq, the Innu, the Inuit, and the Southern Inuit of this Province.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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Email [email protected] for more information.
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Exhibitors will be featured in the Whova app Exhibitors Hall. Leading up to and throughout the Summit, delegates can stop by your booth for valuable interaction, whether they attend in person or online. Whova makes connecting with Creative City Summit attendees fun and interactive.
Registration for 2023 virtual exhibitor booths will be available
May 1, 2023.

Program
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Content is still being planned. Check back as the 2023 Summit program evolves.
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©David Howells 2018
www.davehowellsphoto.comZita Cobb is an eighth-generation Fogo Islander, Founder and CEO of the registered charity Shorefast, and Innkeeper of the award-winning Fogo Island Inn. Zita graduated high school on Fogo Island before studying business in Ottawa. Following a subsequent successful career in high-tech, Zita returned to Fogo Island and established Shorefast to put another leg on the Island’s struggling economy to complement its ever-important fishery. With an enduring commitment to Fogo Island, Shorefast is expanding its mission through its pan-Canadian Community Economies initiative to strengthen place-based economic development within the global economy.
Zita has been a Member of the Order of Canada since 2016 and was a 2020 inductee to Canada’s Business Hall of Fame. She holds honorary doctorates from McGill University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, the University of Ottawa, and Carleton University. She volunteers her full time and energy for Shorefast’s charitable initiatives and community businesses.Established as a registered charity in 2004, Shorefast was created to build economic and cultural resilience on Fogo Island, Newfoundland – a region previously devastated by the decline of the cod fishery. With an enduring commitment to Fogo Island, Shorefast is expanding its work for greater reach by sharing new models of place-based economic development with other communities, big and small. Read More
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Wednesday October 4
People and Place
A conversation about communities that have been built around cultural identities and shared histories, the acknowledgment of histories through place, and exercising inclusive placemaking.
Thursday October 5
Events as Placemakers
A conversation around how events become a part of a place’s identity and how the place in question supports or impacts its flagship event.
Speaker information coming soon!
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Over three days of programming, onsite delegates will choose one P2P each day from a selection of 12 total sessions. Virtual Delegates will receive the daily designated virtual session via Whova.
Oct 3
Strengthening Cultural Engagement: Local to National Perspectives
Shannon Bowler, Culture Days National moderates a panel of municipal planners featuring:
Lisa Washington, Town of Yorkton, SK
Caroline Ivey, City of Kelowna, BC
Carly Anderson, City of St. Catharine’s, ONThe Roadmap of Public Art, North of Latitude 56
Victoria Butler, City of Fort St. John, BC
Collin Zipp, STEPS Public ArtIncluding the Community in Toronto’s Public Art Commissions: Recent Lessons
Katriina Campitelli, City of Toronto, ON
Community Development through Different Mediums: A Walk through the City of Thunder Bay’s Cultural Development 2020–2023
Louisa Costanzo, City of Thunder Bay, ON
Karen Basi, City of Coquitlam, BCOCT 4
Ādisōke Public Art and Engagement, Ottawa
Dawn Saunders Dahl, Curator and Artist
Julie Dupont, Public Art ConsultantAccessible Public Spaces
Chelsea Carss, Evergreen
What’s Here and What Could Be Here: Mississauga’s Public Art Collection Equity Audit
Rachel Pennington, City of Mississauga, ON
Museums for Mapping: Positioning Museums as Safe Community Hubs for Cultural Mapping and Planning
Patricia Huntsman, Cultural Planner
Barbara Berger, City of Kamloops, BC
Julia Cyr, Kamloops Museums and ArchivesInspired Art Impact and Shaping Space: A Hands-On Workshop to Measure the Impact of Public Art Initiatives and Create Culturally Responsive Public Spaces
Sophie Mitjavile, STEPS Public Art
Bridget MacIntosh, STEPS Public ArtOCT 5
From Asphalt to Activities: How Municipal Strategy Supports the Development of Unique Event Sites
Marcello Castronuovo, City of Calgary, AB
Saying Yes: Funding Artist and Creative Projects in Hamilton
Andrea Carvalho, City of Hamilton, ON
Making Mistakes, but Not the Ones We Thought
Sonya Poweska, City of Waterloo, ON
Alejandro Romero, City of Saskatoon, SKExplore Art NL: Newfoundland’s Public Art App
Amy Henderson, Business and Arts Newfoundland
Canada’s Parliamentary Precinct: Local, National and International
Jillian Savage, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Rosie-Anne Thibodeau, Public Services and Procurement Canada -
Expanding on the popular Roundtables, delegates will get these conversations on their feet.
Participants will be presented with a question or problem to be tackled and set to work to talk it out with small groups and one-on-one. Bring your own perspective and experience to a challenge and learn how others across the country see it differently.
Choose one discussion room on October 3 and another on October 4 in the following categories:
- Public Art and Placemaking
- Municipal Events and Festivals
- Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility; Truth and Reconciliation
- Research and Data
Discussions will be facilitated by corresponding committees, Public Art Network Council, Canadian Municipal Event Alliance, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access committee, and the Culture Statistics Strategy working group. Details to be announced.
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Delegates will choose one tour to attend on October 3 and one tour to attend on October 4. RSVP’ing through the Whova app is required to attend any tour.
October 3rd Options
- Quidi Vidi Village
- First Light Friendship Centre
- Public Art Walking Tour
- Living Heritage on Water Street
- Eastern Edge Artist Run Centre
October 4th Options
- National Historic Sites: Signal Hill and Cape Spear
- Public Art Walking Tour
- Living Heritage on Water Street
- The Rooms: Provincial Archives, Art Gallery, and Museum
Details are available above on the Agenda tab.
