City Tries Again for Public Art on Wilson Street
===
The City of Guelph invites artists to apply for the Wilson Street public art project— a commissioned project to create a permanent outdoor art installation at the corner of Wilson Street and Gordon Street — an initiative of the Wilson Street reconstruction project.
“We are very excited about the launch of this public art project,” says Stacey Dunnigan, the City’s manager of culture and tourism. “This opportunity furthers our goals of animating public space and creating new opportunities for the appreciation of public art while growing the City’s official collection.”
This is a commissioned art project in two stages:
- Request for Pre-Qualifications (RFPQ) where artists (individuals or teams) submit their resume and references, digital images of past works, and a letter that outlines their preliminary vision for the project by January 29. Three finalists will be chosen by the selection committee.
- Each of the three finalists will receive a $1,500 honorarium to develop their final concepts followed by an interview and presentation opportunity.
The selection committee will recommend one final concept to the City’s Council-appointed Public Art Advisory Committee for their consideration and approval. The chosen artist will receive $90,000 for the final design, production and installation of the art. Artworks in a variety of media and installation methods will be considered.
“This is a unique opportunity to raise the profile of one of the most important intersections in our city,” added Dunnigan. “The corner of Wilson Street and Gordon Street has been a focal point of travel in and out of the city’s downtown core for over 150 years, and a perfect spot for public art to be on display.”
The City currently has 22 permanent pieces of public art in its collection – the oldest being The Blacksmith Statue and Fountain, installed in 1885. The newest addition, installed in 2015, is Ruth Abernethy’s bronze sculpture of Colonel John McCrae entitled Remember Flanders.
For more details visit guelph.ca/wilsonart.
About the Wilson Street reconstruction project
The Wilson Street reconstruction project includes the road and streetscape upgrades on Wilson Street from Gordon Street to Macdonell Street, the building of a parkade on the Wilson Street parking lot and the replacement of the aging pedestrian bridge over Norfolk Street.
Source: City of Guelph