Public Art Planning

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Share your vision and ideas for public art in Prince Edward County!

Through this Have Your Say forum and many upcoming engagement opportunities, County Arts and the municipality are excited to hear your vision and ideas for public art in Prince Edward County.

Public art can help define, reflect, and celebrate our stories and collective identity; create welcoming, safe, and inclusive public spaces; foster civic pride, community cohesion, a sense of belonging, reflection, and shared stewardship of our public spaces; increase access to arts experiences for all community members; and so much more.

The information we gather from the community and key stakeholders this fall will inform the municipality’s strategy for managing public art for many years to come. Thank you for participating!

What is public art?

At its core, public art is created by or through artist-led projects and located in freely-accessible public sites. Installations and activations can be permanent or temporary, and range widely in scope and scale. Public art can play a key role in placemaking and is often created specifically for a particular site (see “Site specific” definition below).

Public art can take many forms - from murals and sculptures to festivals and light installations and can be incorporated into landscape design, streetscaping and wayfinding elements, and more. It is created by artists or through artist-led projects. Public art can be acquired/created through commissions (e.g. by a municipality, private developer, businesses, etc.), donations, or initiated by the community.

Public art can be:

  • Site specific - A work that is created as a response to its immediate context and which would lose its meaning, function or relevance if moved to another location.
  • Independent - A freestanding work that is created independent of its site, and that could be moved to another location without losing its meaning and aesthetic qualities.
  • Integrated - A work that is directly integrated within the physical architecture or structure of a site. Integrated artworks may be functional and part of the design of open space, infrastructure projects, built form and building façades, windows, surfaces, streetscape, etc.

Background

Following the events that transpired in 2020 around the donated "Holding Court" sculpture that had been installed on Picton Main Street, County Council passed Motion 2020-667. Among other things, this motion directed municipal staff to develop a public art policy for Prince Edward County in consultation with the Prince Edward County Arts Council (County Arts).

At the July 27, 2023 Committee of the Whole meeting Council voted to:

“Place a temporary 18-month moratorium on permanent public art installations on municipal property until a Public Art Plan and Policy are in place;

Develop and adopt procedures to govern requests for temporary public art installations on municipal property until a Public Art Plan and Policy is in place; and

Direct staff to commence extensive public consultation, led by County Arts, to inform the Public Art planning process, and return to Council in Q4 2024 with a draft Public Art Plan, prepared by County Arts with staff support, to inform the future Public Art Policy for Prince Edward County.”

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Banner image - from L-R - 1. Wisdom of the Universe, Christi Belcourt (St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Picton); 2. Silent Expectation, Philippe Palafray (Wellington Heritage Museum); 3. Do You Belong Here: Open Minds Open Hearts, Artists from ROC Youth Services supported by County Arts Facilitators (Benson Park, Picton); 4. The Department of Illumination's Firelight Lantern Festival; 5. "Wellington" Picnic Table, Nella Casson/The Department of Illumination.

Project image - Bloomfield Star, Laurie McGugan (Bloomfield)

Share your vision and ideas for public art in Prince Edward County!

Through this Have Your Say forum and many upcoming engagement opportunities, County Arts and the municipality are excited to hear your vision and ideas for public art in Prince Edward County.

Public art can help define, reflect, and celebrate our stories and collective identity; create welcoming, safe, and inclusive public spaces; foster civic pride, community cohesion, a sense of belonging, reflection, and shared stewardship of our public spaces; increase access to arts experiences for all community members; and so much more.

The information we gather from the community and key stakeholders this fall will inform the municipality’s strategy for managing public art for many years to come. Thank you for participating!

What is public art?

At its core, public art is created by or through artist-led projects and located in freely-accessible public sites. Installations and activations can be permanent or temporary, and range widely in scope and scale. Public art can play a key role in placemaking and is often created specifically for a particular site (see “Site specific” definition below).

Public art can take many forms - from murals and sculptures to festivals and light installations and can be incorporated into landscape design, streetscaping and wayfinding elements, and more. It is created by artists or through artist-led projects. Public art can be acquired/created through commissions (e.g. by a municipality, private developer, businesses, etc.), donations, or initiated by the community.

Public art can be:

  • Site specific - A work that is created as a response to its immediate context and which would lose its meaning, function or relevance if moved to another location.
  • Independent - A freestanding work that is created independent of its site, and that could be moved to another location without losing its meaning and aesthetic qualities.
  • Integrated - A work that is directly integrated within the physical architecture or structure of a site. Integrated artworks may be functional and part of the design of open space, infrastructure projects, built form and building façades, windows, surfaces, streetscape, etc.

Background

Following the events that transpired in 2020 around the donated "Holding Court" sculpture that had been installed on Picton Main Street, County Council passed Motion 2020-667. Among other things, this motion directed municipal staff to develop a public art policy for Prince Edward County in consultation with the Prince Edward County Arts Council (County Arts).

At the July 27, 2023 Committee of the Whole meeting Council voted to:

“Place a temporary 18-month moratorium on permanent public art installations on municipal property until a Public Art Plan and Policy are in place;

Develop and adopt procedures to govern requests for temporary public art installations on municipal property until a Public Art Plan and Policy is in place; and

Direct staff to commence extensive public consultation, led by County Arts, to inform the Public Art planning process, and return to Council in Q4 2024 with a draft Public Art Plan, prepared by County Arts with staff support, to inform the future Public Art Policy for Prince Edward County.”

----

Banner image - from L-R - 1. Wisdom of the Universe, Christi Belcourt (St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Picton); 2. Silent Expectation, Philippe Palafray (Wellington Heritage Museum); 3. Do You Belong Here: Open Minds Open Hearts, Artists from ROC Youth Services supported by County Arts Facilitators (Benson Park, Picton); 4. The Department of Illumination's Firelight Lantern Festival; 5. "Wellington" Picnic Table, Nella Casson/The Department of Illumination.

Project image - Bloomfield Star, Laurie McGugan (Bloomfield)

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Public Art Planning Survey

    Thank you for taking the time to provide your input on the County of Prince Edward's public art planning process.

    The survey is estimated to take 5-10 minutes to complete. 

    The survey closes at 4 pm on Monday, November 13, 2023.

    If you would like to answer the survey by phone or in writing, connect with us:

    • Request a paper copy of the survey by calling 613.476.2148 extension 1009. We will provide a postage-paid envelope to return the survey to Shire Hall.
    • Complete the survey over the phone with County staff by calling 613.476.2148.


    Hard copies of the survey can also be picked up at Shire Hall (332 Picton Main Street, Picton).

    Your feedback will be shared with County staff and County Arts representatives. A summary of feedback will be available on the Have Your Say project page in early 2024.

    Notice of Collection

    All information received will be compiled and considered by staff for use under the purposes of this site. Information will be collected and used in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other relevant privacy legislation. All comments made on this site are available to the public and may form part of public records.

    Take Survey
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Page last updated: 21 Dec 2023, 12:33 PM