Registration for each tour will be required via the Whova event app. Delegates must download the app and select RSVP to their desired tours on each day. Spaces are limited and available on a first come, first served basis, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible. Please note that RSVP lists will be used to arrange transportation and allow tour hosts to properly prepare for your experience. For this reason, we ask you to register early and to select tours you intend to attend.
Planned and presented by the City of St. John’s as Host Municipality.
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The Awards of Excellence presentation will take place on Thursday, October 5, 2023
Read about eligibility and criteria for the Awards of Excellence.
Cultural Planning Award
The Cultural Planning Award recognizes a Canadian municipality that has developed, adopted, and implemented an excellent Culture Plan with a process that demonstrates outstanding visionary leadership and best practices in cultural planning or a Canadian municipality that has reviewed, revitalized and implemented a previously adopted Culture Plan.
Public Art Sustainability Award
The Public Art Sustainability Award recognizes a Canadian municipality that demonstrated visionary leadership by supporting an excellent program and process that led to a successful public art project or program.
Specifically, any temporary Public Art Project or permanent Public Art Projects valued up to $75,000.00.
Public Art Legacy Award
The Public Art Legacy Award recognizes a Canadian municipality that demonstrated visionary leadership by supporting an excellent program and process that led to a successful public art project or program.
Specifically, permanent Public Art Projects valued over $75,000.00.
Cultural Events Award
The Cultural Events Award recognizes a Canadian municipality that demonstrated visionary leadership by initiating, creating, and producing an exceptional cultural event or by empowering and supporting a community initiative that led to an exceptional cultural event. Cultural events can include celebrations, festivals, exhibitions, performances, and programs.
I.D.E.A. Award
The I.D.E.A. Award recognizes significant contributions by an individual, organization, or municipality working in the cultural sector that exemplifies the principles of I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) through cultural programs and initiatives including reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and communities.
Cultural Leadership Award
The Cultural Leadership Award recognizes significant contributions by individuals working in the field of local cultural planning, programs, and services who have shown inspired leadership and exceptional dedication to supporting the work and the vision of the Creative City Network of Canada.
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The Public Art Year in Review presentation will take place on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
A celebration of public art across Canada!
Presented by the Public Art Network (PAN), the Public Art Year in Review highlights what is new and exciting about Canada’s public art sector. The Year in Review recognizes artwork of all scope and scale, with an emphasis on the diverse ways artists and municipalities respond to their local environments.
The Creative City Network of Canada is excited to announce the return of the annual Public Art Year in Review, a celebration of public art across Canada.
Presented by the Public Art Network, the Public Art Year in Review highlights what is new and exciting about Canada’s public art sector. The Year in Review recognizes artwork of all scope and scale, with an emphasis on the diverse ways artists and municipalities respond to their local environments.
Selected artworks will be featured on October 3rd at the Creative City Summit taking place in St. John’s, Newfoundland (October 3–5, 2023).
Eligibility
CCNC encourages all member municipalities, developers, and artists across Canada to submit to the Year in Review to showcase what is new and exciting in their locale. All scope and scale – small to large, emerging to established – are eligible. Leap in!
Submissions may include civic, private, or community-led public art, in any medium, form, or scale including permanent, temporary, stand-alone, site-specific, or integrated artworks. All artworks must have been installed or exhibited in the 2022 calendar year.
Submissions are limited to THREE per applicant. It is strongly suggested that commissioning agencies and artists work together on the application to ensure duplicate applications are not received.
Year in Review and Awards of Excellence
The Public Art Year in Review differs from CCNC’s Awards of Excellence for Public Art. Municipalities may submit public art projects to both recognition programs, but whereas the Awards of Excellence recognize two outstanding projects for their demonstration of artistic excellence and best practices, the Year in Review showcases a diverse range of artworks from across the country. Selected by members of the Public Art Network, the Year in Review recognizes multiple projects with the intention to celebrate Canadian success stories, showcase emerging public art trends, and educate public art colleagues on diverse methods of artistic production, exhibition, and community engagement.
Selection Criteria
- Artistic Merit
- Process
- Impact
- Diversity of voice
- Site specificity
When making selections the jury will also consider geographical diversity, range in community size, and array of project types and budgets.
To Apply
Send in one email:
- a word document with a full narrative of up to 800 words that describe the project and its commissioning/creation process
- up to six .jpg images
- the project budget, budget source, location, artist and commissioner
- your full name, e-mail address, municipal or organizational affiliation and position/ role.
The deadline for submissions: is Monday, August 21 by 4:00 p.m. PST.
Send to: Creative City Network of Canada – [email protected]
Successful Submissions
- Up to ten submissions will be selected for the Year in Review presentation at the 2023 Creative City Summit in St. John’s.
- Submissions may be profiled on the Creative City Network of Canada website, specifically:
- Presenters may be filmed or photographed and presentations profiled on the 2023 Summit webpage or CCNC YouTube channel.
- All projects submitted may be featured in a Public Art Network Year in Review online database for CCNC members.
- Images from successful submissions may be used by the Creative City Network of Canada for educational or not-for-profit purposes.
- The Year in Review will be a moderated 45 minute session on Day 1 of the Summit on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
- Each presenter will be given 3–4 minutes to present in a modified Pecha Kucha style, using a maximum of 4–5 slides.
- Successful submissions will ideally be presented by the artist or a member of the submitting municipality or commissioner.
- Successful applicants will receive further details about presentation submission details and deadlines in August.
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October 4
Official Haunted Hike website: https://www.hauntedhike.com/
An ambulatory and award-winning theatrical tour through the historic and haunted streets of St. John’s downtown core, with old-fashioned storytelling at its dramatic and spine-tingling best. Descend into the dark underbelly of St. John’s and explore its murderous history and paranormal legacy.
Access registration for the Haunted Hike on Whova!
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