Public art collection

Our collection of art represents a range of media and styles. The works are installed in community centres, libraries, sports facilities, parks, the Kitchener Market, City Hall and other city properties.

On this page:

1. Our collection
2. Our 1% policy
3. Projects in progress

Our collection

Check out the photo gallery below to see selections from our public art collection.

Some of the artworks listed below have PDF documents linked that include more information.

• Queen Victoria - Raphael Zacgnimi (1909)
• The Bullas Sculptures (pair) - Helen Waimel Robertson (1940)
• Enlightenment - Jack Bechtel (1962)
• Horsepower - Brad Golden, Lynne Eichenberg (1993)
• Urban Series - Progress - Gloria Kagawa (1995)
• The Anvil - Nicholas Rees (1995)
• Banner - David Hunsberger (1996)
• Strata - Carol Bradley (1997)
• The Canoe - Brian Scott (1997)
• The Necklace - Carol Bradley (1997)
• Collectivity - Bill Downey (1997)
• Floating Window - Lois Scott, Andrew Wright (1999)
• Animanimus - Ted Fullerton (1999)
• Resident - Marshall Ward (1999)
• The Millennium Thumbprints - Marshall Ward, Charles Baker, Christopher Griffin (2000)
• Stooks - Melissa Doherty (2000)
• Five Skies for Doon Pioneer Park - Andrew Wright (2001)
• Thalia's Curtain - Carol Bradley (2002)
• Grand River I & II - Sandra Martin (2002)
• Between the Acts - Jane Buyers (2002)
• Sawdust Angelus - Michael Ambedian (2003)
• The Pool - Carol Bradley (2003)
• Sweet Pea - Walter Gibson (2004)
• Barn Spirit - Tony Urquhart (2005)
• Bookends - Nicholas Rees (2005)
• Protecting the Memory - Timothy Schmalz (2005)
• Footprints - Nicholas Rees (2006)
• Toyland - Nicholas Rees (2006)
• The Luggage Project - Ernest Daetwyler (2006)
• Gathering Space - Jim Balzan (2006)
• Place of Friendship - Hellen Sturgeon Cumber (2006)
• The Grand River - Walter Gibson, Lynn Whaley (2006)
• Hidden Valley - Phil Irish (2006)
• Paper Memory - Paul Roorda (2007)
• Re-Flexions - Allan MacKay (2008)
• The Gathering Tree - Ron Baird (2008)
• Relocation and Transformation of Memory - Allan MacKay (2009)
• Grand River: Grand Conversations - Stefan Rose (2010)
• In Time - Jefferson Campbell-Cooper (2010)
• Pedestrian - Ted Fullerton (2011)
• Kingsdale Spirals - Gordon Wright (2011)
• Portrait of Kitchener - Sean Puckett (2011)
• Suddenly it's 1957! - Larry Hunter (2012)
• The People's Museum of Kitchener, 2012 - Jefferson Campbell-Cooper (2012)
• The Litter-Arti Project - Susan Coolen (2013)
• Space Moire - kimiis (2013)
• Flux - Moss and Lam (2014)
• Enchanted Community Tree - Sarah Granskou (2016)
• Baseline (We're Just Getting Started) - Julie Sperling (2017)
• Pieces of Light - Natalie Hunter (2017)
• Unkahi (Stories Untold) - Sumaira Tazeen (2018)
• KW Homelessness Memorial: Between a Rock and a Hard Place - Ernest Daetwyler (2020)
• In the Keep of Change - Vincent Marcone (2020)
• The Beasting - various artists (2020-2025)
• Wintertime Stories - Nyle Miigizi Johnston and Isaac Murdoch (2025)

Our 1% policy

Through our 1% for public art policy, our goal is to contribute to our cultural identity and strategic priorities. We established this policy in 2008, and it has produced 23 artworks as of 2025. Additional artworks have been added to our collection through the Artist in Residence program, as well as through donations, partnerships and other arts-based initiatives.

The policy’s program funding comes from a one percent allocation applied to civic projects with construction budgets greater than $100,000, including public facilities and gathering spaces. Our public art collection develops through this program. Three new projects are currently in development for installation in 2026.

Through this policy and its implementation, we intend to provide:

• a better quality of life and increased social cohesion for residents, local artists and visitors
• good urban design
• broad community involvement and connection
• increased potential for economic development and public access to the arts