Located in downtown Toronto, east of the Don River and Don Valley Parkway and north of Queen Street East, the new two and a half acre park is bound by Davies Street on its west flank, Thompson Street on its south, Munro Street on its east and Matilda Street on its north.
Designed by the renowned Toronto-based landscape architectural firm, Janet Rosenberg + Associates, its theme of “Urban River” is a nod to the geographical and cultural heritage of the Don River that historically defined the area. To be completed in July 2012, the park includes pathways lined by river plantings, sinuous benches, a shady tree grove area, grassed mounds, a water feature and children’s play space, a community planting area, a market space, multi-functional courts and various soft surface areas.
Cultural Services views the context and parameter of this new park project as an opportunity to commission an artist or artist team to create an outdoor public art work concept scheme, which further animates the landscape as a community green space and activity space for children, families and the public at large.
For the public art component, to be installed by Spring 2013, a specially convened independent Selection Panel made up of practicing arts professionals and community representatives will select the winning concept scheme through a two-stage open competition. The art production budget, including all fees, materials, technologies, fabrication and installation costs, is $149,000.00 (excluding HST).
For the first stage of the competition, Toronto Cultural Services invites local and national artists or artist teams to respond to this Expression of Interest (EOI) by submitting the following:
- Resume(s) in text form
- Artist(s) statement in text form outlining interest in the project and experience (max. 1 page)
- 6 to 8 digital images of recent, relevant work in the following format:
- jpg images on a PC compatible CD-R
- each maximum of 1024 x 768 pixels
- each resolution of 72 dpi
- each maximum of 1 MB
- each RGB, sRGB or grayscale colour mode files only (no CMYK)
- caption each jpg with number, your name and title of work
* Please label the CD-R with your name.
- An “Image Information” sheet that details per image: number, artist(s) name, title, date, medium, dimensions. Please be sure the number on the list matches the number of the jpeg image.
- If desired, include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for return of submission material.
Submissions by email are NOT accepted.
Submissions must be received by FRIDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2012 at 4:00 p.m. via mail or hand-delivered to:
Toronto Cultural Services
City Hall
100 Queen Street West
East Tower, 9th floor
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
Attention: Janet Wardleworth
Please note: Artists are NOT asked to submit proposals at this first stage of the competition.
A short list of 3 to 5 artists will be selected during the first stage of the competition. For the second stage each artist will be paid a fee to develop a project proposal based on a Terms of Reference document provided by the Public Art Office of Cultural Services. A public open house exhibition of the short listed designs and final design selection will be held at a date and place to be announced.
The Public Art Office of Cultural Services in collaboration with Parks, Forestry & Recreation Division of the City of Toronto, administers the public art project.
