City of Fredericton Invites Design Submissions for Public Art
Fredericton, NB (November 25, 2014) – The City of Fredericton is inviting New Brunswick artists to submit design concepts for public art to be located in a high profile park in the city.
The Sheila Hugh McKay Foundation awarded the City of Fredericton a Special Project Grant earlier this year in response to a proposal to commission public art specifically for the Fredericton Botanic Garden located on the west side of Odell Park.
The selected artwork will celebrate the space and be compatible with the goals of the Fredericton Botanic Garden. The jury will be looking for public art that enhances the experience of users and visitors of the space, including many people who enjoy the trail network connecting Odell Park and the Botanic Gardens. The art will be installed in the summer of 2015.
This initiative is compatible with the City’s Culture Plan approved by Council in July, which calls for more art and culture in daily life.
“It’s all to do with our public art direction and finding areas of the city that could really benefit from public art. This will give a bigger purpose and an added reason for people to visit the Botanic Garden,” says Deputy Mayor Eric Megarity, past Council liaison to the Botanic Garden Association. “It’s our hope that placing public art in the Botanic Gardens will spur on other organizations, both public and private, to invest in more public art in the garden. It’s a perfect fit.”
The design competition is open to all New Brunswick artists. Submissions will be reviewed by a jury of arts professionals, members of the City’s Arts and Cultural Advisory Committee, and a member of the garden board. The jury will review the submissions and select a shortlist of artists to submit a fully detailed proposal.
The budget for the commission is $15,000 (HST included) plus up to $2,000 for installation costs. This is to include all expenses related to the creation and installation of the public art piece.
Artists are asked to submit a resume/CV, a portfolio, and a rough design concept. Full details and criteria are available on the City of Fredericton website: www.fredericton.ca (search “public art”). Submissions will be accepted until the end of the working day on Monday, January 5, 2015. Questions may be directed to culture@fredericton.ca to the attention of Angela Watson, Cultural Development Officer.
Contact info: Angela Watson, Cultural Development Officer, 506-460-2411, angela.watson@fredericton.ca
Fredericton Botanic Garden: www.frederictonbotanicgarden.com
City of Fredericton
Corporate Communications
335 Queen Street
Fredericton, NB E3B 1B1
T 506-460-2181 / F 506-460-2134