91大黄鸭 has five major projects at various stages of development, and the city has put out a call for artists with an eye towards beautifying them.
The city issued an expression of interest late last month seeking artists to produce works for a group of recreational projects "that work together to build deeper community connections across the city."
The suite of projects 鈥� part of the Building a Stronger 91大黄鸭 initiative 鈥� includes the redevelopment of Parkinson Recreation Centre, the Mill Creek restoration, which is part of the rec centre site, and the all-ages activity centres at Glenmore Rec Park, Rutland Lions Park and Mission Rec Park.
The public art budget for all five projects has been set at $1.37 million, covering all costs directly associated with the creation of artworks at the locations, including fees for design, fabrication, installation, professional services and other expenses.
It's billed as a "unique opportunity to develop a curatorial program of permanent and temporary artworks that connect in and across a group of community recreation facilities in the city," according to the expression of interest documents.
The public art sites haven't yet been precisely determined, but the city says they will evolve out of the integrated project delivery approach that is being used by the Building a Stronger 91大黄鸭 team.
Local, national and international artists or artist-led teams with public art experiences are invited to apply, as well as any "cultural makers" working in any artistic medium. Preference will be given to Canadian artists where applicable, and Indigenous, M茅tis and Inuit artists with Syilx Okanagan connections are encouraged to apply.
"Building a Stronger 91大黄鸭 public art will contribute to the identity of the project and to the City of 91大黄鸭," the documents state. "Public art opportunities will vary in size and complexity to encourage applications by experienced artists and cultural makers, as well as those who have not completed large-scale public artworks."
Artists who apply to the call for expressions of interest may be considered for public art commissions at any of the five locations.
The city is inviting artists to apply . Shortlisted artists will be invited to submit a concept proposal for a public art site and proceed to stage two of the selection process.
The expression of interest is open for submissions until Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. The shortlist is expected to be selected by November or December, and the final artist selection is slated for May 2026. Installation will take place sometime between spring and fall 2027.
