Most guides to murals are written for the artist. This one is not. It is written for the developer staring at a blank retaining wall on a mixed-use project, the BIA executive director fielding requests for neighbourhood beautification, and the municipal planner trying to evaluate whether public art programming delivers measurable community outcomes. These are the people who actually commission murals in Calgary, and the decisions they make in the first two weeks of a project determine whether the result is a landmark or a liability.

At KINN Studios, we have designed and delivered murals and large-scale art installations across Calgary for commercial, institutional, and community clients. What follows is the framework we wish every commissioning body understood before the first conversation begins. It starts not with design, but with the wall itself.

Image placeholder: Exterior mural installation in Calgary

Why Site Assessment Comes First

The most common mistake in mural commissioning is beginning with the artwork. A property manager falls in love with a mural they saw in Portland, contacts an artist, and asks for something similar on their building. Six weeks later, the project stalls because the wall substrate cannot hold paint, the landlord next door owns the sightline, or the only viable access requires a lane closure permit that takes four months.

A site-first approach inverts this sequence. Before any design conversation begins, the commissioning body should have a thorough understanding of the wall as a physical, legal, and logistical object. This means answering a series of questions that have nothing to do with aesthetics and everything to do with feasibility.

Substrate and Surface Condition

Calgary's building stock presents a diverse range of mural substrates: poured concrete, concrete block (CMU), brick masonry, stucco, metal cladding, wood siding, and various composite panels. Each substrate has different preparation requirements, adhesion characteristics, and longevity expectations. A mural on properly prepared concrete can last fifteen years. The same paint system on deteriorating stucco may fail within three.

Before commissioning a mural, have the wall assessed for structural integrity, moisture infiltration, efflorescence (the white salt deposits common on Calgary masonry), existing coatings, and lead paint (common on pre-1980 buildings). This is not the artist's responsibility. It is the building owner's. A good mural studio will insist on it; a less experienced one may not, and the consequences land squarely on the property.

Orientation and Exposure

In Calgary, wall orientation materially affects both the installation process and the artwork's lifespan. South-facing walls receive the most UV exposure, which accelerates colour fading, particularly in reds, oranges, and certain blues. West-facing walls endure the brunt of Calgary's prevailing Chinook winds, which carry abrasive dust and create thermal stress as temperatures swing by 20 degrees Celsius in a single afternoon. North-facing walls retain moisture longest and are most susceptible to freeze-thaw damage.

None of these conditions are disqualifying. They are design parameters. A south-facing mural requires UV-resistant paint systems and a more robust clear-coat specification. A west-facing mural should avoid fine detail that will be lost to wind erosion over time. An experienced studio accounts for these factors in the design phase. The commissioning body should understand them to evaluate proposals intelligently.

The wall is not a canvas. It is a collaborator. Every mural should respond to its substrate, its orientation, and its city.

Approvals and Permits in Calgary

Calgary's regulatory framework for murals is relatively favourable compared to many Canadian cities, but it is not without complexity. Under the City of Calgary's Land Use Bylaw 1P2007, murals are typically classified as "art signs," falling within the Class A (basic sign) category. Art signs are defined as primarily artistic drawings applied to a building's exterior, with a maximum of 10 per cent of the sign area consisting of text. Because Class A signs do not require a development permit, most murals can proceed without formal planning approval.

However, several conditions can trigger additional requirements:

For BIAs commissioning multiple murals as part of a neighbourhood program, we recommend engaging the city's Public Art team early. They can advise on streamlined permitting pathways and may be able to align your program with existing municipal public art initiatives, which can simplify both approvals and funding.

Access, Equipment, and Logistics

The physical logistics of mural installation are frequently underestimated. A moderately sized exterior mural (500 to 1,500 square feet) typically requires either scaffolding or an aerial lift, both of which have significant implications for site access, scheduling, and cost.

Aerial Lifts vs. Scaffolding

Aerial lifts (boom lifts or scissor lifts) are faster to deploy and reposition, making them efficient for large walls with relatively uniform surfaces. They require firm, level ground and adequate clearance from overhead obstructions such as power lines, awnings, or tree canopy. In Calgary's back lanes, where many murals face, ground conditions can be problematic: uneven gravel, drainage issues, or utility access points that restrict placement.

