Pickering calling on artists for public sculpture at Pickering Museum Village
Published October 13, 2022 at 9:45 am
Calling all artists!
The City of Pickering is inviting artists or artist teams to submit proposals for a permanent public sculpture to be installed at Pickering Museum Village.
The artwork will be located at Millpond Meadow on the museum grounds – envisioned as a community hub where people come together to learn and share stories – and is intended to reflect the natural beauty and vibrancy of the meadow and surrounding area and celebrate the history of Pickering. Submissions are due November 7, 2022.
The total budget for the project, including artist fees, materials, and installation is $80,000 and is funded through the Government of Canada’s Healthy Communities Initiative and Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Legacy Fund. The money will be used to cover artist fees, all applicable taxes, detailed renderings, materials, technical consultations and approvals or other expertise as required, fabrication, installation, insurance, equipment, travel to meetings and to the site, and an artist statement for completed work.
A public art jury comprised of city staff, practicing arts professionals, and community members will be established for this competition. The jury will review all submissions and identify a short-list based on artistic excellence and demonstrated or perceived ability to create and execute an innovative, engaging public artwork that is complementary to the overall design scheme and community context.
The short-listed artists will be notified in November and invited to submit a conceptual design proposal in a PowerPoint presentation. A detailed Terms of Reference project document will be provided to help artists prepare their proposals. Short-listed artists will be paid a fee of $1,500 for their submission and must attend an interview and present their proposals (online presentations may be required) to the public art jury in February.
The selected artist will enter into a written agreement with the City after the jury has made its decision.
Installation of the winning project is expected in the fall of 2023.
The Pickering Museum Village is located in the heart of Greenwood, which was a bustling community boasting many businesses and prominent residents in the 19th century. At the center of the community was the Greenwood Blacksmith Shop and local businesses, industries and residents relied on the tradesmen working in the shop to supply and repair essential tools and equipment for their homes and businesses.
Millpond Meadow is located adjacent to Duffin’s Creek alongside the Greenwood Conservation Area. The waterway supports a diverse ecosystem, including salmon, and in the past was a site that supported the historic mill that stood where the meadow is now located. For the past five years, the City of Pickering, in partnership with the Pickering Public Library, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, has supported a salmon hatchery, resulting in the release of more than 400 Atlantic salmon into Duffins Creek. In addition, salmon hatchlings are released annually into the creek at the museum site
Artists are invited to respond to this call by submitting a single pdf document.
Email submissions to: [email protected] Submissions must be received by November 7, 2022 at 5 p.m. Late submissions will not be accepted Questions can be forwarded to Lucas Cabral, Coordinator, Public Art at [email protected].