Winter Garden art installations returning to downtown Brandon

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This article was published 25/11/2017 (821 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winter Garden 2018 has put out an open call for artists, architects and designers interested in creating temporary art installations in downtown Brandon.

After a successful pilot project last year, organizers are bringing it back this winter.

"We really want people to engage with their city and imagine possibilities for public art," said Chris Cooper, art educator at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba and Winter Garden project co-ordinator. "The Winter Gardens are a way to bring community members together. They spark dialogue, there’s a lot of different themes and topics than can be explored in the idea of a winter garden."

The gardens are meant to be places of reflection and activity, to encourage community engagement in arts and culture. The deadline for proposals

is Dec. 14. Artists are asked to consider possibilities for community interaction.

"The Winter Garden installations give people an opportunity to imagine ways that underused green spaces and pathways can come alive in the winter, reducing feelings of isolation during cold winter months, and discover new ways to connect with community," states the project summary.

The project is co-produced by the Winter Garden Organizing Committee and Storefront Manitoba. Potential sites for the installation include Brandon City Hall, YMCA, McDiarmid Civic Complex, Global Market and the future home of Brandon University’s downtown campus at the corner of Ninth Street and Princess Avenue.

"Anybody can apply — artists … teams of artists, combined with other individuals, community members, even businesses," Cooper said. "We definitely encourage people from all different disciplines."

While all sorts of ideas are welcome, there are a few topics organizers hope to include, such as Indigenous themes, safe spaces, community mental health and physical well-being.

"We’re really curious to see how an artist would approach some of those themes," Cooper said. "Also, I think a really important aspect to the project is that it can provide a platform for voices that are not always heard in the landscape."

Cooper said they received a lot of positive feedback about the project last year, and are excited to build on that momentum.

"Anybody that wants to get involved is welcome to help in some way," Cooper said. "Even if they’re not putting in a proposal, there’s lots of opportunities."

A jury will consider all proposals and announce the winning submissions Dec. 20.

"We work with them and help them to bring everything to fruition, and over December/January is the creation/installation period and then everything will open early February," she said.

For full competition info, visit storefrontmb.ca/winter-garden.

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