A new butterfly garden is being created in Orillia’s J. B. Tudhope Memorial Park and the city is looking for a showpiece artwork to set it off.
A call has gone out to local artists for proposals.
The habitat garden is being designed for pollinating insects and will be located at the park entrance along Atherley Road.
The project has a $5,000 budget. This is inclusive of all materials, labour, supplies, and installation costs associated with the artist’s work.
“City staff and the Art in a Public Places Committee are excited to add more art to Orillia’s landscape,” says Jacqueline Soczka, Orillia’s Manager of Culture. “We want to create, through this project, a distinctive focal point or showpiece that captures the essence of the garden.”
The piece should be dynamic, building on the site’s landscaping and design, using the info provided by the City of Orillia, along with the artist’s experience and expertise.
The work must be:
- constructed of durable material;
- safe and suitable for all ages;
- maintenance-free;
- resistant to the elements;
- original to the artist(s).
The artwork can be a singular piece or multiple pieces clustered in a pod. Interactive components are encouraged, though not required provided they meet the other criteria and the conditions set out in the City of Orillia’s Art in Public Places Policy.
The call is open to local artists residing in Orillia or bordering municipalities of Severn, Oro-Medonte, Ramara and Rama only.
The deadline to submit a proposal is July 17, 2020 at 4 pm.
Further details on the call can be found at orillia.ca/publicart.
Orillia received notification of its official status as a Bee City, a designation provided by Bee City Canada, in June 2019.
The designation acknowledges the efforts of residents and the City to bring awareness to the need for healthy, sustainable habitats for pollinators.