Ontario Construction News staff writer
Artscape says it is co-ordinating the first the first of a series of paid work opportunities through the Artscape Atelier initiative with Lakeview Community Partners Limited.
The first Call for Artist Proposals will generate more $100,000 in work for 17 artists at Lakeview Village, a vibrant 177-acre mixed-use community at Mississauga’s waterfront. The Call for Submissions for four distinct works is open to artists based in the Mississauga and Greater Toronto region, as well as within the Artscape artist community.
Artscape Atelier was conceived in 2019 to reimagine the relationship between artists and urban development by intentionally incorporating art into public spaces to create a sense of place and belonging, the organization says in a statement. “It has grown into a social enterprise dedicated to creating opportunities for artists to meaningfully participate in city-building and shape communities through site-specific public art, public realm and creative placemaking interventions,” the statement says.
Project artworks include:
- Construction hoarding illustration:
The first opportunity involves the creation of an illustrated “flipbook” to be digitally printed across 400 ft. of construction hoarding, creating the effect of an animation coming to life as community members walk, bike and drive across Lakeshore Blvd East and Hydro Road.
Budget: $17,000
Online information session: April 24 at 1 p.m.
Deadline: April 29, 2020
- Interactive sculpture/installation:
The second opportunity is a large-scale interactive sculpture/installation that will serve as a focal point in the midst of a field of one-million sunflowers, connecting the street-level to the view of Lake Ontario.
Budget: $40,000
Online Information Session: April 27 at 1 p.m.
Deadline: May 8, 2020
- Sunflower Lane Mural Wall Series
The third opportunity invites 14 artists to create a 25 ft. x 8 ft. mural sharing ‘the message they believe the world needs to hear right now’. The mural creation process will be captured and shared with the public, and revealed later in the summer.
Budget: $3,000 per artist
Deadline: May 8, 2020
- Original poetry by indigenous artist
The fourth opportunity will be a collaboration with Indigenous leaders in Mississauga to identify a poet who will be commissioned to create an original work that speaks to the protection, reverence and sacred relationship to Lake Ontario. The poem will be printed on 50ft of construction hoarding alongside Lakeshore Blvd East.
Budget: $6,000
Artists can apply online at: https://creativeplacemakinglab.submittable.com. Information sessions on the sculpture and mural art projects will be shared online to answer questions artists may have during the application process. The process will integrate careful social distancing measures, including the digital creation of works offsite in the immediate term.
“Through our relationships with developers and artists, we are in a unique position to make a difference,” aid Assaf Weisz, Chief Strategy Officer and director, Creative Placemaking Lab, Artscape. “We believe we have a responsibility to utilize our collective resources and connections to demonstrate leadership in this moment to help artists earn a living,”
“Our social enterprise, Artscape Atelier offers a tremendous opportunity for artists and urban developers to work together on creating a built environment that is not only functional, but contributes to the aesthetics of the community in a very positive way by turning the city into a giant canvas for creative expression.”
This project is part of a relationship with Lakeview Community Partners Limited, the development group behind Lakeview Village. The statement says Lakeview Village will be Canada’s most transformative mixed-use waterfront community, bringing new life to Mississauga’s waterfront and connecting residents to this portion of Lake Ontario for the first time in decades.
The 177-acre development will combine diverse residential options, including affordable housing for artists, with office space, retail and restaurants, trails, parks and green space, and cultural and recreational amenities – all connected to transit and the nearby 64-acre Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area.
“We are very excited to partner with Artscape, through its Artscape Atelier initiative, to create immediate opportunities for artists to earn income during this particularly difficult period, while creating works that will significantly beautify and create a sense of community around the site once social distancing measures are lifted,” said Brian Sutherland, director of development, Argo Development Corporation, and development lead for Lakeview Village. “It is deeply embedded in the vision of Lakeview Village to create a hub for arts and culture and to establish platforms for artists both during the construction process and within the future community. We see the arts as a central component to making Lakeview Village a vibrant and enjoyable place for residents and visitors.”