Province puts up $100K to get more art into public places on P.E.I.

The P.E.I. government has set aside $100,000 over the next two years to develop a public art policy for the province.

Michelle MacCallum, director of cultural development with Innovation PEI, says it will enable the province to commission and acquire public art for government sites such as hospitals, schools and parks.

"I love seeing artwork all over our province," she said.  

"I think about how much it delights and engages and sometimes challenges people when they come upon public art."

Different than art bank

MacCallum said it will also be another opportunity for Island artists to display their work and earn money from it.

She said it will be different from the provincial art bank.

"This is more specific to sites. So if we were building a new school or some kind of provincial government office building, if you think about it, the building in and of itself is a public entity. But there's nothing, there's no art around it. It doesn't say anything about it, about the people that use it, about what it's for," MacCallum said.

"So public art is there to augment the site specifically rather than just acquiring a catalog of the best of art, which is what the art bank does."

Selected by jury

MacCallum said they will consult with architects and developers of potential sites, then put out request for proposals. The art will be selected by a jury.

She said there are a few sites being considered, but it's too soon to disclose the locations.

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