Immigrant & Multicultural Services Society and Welcome PG, in partnership with Initiatives Prince George and the Chamber of Commerce, are offering a unique opportunity to B.C. artisans.
Welcome PG has been working with an arts committee to advise on the theme and possible locations for artwork for the Celebrating Diversity project.
This is a public artwork project for Prince George and visual artists are invited to submit their ideas for the project by Jan. 16.
"Celebrating Diversity is a simplified working title for a complex subject and this was done purposefully so artists are able to interpret the theme beyond the scope of the committee's imagination," said Cat Sivertsen, project manager, WelcomePG, Welcoming & Inclusive Communities & Workplaces Program.
Diversity is the Canadian way of life and Canada's immigration policy is recognized worldwide as groundbreaking - something to be very proud of and celebrated, Sivertsen added.
"Living in harmony with diversity begins at home, extends to our workplaces and beyond into the fabric of our community and ultimately this country," she said.
Artists can design their project around two location choices -- the arrivals terminal at the airport or the new knowledge garden at the library.
The arrivals terminal at the airport offers three choices - inside the building, as a suspended sculpture between international and domestic arrivals and two areas just outside the doors of the arrivals terminal as a three-dimensional object in the grassed area or as a mural on the exterior wall.
The Library's knowledge garden is in the early stages of development with plans for breaking ground in 2012. It will be located between the Civic Centre and the library, backing onto Patricia Blvd.
Sivertsen believes these two location options will help fuel the artists' imaginations. These locations were picked because they are high-traffic areas, with more than 350,000 people accessing each of these public services yearly, Sivertsen added.
Deadline is Jan. 16 and the selection will be made on Jan. 23 as the project will be installed by the end of May.
To complement the artwork there will an exhibition at Two Rivers Gallery in April featuring How To Make a Public Artwork as well as paintings and stories by new Canadian immigrants. Public participation will be encouraged through a workshop for youth and seniors as well as artists' talks and a public unveiling of the new artwork.
The Ministry of Jobs Tourism and Innovation and the Government of Canada under the WelcomeBC program is funding the $15,000 project.
Sivertsen said although the budget is not huge it will cover the artist's fees and materials but not the hidden costs of creating a new permanent public artwork like the specialized plywood required for a mural, installation expenses, permanent signage, possible accommodation or travel costs for the artist as well as the public engagement expenses. To that end Sivertsen is looking for in-kind and financial contributions to cover these expenses and has already received offers of support from people who honour diversity and believe in this community.
The call for proposals and submission guidelines can be downloaded from the WelcomePG website www.welcomepg.ca or call Cat Sivertsen at 250-562-2900.
