York Region Arts Council (YRAC) in collaboration with Markham Public Art is proud to announce the launch of the pilot granting program entitled “Our Park”: Community Art Project Grant.
The objective of “Our Park” is to support a new performance-based temporary art project by a local Markham artist, artist group or arts organization for a community park in Markham. Ada Mackenzie Park (185 South Park Rd.) has been identified as an optimal site for the pilot project. Following an open call to artists, a winning project will be selected by a panel of relevant professionals. The winning project will then be realized in the selected park in spring of 2023 and open to the public for free.
MARKHAM RESIDENTS – We want your input to create this “Our Park” project together. Please complete this survey to include your feedback. It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
“Our Park” grant aims to provide funding to Markham-based professional artists, arts organizations, artist collectives, and non-profit organizations to create and present free arts programming in selected parks located in Markham. For the purposes of this program, “arts programming” may include the presentation of dance, literary arts, music, theatre, visual and media arts, community-engaged arts, and other fields of artistic practice. The selection of parks will prioritize areas in Markham that have less public art investment.
This funding is made possible with the Markham Public Art Program.
“Our Park” will provide a rare opportunity for Markham based artists/arts organizations to create and produce a new body of work to be presented in public spaces in collaboration with the community it will be created for. The program encourages community building, enjoyment of local parks, and offers arts events for residents and tourists of all ages.
YRAC is excited to pilot this project in partnership with Markham Public Art and looks forward to modeling this pilot project in other municipalities in the near future!
TIMELINES:
JUNE – JULY 17 2022 – MARKHAM Resident Survey #1
AUGUST 2022 – OCTOBER 2022 Artist Request For Proposals (RFP)
NOVEMBER 2022 – AWARD ANNOUNCED TO WINNING ARTIST
DECEMBER 2022 – APRIL 2023 – CREATION TO REALIZATION STAGE
MAY 2022 – LAUNCH PUBLIC ART ACTIVATION IN ADA MACKENZIE PARK, MARKHAM
MARKHAM ARTISTS – The Request for Proposals will launch in AUGUST 2022.
The Project Page and Submission Portal will be available on YourVoiceMarkham. Click the link below to visit the Project Page for the Artist Submission Portal:
