$60K public art contract up for bid

KELOWNA – A new public art project worth $60,000 will soon be commissioned to honour and inspire women recovering from addictions.

The artwork will be installed adjacent to a major public space planned for outside the Karis Supportive Housing Project that is expected to be completed next year.

According to Urban planner Pat McCormick, the piece will be located along a publicly accessible pathway and will pay homage to “women whose lives are in transition and recovery from addiction-related circumstances.”

“The artwork would be in a highly-visible location and easily accessed from the park, and as such is considered by staff to be a positive addition to the public realm.”

The specific design of the artwork will be chosen by an open, two-stage competition open to any artist who wishes to apply. Short-listed proposals would be reviewed by city staff and assessed for constructability and long-term maintenance issues.

The budget for the piece will be $60,000 with the city paying half from the 2015 Public Art allocation. The remaining $30,000 will be paid by the developer.

Artists interesting in applying for the contract should visit the City of Kelowna public art website and fill out the application.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.