Indigenous public art to be showcased on Pelmewash Parkway
The Lake Country Public Art Commission has released a Public Art Call for an outdoor permanent Indigenous public art installation along the Pelmewash Parkway.
“The goal of this public art project is to provide an opportunity for Indigenous Okanagan artists to create and implement artworks that will enhance the Pelmewash Parkway corridor,” said Sharon McCoubrey, Chair of the Public Art Advisory Commission. “The project offers an opportunity for Indigenous Okanagan artists to profile their history, culture and ideas. We anticipate the artwork will contribute to a unique sense of place that enriches the experience for residents and visitors enjoying the public amenities along Pelmewash Parkway.”
The lead artist must have Syilx ancestry.
The project budget is $80,000 for all design, consulting, fabrication, installation, documentation and associated costs, funded from the Public Art Advisory Commission and ArtWalk.
“The Public Art Advisory Commission (PAAC) has been considering a public art project along Pelmewash Parkway since 2018,” said Ryan Donn, Cultural Development Coordinator for the District of Lake Country. “In the fall of 2018 PAAC scheduled a tour of Pelmewash Parkway with Indigenous artists David Wilson and Mariel Belanger to encourage a conversation about the most respectful way to work with the Indigenous community. The group then invited guests from the Okanagan Indian Band and Lake Country Heritage and Cultural Society to receive their feedback on the Commission’s ideas for public art at various locations along Pelmewash Parkway.”
The parkway is the former Highway 97 section that was turned into a municipal road after the new four lane section of highway opened in Lake Country in 2013.
The Commission expressed a desire to celebrate and educate through art to build awareness of the historical Indigenous use of the Pelmewash Parkway corridor.
Criteria for artist selection, stages of the project and deadlines can be found on the District of Lake Country website at www.lakecountry.bc.ca/publicart