Calling all visual artists and creative teams! The Town of Huntsville is seeking interest and qualifications from artists or artist teams to create a permanent work or works of art for Kent Park, a prominent space in the heart of downtown Huntsville.
Together with members of Muskoka Arts and Crafts Inc., the Downtown Huntsville BIA, Huntsville/Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce, Huntsville Art Society, and Huntsville Festival of the Arts, the Town is inviting qualified visual artists with a connection and/or understanding of the area’s local history and culture to submit to the Kent Park Public Art Project Call for Artists for a permanent outdoor work or works of art at Kent Park.
“The Town of Huntsville recognizes the important role public art plays in placemaking, creating vibrant, engaging spaces that spark dialogue and delight, attract visitors and residents, create a sense of civic pride, and increase opportunities for legitimate loitering,” says Jacqueline Surette, Manager of Recreation, Culture and Heritage at the Town of Huntsville, “The Kent Park Public Art Project is meant to add to the Park’s vibrancy and capture the unique and iconic characteristic of Huntsville, inspired by feedback from our community.”
In 2022, the Town of Huntsville consulted residents on how a work of art might activate and enhance Kent Park and best reflect the unique and iconic character of Huntsville. Responses included: Muskoka-themed; inclusive of nature, reflective of the outdoors, wildlife, trees, rocks, and water; historical components; interactive and/or functional; photo opportunity.
The work(s) should capture the adventurous and creative spirit of Huntsville, inspired by the rugged Muskoka landscape weaving itself in and around the town. It should build on the physical and historical characteristics of the site itself and foster a sense of place that inspires people to come together to create, celebrate, or simply enjoy the area’s natural beauty.
Kent Park is a popular gathering space for community members and events, and is located at the corner of Brunel Rd. and Main St. E., in the heart of downtown Huntsville. The site was revitalized as part of the Town of Huntsville’s Downtown Streetscape Project and offers a range of possibilities for two- or three-dimensional works of art in terms of size, shape, and artistic media of a permanent nature. The final work will be designed in consultation with the Town and its partners on this Call for Artists.
All qualified visual artists of all artistic styles are encouraged to apply, particularly those with experience leading and completing permanent public art projects that are innovative, functional, durable, inclusive and accessible. The selected artist(s) will also have a clear connection and/or understanding of the area’s local history and culture along with the demonstrated ability to successfully manage all aspects of the creative process.
The budget for this public art project is $50,000, inclusive of applicable taxes, and is funded in part by the Public Art Reserve and Municipal Accommodation Tax Reserve, which collect funds through the sale of artwork in the Town’s two galleries and from overnight stays at local tourist accommodations, respectively.
Submission materials must be submitted online at myhuntsville.ca by Sunday, May 26, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
For more information on this call, including submission requirements, the selection process, and project timelines, visit myhuntsville.ca.
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“The work(s) should capture the adventurous and creative spirit of Huntsville, inspired by the rugged Muskoka landscape weaving itself in and around the town.” Grandiose indeed! There is more to the statement, but no need to reiterate what can be read in the release.
Does anyone else see the irony in that statement? Some of the very people who were involved with the creation of ‘Tombstone Territory’ aka Kent Park, are the same ones seeking, might I say, redemption! For me that is one cold, hard street corner.
Please don’t misconstrue the intent of my comment, because I’m with council this time. The search to make this famous corner a part of the community is paramount. But art!! We live surrounded by the real thing; trees and rocks and grass and wildflowers. Which was eradicated. I hold an ersatz nature display would be a shortcoming. And we must be ever conscious of the elephant in the room.
I wrote before that the people offering to re-present this park for the town and for us will need “An open mind. A sense of space. A critical eye. A beating heart. Maybe even a little bit of soul.”
Can you get that for $50,000.00. It took 3x that to destroy it?
But with all that having been said, I’m rooting for you!
The only visual art required is the art of nature — shade trees and, of course, a pine, which can be decorated over the Christmas holidays.
It was disheartening to see a “PINE IN THE PAIL” used this year — sure, it cost the town $1,000 to purchase and install — could have made a real investment in natural art by purchasing a “PINE IN THE DIRT” for the same price, I am sure!
Rob Saunders, I agree.
Also, if the $50,000. was spent on replacing the grass & big shade trees we had, that would definitely invite people back to the former Kent Park. It is no longer a ‘park’.
With being totally Rock and hardscape, it’s been named a ‘Quarry’ unfortunately.
Putting art among rocks will not make it more ‘park’ like.
Look at pictures of Kent Park taken when it was chosen for a movie set; it had a huge evergreen (Xmas) tree & was so green, natural & inviting.
In Summer families bought ice cream & brought children to run on the grass & others relaxed under trees. It provided a peaceful ‘quiet area’ for husbands & others to wait for their shoppers to unhurriedly cruise the shops. If we wanted to decrease sales, this is one way.
Will all those boulders be staying right where they are, or is there the option of moving or removing one or more to accommodate a site-specific installation? Is that as easy as filling in and tiling over the cavity when a rock is removed and/or cutting a new hole in the tiles?
Further to earlier comments I made when Kent Park was being discussed, while I fully support the outreach to call for public art installations, the park will not fully encourage ‘legitimate loitering’ until it creates shade options. Most places I have traveled in recent years have vibrant public spaces using sail shaped cloth or vinyl straps supported on poles around the perimeter. They offer sun if you want and shade if you chose. Until there is a shade option in Kent Park it will not reach its potential, ( with all due respect to the growth rate of shade trees)
Sails can also be a very artistic addition to the space!!