MRC Pontiac is making moves to expand the kinds of artworks it hosts at its office in Campbell’s Bay, and is now inviting proposals for three-dimensional pieces that would be installed outside its building’s front doors.
At its Sept. 17 meeting, the council of mayors approved the opening of a call for submissions to commission a sculpture for this purpose. The sculpture must be under two meters in height, one and a half square meters in footprint, and under a budget of $4,000. It must also be made of durable, “low-maintenance” materials. The application form also asks candidates to describe how the work would “represent the unique character of the Pontiac region”, as well as construction and installation details.
MRC Pontiac socio-economic development coordinator Sabrina Ayers explained the MRC wanted to diversify the types of art it showcases at its office, which to date has consisted mostly of paintings and wall-hangings.
“One thing that we’ve noted in the last few calls for projects is that over the years, we’ve gotten a lot of oil paintings,” she said. “They are lovely and we love them, but we will eventually run out of wall space, so one of the objectives within the management of our acquisition policy is to reflect the diversity [local] artists. [ . . . ] We wanted to try and diversify our collection a little bit.”
The submissions will be evaluated by the cultural followup committee, which includes elected officials, MRC staff and representatives of local cultural organizations.
The full list of criteria is available on the MRC’s website, and the deadline for applications is Nov. 14 at noon. For more information contact Marie Gionet, economic development officer for culture at: 819-648-5689 ext. 129 or m.gionet@mrcpontiac.qc.ca.
