Artscape Atelier Launches More Than $100,000 in Paid Opportunities for Artists During COVID-19
Artists’ works will be displayed at the Lakeview Village development site in Mississaug
TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As the arts and culture sector across the GTA struggles to stay afloat during COVID-19, Artscape is taking a leadership role in seeking work opportunities for artists to help them thrive now and in the future. Today, Artscape is excited to announce the first of a series of paid work opportunities that will be developed together with one of its city-building partners Lakeview Community Partners Limited, through its initiative, Artscape Atelier. The first Call for Artist Proposals will generate over $100,000 in work for 17 artists at Lakeview Village, a vibrant 177-acre mixed-use community coming to Mississauga’s waterfront. The Call for Submissions for four distinct works is open to artists based in the Mississauga and Greater Toronto region, as well as within the Artscape artist community.
Artscape Atelier was conceived in 2019 to reimagine the relationship between artists and urban development by intentionally incorporating art into public spaces to create a sense of place and belonging. It has grown into a social enterprise dedicated to creating opportunities for artists to meaningfully participate in city-building and shape communities through site-specific public art, public realm and creative placemaking interventions.
Today, working together with Lakeview Community Partners Limited, Artscape Atelier is making a Call for Artists to create four distinct artworks for the project site, which include:
1. Construction Hoarding Illustration:
The first opportunity involves the creation of an illustrated “flipbook” that will be digitally printed across 400ft of construction hoarding to create the effect of an animation coming to life as community members walk, bike and drive across Lakeshore Blvd East and Hydro Road.
Budget: $17,000
Online Information Session: April 24 at 1pm EST
Deadline: April 29, 2020
2. Interactive Sculpture/Installation:
The second opportunity is a large-scale interactive sculpture / installation that will serve as a focal point in the midst of a field of one-million sunflowers, connecting the street-level to the view of Lake Ontario.
Budget: $40,000
Online Information Session: April 27 at 1pm EST
Deadline: May 8, 2020
3. Sunflower Lane Mural Wall Series:
The third opportunity invites 14 artists to create a 25ft x 8ft mural sharing ‘the message they believe the world needs to hear right now’. The mural creation process will be captured and shared with the public, and revealed later in the summer.
Budget: $3,000 per artist
Deadline: May 8, 2020
4. Original Poetry by Indigenous Artist
The fourth opportunity will be a collaboration with Indigenous leaders in Mississauga to identify a poet who will be commissioned to create an original work that speaks to the protection, reverence and sacred relationship to Lake Ontario. The poem will be printed on 50ft of construction hoarding alongside Lakeshore Blvd East.
Budget: $6,000
Artists can apply online at: https://creativeplacemakinglab.submittable.com. Information sessions on the sculpture and mural art projects will be shared online to answer questions artists may have during the application process. The process will integrate careful social distancing measures, including the digital creation of works offsite in the immediate term.
“Through our relationships with developers and artists, we are in a unique position to make a difference. We believe we have a responsibility to utilize our collective resources and connections to demonstrate leadership in this moment to help artists earn a living,” said Assaf Weisz, Chief Strategy Officer and Director, Creative Placemaking Lab, Artscape. “Our social enterprise, Artscape Atelier offers a tremendous opportunity for artists and urban developers to work together on creating a built environment that is not only functional, but contributes to the aesthetics of the community in a very positive way by turning the city into a giant canvas for creative expression.”
This project is part of an emerging relationship with Lakeview Community Partners Limited, the development group behind Lakeview Village. Lakeview Village will be Canada’s most transformative mixed-use waterfront community, bringing new life to Mississauga’s waterfront and connecting residents to this portion of Lake Ontario for the first time in decades. The 177-acre development will combine diverse residential options, including affordable housing for artists, with office space, retail and restaurants, trails, parks and green space, and cultural and recreational amenities – all connected to transit and the nearby 64-acre Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area.
“We are very excited to partner with Artscape, through its Artscape Atelier initiative, to create immediate opportunities for artists to earn income during this particularly difficult period, while creating works that will significantly beautify and create a sense of community around the site once social distancing measures are lifted,” said Brian Sutherland, Director of Development, Argo Development Corporation, and development lead for Lakeview Village. “It is deeply embedded in the vision of Lakeview Village to create a hub for arts and culture and to establish platforms for artists both during the construction process and within the future community. We see the arts as a central component to making Lakeview Village a vibrant and enjoyable place for residents and visitors.”
About Lakeview Community Partners Limited
Lakeview Community Partners Limited is a partnership of community builders that includes TACC Construction Limited, Greenpark Group, CCI Development Group, Branthaven and Argo Development Corporation. The partnership represents an unprecedented collaboration dedicated to transforming Mississauga’s waterfront through the development of Lakeview Village, a sustainable mixed-use community and all-season destination on the former site of the Lakeview Generating Station, a decommissioned coal-fired power plant. This transformative 177-acre revitalization project will revolutionize the way people live, visit and experience the waterfront through its thoughtful design and curated collection of housing, retail, office and recreational programming. For more information, visit www.mylakeviewvillage.com.
About Artscape Atelier
Conceived in 2019, Artscape Atelier is a social enterprise dedicated to creating opportunities for artists to meaningfully participate in city-building and shape communities through site-specific public art, public realm and creative placemaking interventions.
Since inception, Artscape Atelier has commissioned $190,000 worth of local artist work to create public art out of built infrastructure, such as park benches and bicycle racks, at the Zibi community development site in Gatineau, Quebec with developer DREAM Asset Management; and partnering with The Daniels Corporation to offer artists the paid opportunity to create over 1,300 unique welcome gifts to new condominium owners at Daniels City of the Arts and DuEast Tower in Regent Park. Learn more at creativeplacemaking.artscape.ca.
About Artscape
Artscape is a not-for-profit organization that makes space for creativity and transforms communities. Artscape’s projects, programs and services are designed to help creatives thrive while enhancing the communities around them to become more vibrant, inclusive and resilient.
Artscape is best known for its work as the developer/operator of a growing portfolio of 14 unique cultural facilities in Toronto—including community cultural hubs; multi-purpose creative spaces; artist live/work studio spaces; and 44 performance, exhibition and event spaces. Artscape’s work is accomplished through a range of social enterprises focusing on: real estate development; affordable housing and property management; performance and event facility management; makerspace management; entrepreneurship development; community animation and youth empowerment programming; as well as knowledge transfer, research and consulting services. Learn more at artscape.ca.
