Call for Proposals

Confederation Centre Art Gallery: Call for Proposals for Permanent Public Art Work, Deadline July 15

Confederation Centre Art Gallery seeks submissions from Canadian artists for permanent outdoor sculpture

The Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG) is seeking preliminary proposal submissions from Canadian artists for a landmark permanent outdoor artwork to be installed on the plaza of the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, P.E.I. The work, to be completed and unveiled by July 2014, will commemorate the Confederation Centre's 50th anniversary. The work should respond to the Centre's mandate to celebrate the evolution of the country and to inspire through the visual arts, an appreciation, understanding, and enjoyment of Canada's diverse cultural heritage through an enhancement of the Centre's public space. The selected work would update and complement existing outdoor sculptures and architecture. This is a major, national-level commission, with projects able to draw upon a commission budget of up to $200,000 for artist fees, fabrication, engineering consultation, shipping, and installation expenses. Preliminary proposal submissions are due July 15, 2012.

Selection will be determined through a two-tier process. An advisory council with national representation will select a shortlist of approximately five proposals in August 2012. Shortlisted artists will be asked to provide further elaboration of proposals, as well as models, by October 2012. Shortlisted proposals will be exhibited in December 2012. Public input, final selection and budget approval will follow early in 2013.

About the Confederation Centre of the Arts:

Confederation Centre of the Arts was founded in 1964 as Canada's National Memorial to the Fathers of Confederation, who gathered at Province House in 1864 to discuss the creation of our country.

Every Canadian played a part in the establishment of the Centre: each province and the federal government committed 15 cents per capita for a total of $5.6-million to construct the huge building. This was the first time that all provinces agreed to give money for an institution outside their boundaries.

Covering an entire city block, the Centre stands on what was the site of the old Charlottetown marketplace. It houses several theatres, an art gallery, restaurant, and a gift shop. Open year-round, it showcases the best in Canadian visual and performing arts.

Confederation Centre is the result of a dream shared by all Canadians - to create a place where our country's history and multicultural character is celebrated, and where the talents of its people are nurtured and showcased.

Submission Requirements

Eligibility

    The 2014 Confederation Centre of the Arts 50th Anniversary Public Sculpture Commission is open to Canadian artists. To be eligible, artists must be Canadian citizens or have permanent residency status in Canada.
    Only artists with a record of experience in the creation of permanent public art will be considered for the commission.


Requirements

    Proposals must be for permanent works that will take into account seasonal conditions and be viewable for the whole year.
    They must also be accessible at all times of the day. Lighting and durability must therefore be considerations for all submissions.
    Proposals should present limited ongoing costs and maintenance requirements.
    Successful proposals need not necessarily be monumental in scale, but should have a significant visual impact on the environment of the Confederation Centre plaza and architecture.
    Proposals should respond to the Confederation Centre's mandate, representing excellence in Canadian contemporary art, as well as its existing architectural and sculptural context. They should also consider the thematics around the Centre's role as a national cultural centre and monument to Canadian confederation.
    Preference will be given to new works that respond to the specifics of the commission.
    Proposals must ultimately meet safety standards, electrical codes and other reasonable feasibility requirements for acceptance.


Proposal Package and Submission Details

All materials must be received by mail, postmarked by July 15, 2012.
Please provide:
-Drawings/images (maximum 5 pages) showing components of the work proposed, and how and where it will be placed on the Confederation Centre plaza.
-A written statement about the proposal (theme, fabrication and process details, relationship to artist's practice, to site, etc.), maximum one page.
-A proposed budget.
-Annotated images sent on a CD or DVD (maximum 20 images), identifying materials, dimensions, year, and brief description (maximum 100 words per work described).
-Artist's CV with record of public art experience.
Please note that materials cannot be returned if sent from outside of Canada.

Artists who wish further information on the commission can contact:
Tamara Gough at tgough@confederationcentre.com.

Address Submission Materials to:
2014 Public Art Commission
Confederation Centre Art Gallery
Attn: Kevin Rice, Director
145 Richmond Street
Charlottetown, PEI
C1A 1J1