Studio Q, the Mann Art Gallery, and the Prince Albert Downtown Business Improvement District are partnering to introduce the Back Door Art Gallery in spring 2026!

This new initiative responds to requests for increased public art in the downtown core. Thanks to support from the City of Prince Albert's Public Art Stimulus Program and the P.A. Downtown Business Improvement District, images of artworks will be installed on the back doors of 10 businesses between River St. East and 10th St. East.

 

Artists of all skill levels, backgrounds, and who work in any visual media are invited to submit images of their artworks to be photographed and installed on the back doors. 10 artworks will be selected. Each selected artist/artwork will receive a $600 honorarium.
 

This project aims to support artists, increase accessibility to art, and add visual interest to downtown Prince Albert. We seek to share a variety of local artistic viewpoints, styles, and expressions to demonstrate the rich make-up of our broad community.

The Back Door Art Gallery expands ideas of where art is displayed and who can access it. We are excited to enliven urban spaces in areas that may otherwise be forgotten, and to share the unique artistic perspectives of our community.

 

Key Details

Who can apply
Submissions are encouraged from local artists, with emphasis on work from newcomers, 2SLGBTQIA+, youth, and Indigenous artists. We encourage artists to work with styles and subjects to which they feel best suited. 

Collaborations (artworks created with more than one artist) are welcome. 

The deadline for submissions is April 16th, 2026. Selected artists will be contacted by April 30th, 2026. The doors will be installed by June 19th, and unveiled as part of the Downtown Street Fair on June 20th, 2026.


Questions?
Contact Jesse Campbell ( Artistic Director, Mann Art Gallery) at artdir@mannartgallery.ca

Back Door Businesses & Locations

1. P.A. Historical Museum (green east door) - 36” W x 83” H

2. Funky Fresh (west/back door) - 36” W x 79” H 

3. Rock Trout (west/back door) - 33” W x 80” H

4. The Foil Room (west/back door) - 35” W x 81” H

5. Riverside Pawn (back door) - 36” W x 79” H

6. North Star Signs (west/back door) - 36” W x 79” H

7. Former CKBI Office (22 10th Street West; east door – 36” W x 79” H

8. Flaminio Ceilings & Wall Systems (east/back door) 33.5” W x 82” H 

9. Sweet Stells/Fresh Air Experience (east/back door) 32” W x 79” H

10. Plaza 88 (single door) – 36” W x 89” H   

 

Important to Know

• Images of artworks in any visual medium (i.e. drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, beading, textiles, fibres, ceramics, etc.) will be accepted. Artists should consider how their works will translate to being photographed.
   

• Designs must be original to the artist; no copies or reproductions of others’ works are permitted.
   

• The artworks will be photographed by professional photographers, All My Relations Creative Connections. The photographs will be printed on high-resolution vinyl adhesive that is applied to each door. If your artwork is selected, you must bring it to Studio Q in early May for photography.
   

• Some doors require addresses or labels to be applied. This may cover a small portion of the image.
   

• The vinyl adhesive has a minimum lifespan of 5-7 years and a maximum of 10-15 years. The doors in this project are in good shape, with smooth surfaces to which the vinyl can be applied. Business owners have agreed to monitor their back doors.
   

• Doors vary in size; artworks will be scaled to the doors. Please indicate if your artwork should be considered for a particular business/location.
   

• A small area at the bottom of the doors will be reserved for the artwork title, artist name, funders’ logos, and QR codes with links to a description of the image.
   

• Artworks for each location will be selected by representatives from the Mann Art Gallery, Studio Q, and the P.A. Downtown Business Improvement District, and approved by the board of the P.A. Downtown Business Improvement District. 

 

• Selected artists agree that their name and artwork image will be reproduced online for informational and promotional purposes.
   

• Selected artists will receive an honorarium of $600 each.
   

• The deadline for submissions is April 16th, 2026. Selected artists will be contacted by April 30th, 2026. The doors will be installed by June 19th, and unveiled as part of the Downtown Street Fair on June 20th, 2026.
   

Questions?
Contact Jesse Campbell ( Artistic Director, Mann Art Gallery) at artdir@mannartgallery.ca