Charlottetown Artwalk
We take pride in our culturally diverse and creative community and enjoy celebrating our performance, visual and culinary arts throughout the year. In 2011, the federal government designated Charlottetown a “Cultural Capital of Canada” in recognition of its achievements and ongoing commitment to arts and culture. The City’s growing public art collection adds to the richness and colour of our streetscapes. Vibrant and engaging, the pieces balance both the historic and contemporary nature of the City while providing contemplation, discussion and inspiration to citizens and visitors alike.
1 - Mister Piro Mural
A gorgeous street art mural on the side of 151 Great George St. Mister Piro, 2022 | 134 Kent St
2 - Gothic Ascendant
Integrating multiple abstract forms into a unified whole, these thick steel components, including a recognizable section of l-beam and a train wheel, are combined into the sculpture's interlocking architecture, to form a grand vertical gesture. Peter Hide, 1986 | Confederation Centre Plaza, Queen St.
3 - Column of the Sea
The low relief surface combines geometric and organic shapes, seemingly carved into the five meter high bronze column. The result is a poetic commemorative presence to some unknown time and place. Elza Mayhew, 1973 | Confederation Centre Plaza, Queen St.
4 - Eckhart Mice
Based on the main character in Island author David Weale's book, "The True Meaning of Crumbfest", these little bronze mice were commissioned by Downtown Charlottetown Inc. You will find one mouse near City Hall and look for others along your route. John MacKinnon, 2009 | Various downtown locations
9 - Boer War Memorial, Between Province House and Coles Building, Thomas Carleton Plantagenet MacCarthy, OSA, RCA, 1903
The City's first war memorial was created by one of the earlier masters of monumental bronze sculpture in Canada. It honours those who fought in the Boer War.
10 - Lobster Mural, 154 Great George St., 2015
This large and intricate lobster mural was pained by A'Shop, a Montreal-based collective led by artist Fluke. It was created with specialized spray paint techniques using rich colours and intricate detail.
11 - Poulia, Provincial Buildings, Kent Street, Charles Daudelin, 1966
Poulia, meaning birds in Greek, was originally installed as a water installation and is now the anchor of a newly refurbished garden. The artist's intention was to create a link between the rusty cast iron of the sculpture and the pink quality of the concrete buildings reflecting the Island's red soil.
12 - Mark Butcher Chairs, Kings Square, Kip Jones, 2008
These five bronze chairs, 1.5 times real life size, represent the work of Charlottetown furniture maker Mark Butcher (1814-1883). Of Irish descent, Butcher immigrated to Charlottetown where he opened and operated a furniture factory from the 1830's to the 1880's at the corner of Hillsborough and Kent Streets, at times employing up to 40 people. The charis are located adjacent to the old factory.
13 - Canopy, Water Steet Parkway, Ahmon Katz and Ferald Beaulieu, 2014
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Confederation Conference in 1864, Canopy is composed of three large leaves that form an arched structure. The leaves, a silver maple, sugar maple and a red oak leaf, are representative of the growing and evolving nature of our country.
14 - Beehive Mural, Voluntary Resource Centre, 81 Prince St., Warren Christopher Reeson, 2014
Inside each honeycomb of this giant beehive, is an image created by children attending summer day camps at the neighbouring Murphy's Community Centre. Epitomizing the phrase "busy as a bee", this work artistically represents the community activity found inside at the Voluntary Resource Centre.
15 - John Hamilton Grays, 58 Great George St., Nathan Scott, 2014
Yes, the Charlottetown Conference in 1864 had two delegates with the exact same name! The two gentlemen, one from New Brunswick and one from Prince Edward Island, are depicted here in debate, perhaps discussing the nature of the proposed confederation.
16 - Bishop Angus Bernard MacEachern, SDU Place, 45 Great George St, Hubert Quade, 2012
Angus Bernard MacEachern was a Scottish Bishop in the Roman Catholic Church. MacEachern became the first Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Charlottetown following its separation from the Archdiocese of Quebec in 1829.
17 - William Henry Pope, 11 Great George St., Jules LaSalle, 2014
A dynamic sculpture of Pope, a Father of Confederation, as he was rowed out to the SS Queen Victoria to greet the delegates arriving to attend the Charlottetown Conference in September, 1864.
18 - Celebration - Then and Now, Confederation Landing Park, Christopher and Carl Phillis, 1996
Created by a father/son duo, this large metal and ceramic sculpture depicts both the idea of Canada as a nation and scenes from historic Charlottetown. Impressive from afar, the piece features intricately detailed metal work.
19 - Great Blue Heron, 25 Queen St., Ahmon Katz, 2013
Great blue herons are a common sight along the grassy marshes of the Island's coastline. The steel and concrete stucco heron provides a moment of calm at the busy intersection of Queen and Water Streets.
20 - Bluefin Bullet, 128 Richmond St, Gerald Beaulieu, 2012
This life-sized sculpture of a Bluefin tuna is covered in a skin of scales made from stainless steel spoons. This sleek, metallic, ultimate fish lure is a playful commentary on public art as "lure" in a tourist driven economy.