Surrey Council Approves $3,000 Public Art Project for Street Banners

Surrey Council has approved a significant public art project, commissioning artist Julia Vasileva to design street banners for the city’s 2026 initiative. The banners will be displayed on approximately 100 street poles, enhancing the visual appeal of the city’s public spaces.

According to Laurie Cavan, Surrey’s General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture, the public art street banners not only allow artists to share their creativity with the community but also aim to enrich the experience of the streetscape for various users, including drivers, cyclists, transit riders, and pedestrians. Cavan emphasized the importance of public art, stating, “Public art street banners provide an opportunity for artists to share their creativity with the community, while also enhancing the City’s public realm.”

The project is part of the City’s Town Centre Street Banner Program, with new banners installed each spring. The funding for the initiative comes from the Civic Street Banner Program, which operates within the Community Enhancement Budget, allocating an annual budget of $125,000 for materials and labor to provide banners at 1,015 locations across the city.

A selection panel reviewed 76 design proposals before choosing Vasileva’s work. Based in Vancouver, Vasileva is known for her children’s books, greeting cards, posters, and public art. Her artistic approach combines digital and traditional media, incorporating hand-cut stencils, stamps, and paper-cut elements to create unique textures and depth in her illustrations.

Vasileva’s design, titled Flora in Motion, features dual panels reminiscent of butterfly wings, adorned with native British Columbia plants such as the Pacific Bleeding Heart and Nootka Rose. This choice of flora grounds the artwork in local ecology and reinforces a sense of place. Cavan highlighted that the bright colors and clear shapes of the banners are intended to make them easily visible from a distance, contributing warmth, vibrancy, and a playful atmosphere to the streetscape.

The artist fee for the public art street banner design is set at $3,000, representing an investment in both local artistry and community engagement. Cavan noted that approximately 100 of the total banners will showcase Vasileva’s public art design, alongside other types of banners including Town Centre Identity Banners and Surrey Gateway Banners.

As Surrey prepares for the 2026 public art installation, this initiative not only highlights the city’s commitment to enhancing public spaces but also showcases the creativity of local artists. The approval of this contract marks a significant step toward enriching the cultural landscape of Surrey.