The Canadian Museum for Human Rights invites community groups and individuals to apply to have their human rights‐inspired visual pieces displayed in the Community Corridor. This space provides a platform where community members can share their work and lead meaningful dialogue on human rights. Please note this location is a community display space, not gallery space.
How to Apply
To apply to have your piece considered, please complete the submission form.
Submission Guidelines
Submissions must meet certain criteria in order to be considered for display in the Community Corridor.
A visual piece may consist of several separate elements so long as the full piece does not exceed the following limitations:
Maximum height: 80 inches (203 cm)
Maximum length: 150 inches (380 cm)
Maximum individual weight for a single element: 50 pounds (22.7 kg)
Maximum combined weight: 250 pounds (113.4 kg)
Durability: The successful applicant’s visual piece will be placed in an open environment where the public will be in contact with the piece. All elements of the piece must be securely attached.
Applications Open
May 6th, 2025
Applications Close
July 6th, 2025
The work of the successful applicant will be displayed starting in November 2025.
For 40 years, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has been at the forefront of protecting children and serving as a beacon of hope for families. What began in 1985 as a small Manitoba charity following the abduction and murder of 13‐year‐old Candace Derksen, is now an international force.
As technology evolves, so too have the threats facing children — online sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and much more. This is happening in the new digital realms where our children increasingly live their lives. Despite this fundamental shift, we remain steadfast in our mission.
This milestone reminds us that our duty to protect children — both offline and online — has never been greater.
In solidarity, we stand with children and youth as we look to the future.
Past Installations
Gone too soon
Photo: CMHR, Annie Kierans
From August 2024 to May 2025, Gone too soon was displayed in the Community Corridor.
Arlene Last‐Kolb and Janis Gillam, two mothers who lost their children, explain the significance of Gone Too Soon.
This work honours those gone too soon from a poisoned drug supply.
From 2016 to 2023, 42,494 individuals are known to have died from opioid toxicity deaths in Canada. Their rights to life and security of person were not protected. People who use drugs are entitled to basic human rights and dignity. Substance use is a public health matter, not a moral failing.
This river of poppies is not just a tribute to those who are gone too soon. It sends a clear message to governments and policy makers that we must have a safe supply for everyone. These deaths are preventable, and our loved ones deserved better.
Their memory endures, guiding our path forward.
THEY ARE MISSED.
Woman, Life, Freedom
CMHR, Annie Kierans
From September 2023 to March 2024, Women, Life, Freedom was displayed in the Community Corridor.
Hajar Moradi, creator of the Woman, Life, Freedom banner, explains the origin and significance of the banner
This collectively made banner features the famous feminist Kurdish slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom,” which became the rallying cry of the recent uprising in Iran, along with 100 solidarity messages. The banner was carried and displayed at Toronto’s International Women’s Day (IWD) rally in March 2023, and later completed by the artist.
The banner’s main message seeks to raise awareness about the ongoing struggles faced by Iranian, Kurdish and Afghan women in their tireless pursuit of rights and freedom. The banner also aims to cultivate international allyship by highlighting the shared challenges women encounter worldwide.
Awasisuk
CMHR, Aaron Cohen
From February 22 to September 2023 Awasisuk was displayed in the Community Corridor.
Awasisuk is about intergenerational healing and the process of moving forward to create a better future for ourselves, our children and future generations. It was inspired in part by the “Every Child Matters” movement, which acknowledges the intergenerational trauma that residential schools and colonization have caused. In residential schools, children learned to suppress their emotions to protect themselves. This passed on through generations and interfered with healing. The artist, Amanda Grieves, embraced traditional dressmaking as a path toward healing and connecting to her culture. Awasisuk seeks to share not only the difficult history of Indigenous people, but their resilience and the beauty of their culture.
Métis Memories of Residential Schools: A Testament to the Strength of the Métis
CMHR, Aaron Cohen
From July 2022 to January 2023 Métis Memories of Residential Schools A Testament to the Strength of the Métis was displayed in the Community Corridor. This project shares 24 impactful stories about this neglected chapter in Canadian history. It honours the unique experiences and impacts of Métis survivors and families in colonial schooling systems and showcases how to share authentic Métis community voices in an ethical and collaborative way. Métis Memories invites the viewer to engage in a deeper understanding of the injustices brought to all First Peoples in Canada.
New Beginnings
CMHR, Aaron Cohen
From December 2021 to July 2022, New Beginnings was displayed in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Organized by U SHINE Movement, the exhibit shared the experiences and dreams of immigrant and refugee youth through photographs. It was the result of a photography project called “Youth Lens” that took place from September 2020 to June 2021 with 72 young refugees and immigrants in Ottawa.
A Thousand Paper Cranes
Photo: CMHR, Jamie Morneau
In 2021, the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba encouraged their members to fold paper cranes to show support for the children who died while attending Indian residential schools across Canada. By September 2021, they had received more than 6,500 colourful origami birds which they used to create five senbazuru (mobiles of 1,000 cranes) one of which was put on display at the Museum.
National Story Blanket
In 2018, the National Story Blanket was displayed in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. This blanket represents the visions of Indigenous and non‐Indigenous youth for reconciliation and decolonization in their communities. In order to create this blanket, youth across Canada took part in the Youth Reconciliation Initiative leadership program with Canadian Roots Exchange, an organization that aims to build relationships of respect and cultural exchange between Indigenous and non‐Indigenous youth. Together, participants organized dialogue events aiming to meaningfully connect youth across Canada.
See more Programs
At the Museum, we celebrate inclusiveness, diversity and respect for others. We offer programs for people of all ages and abilities.