Scaffolding is slower to erect but provides a stable, full-width working platform that is particularly advantageous for detailed work or multi-artist projects. For walls adjacent to active pedestrian zones, scaffolding also provides weather protection for the work in progress and a clear delineation of the work zone for public safety.

Weather Windows

Most exterior acrylic and latex paint systems require ambient temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius for proper adhesion and curing. In Calgary, this effectively limits the outdoor mural season to mid-May through mid-October, with occasional extensions during warm Chinook periods at either end. Rain is a less frequent concern than in coastal cities, but sudden summer hailstorms, a Calgary speciality, can damage fresh paint and require protective measures or schedule buffers.

For projects on tight timelines, mineral silicate paint systems offer an alternative. These inorganic paints bond chemically with mineral substrates (concrete, brick, stucco) rather than forming a surface film, making them more tolerant of temperature variation during application. They are more expensive than conventional acrylics but offer superior longevity in Calgary's climate.

Image placeholder: Mural installation with aerial lift in Calgary

Timeline and Budget Expectations

A typical mural commission in Calgary follows this approximate timeline from first conversation to completed wall:

  1. Site assessment and feasibility review: 1 to 2 weeks
  2. Design development and revisions: 3 to 6 weeks, depending on stakeholder approval layers
  3. Permitting (if required): 2 to 8 weeks, depending on classification
  4. Wall preparation (cleaning, patching, priming): 3 to 7 days
  5. Painting and installation: 1 to 4 weeks, depending on scale and complexity
  6. Protective coating and final documentation: 3 to 5 days

For a moderately sized project, the entire process from initial inquiry to final seal coat spans roughly ten to sixteen weeks. BIA programs commissioning multiple murals across a neighbourhood should plan for a six-month program cycle to accommodate staggered design approvals and coordinated installation scheduling.

Budget varies considerably with scale, substrate condition, and design complexity, but commissioning bodies should be aware that wall preparation and access equipment typically represent 25 to 35 per cent of the total project cost. A budget that accounts only for artist fees and paint will fall short. A thorough proposal from a professional studio will itemise all of these line items transparently.

Durability and Maintenance Planning

A mural is not a permanent fixture, but with proper care, an exterior mural in Calgary can retain its vibrancy for seven to fifteen years. The single most important post-installation step is the application of a UV-resistant anti-graffiti clear coat. Products such as MuralShield provide both UV protection and a sacrificial layer that allows graffiti to be removed with a pressure washer without damaging the underlying artwork.

Ongoing maintenance should include an annual inspection in spring, after the freeze-thaw cycle has concluded. Look for hairline cracking, areas of delamination or bubbling, and spots where moisture may be penetrating behind the paint film. Early intervention, a small touch-up or a fresh application of sealant, prevents minor issues from becoming major restoration projects. For a deeper discussion of longevity factors specific to Calgary's climate, see our companion article on how long murals last in Calgary.

For developers and BIAs, we recommend establishing a maintenance fund at the time of commissioning, typically 5 to 10 per cent of the original project budget annually. This small ongoing investment protects the significantly larger initial investment and ensures the mural continues to deliver its intended benefits: foot traffic, social engagement, neighbourhood identity, and the simple, powerful effect of art in a place where people did not expect to find it.

A Checklist for Commissioning Bodies

Before engaging a mural artist or design studio, ensure you can address the following:

Having these items resolved before the design conversation begins does not slow the process. It accelerates it. Designers do their best work when the constraints are clear, the logistics are handled, and the creative energy can focus entirely on making something extraordinary for the wall and the community it serves.

At KINN Studios, we approach every mural commission as a spatial problem first and a painting surface second. The design must respond to the building's geometry, the street's sightlines, and the way people actually move through the space. If you are a developer, BIA, or municipal team planning a mural project in Calgary, we would welcome the conversation. You can also explore our completed projects to see how we approach this work at scale.