16 Public artworks in six months

Published on Monday, 6 July 2020 at 12:33:53 PM

Vincent is on the cusp of a public art bonanza, with 16 new artworks set to be created as part of the City’s push to help local artists get through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City has allocated more than $151,000 to local artists to create public art that speaks to what it is like to live through a life-altering global pandemic.
The arts relief grants are set to transform public art offerings across Vincent, with the new projects including sculptures, dance, film, literature, performance art, mural art and music.

“Over the next six months Vincent will become a canvas for public art that reflects our experiences of COVID-19,” said Mayor Emma Cole.

“Sculptures will remind us of the importance of staying connected while being physically distant and paintings will depict our empty streets at the height of the lockdown.

“Musicians will share their passion with a captive audience, dancers will perform across the city and filmmakers will document this time for generations to come."

“Community members will be invited to write poetry, attend sports broadcasting workshops and play a specially created video game that reflects life during the pandemic.”

The City has been able to offer the grants by drawing on $500,000 of reserve arts funding collected through the Percent for Art scheme.  Under the scheme, property developers are required to spend a portion of their budget on public art or have art commissioned on their behalf by a local government. Vincent was the first local government in WA to introduce a Percent for Art policy.

“Art is such an important part of who we are in Vincent and we are in the fortunate position of being able to draw on this reserve funding to support our local creatives,” said Mayor Cole.

“Few industries have been spared the economic pain inflicted by COVID-19, but for our arts industry, the pandemic has been particularly devastating. Our talented artists were left without an income or job security as events and projects were cancelled en masse.  

“These grants will not only help an industry that has been brought to its knees by coronavirus, but they will also transform Vincent into an even more vibrant place to live and visit.”

Further opportunities for bigger public art commissions are being developed by the City to help artists affected by COVID-19. Details will be released in the coming weeks.

Successful arts relief grant projects

Recipient

Amount

Artform

Description

Liz Gray

$9600

Visual arts

Five physically distant copper figures depicting a range of characters. The figures may be 1.5m apart, but they will still interact.

Nunzio Mondia, Avalon Jacks & Richard Braham

$24,180

Music/ film

A music video/documentary that captures the impacts of COVID-19 on community members and artists. The project will offer future generations a glimpse into people’s feelings.

Tanya Schultz (Pip n Pop)

$9871

Visual arts

The transformation of an empty shop space into an excessive celebratory dreamscape, filled with materials such as sugar, glitter, modelling clay, sequins, rhinestones and tinsel.

Joy Collective

$4738

Mural

A mural reflecting the challenges facing the community after COVID-19, reminding people of the importance of self-care and community.

Jennifer Jamieson

$5000

Visual arts/performance

A neon sign with the words “looking for eye contact” positioned above two seats that are 1.5m apart. The seats will face each other and the artist will periodically sit in one of them.

Jane Coffey

$9500

Visual arts

Three oil paintings that reflect our town centres when they were stripped of people during lockdown. The works will encourage the community to think differently about these spaces.

Maddie Godfrey

$3946

Literature

A series of poetry workshops to empower members of the public to write their own poems. The lessons will revolve around the themes of belonging, home and identity.

RTR FM

$10,000

Music

As part of the View from Here series, local bands will play short sets in unique spaces across Vincent. The sets will be filmed, edited and streamed on social media over four weeks.

Paula Hart

$10,000

Sculpture

Columns of aluminium sheeting featuring a cut-out snowflake-style pattern. The light inside will create extraordinary shadows and patterns.

Matt Aitken

$10,000

Theatre

Free sports broadcasting workshops for footy dieheards who want to form a commentary team. The team will have a go at commentating two live AFL games.

Perth International Jazz Festival

$10,000

Music

A free community event designed to help spread jazz to the general public and support local artists after a particularly challenging period.

Roly Skender and Kate Rae

$20,000

Sculpture

A series of sculptures that play with notions of physical distance, social connection and collective belonging.

Kaela Halatau and Stephanie Senior

$7040

Film/

dance

A dance film that follows the emotional connection between a couple, with meetings between the pair set in small businesses, venues and public spaces in Vincent.

Sarah Chopra

$655

Craft

A large face mask for Beseech (the Big Blue Head outside Vincent HQ) to wear over the next few months.

Alice McCullagh and Sonny Yang

$7372

 

Comedy/

new media

An absurdist video game that reflects our reality over the past few months. It will include the dramatisation of every day events, such as dealing with supply shortages in grocery stores.

Leah Grant

$9471

Music

An EP created in the artist’s home studio. The process will be captured for a mini-documentary and the EP will be available for free and performed lived once recording has finished.

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