Local Artists Invited to Apply to be Featured at March 2026 Event
Canalway is seeking artists to create large scale lanterns from recycled materials for the fifth annual Towpath Trail Lantern Parade hosted by Canalway Partners on March 7, 2026. This year’s call for artists increases the size of lanterns to at least 10 feet tall and emphasizes that Cleveland-area history be the inspiration for the designs. As in all previous years, the main materials for the lantern must be repurposed or recycled materials.
The Towpath Trail Lantern Parade is a celebration of light, creativity, and sustainability welcoming spring to the banks of the Cuyahoga River. This year, the featured lanterns will help celebrate the country’s 250thanniversary and recognize the impact the Ohio & Erie Canalway had on the growth of the nation.
“In previous years, we’ve featured lanterns highlighting nature and history and we hope to do that this year in a way that also recognizes the importance of 2026 and Cleveland’s role in the history of our nation,” said Mera Cardenas, Executive Director of Canalway Partners. “We look forward to seeing how local artists interpret this idea and how they incorporate it into their lantern designs.”
At this spring forward event, the selected artists will display commissioned pieces of illuminated art made from recycled materials. Each lantern will encourage environmentalism and celebrate history.
Interested artists are asked to submit a statement of interest, a proposed lantern design, and images of previous work by January 4, 2026. View the complete Call for Artists at CanalwayPartners.com.
Hosted by Canalway, the Towpath Trail Lantern Parade is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.