River Passage by Lorna Jordan. (2014)
Earlier this week, Ward 14 Councillor Peter Demong suggested that a freeze should be put on public art spending, until the economy improves. Currently, one per cent of all capital spending in the city goes towards public art projects. Many, including Mayor Naheed Nenshi have spoken out strongly against the proposal, suggesting that it could be an incredibly short-sighted measure that could have long-term negative effects on the city.
Public art can often be under appreciated. It’s easier for many to see the immediate impacts of budget items like transportation or infrastructure spending. However, a successful and happy city is many of many interlocking parts. The arts infuse Calgarians’ lives in so many beneficial ways. In a letter written by Calgary Arts Development Chair Dean Prodan to the city council, Prodan noted that “strong arts make for a better city”. Public arts have the opportunity to engage all residents of and visitors to a location, and greatly enrich their sense of place. While the cost of public art may be a small percentage of the budget, it has an enormous payoff in investing in the livability of a city.
Here are five notable pieces of recent public art in Calgary. All photos are taken from the City of Calgary Public Art home page.
Hawk Hill Sentinels by Beverly Pepper (2013).
Frozen River by Stephen Glassman (2014).
Chinook Arc by Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock (2014).
Incipio Modo by Danira Miralda, Rodolfo Miralda Bulnes, and Edward Beltran (2012).
Skywalk by Derek Besant (2004).
The motion is being debated by council on February 23rd. If you are interested in keeping public art in the city, you can contact your councillor here to ask them to vote against the proposal.
Update: As of the morning of February 23rd, the motion to suspend public art funding in Calgary has been defeated with a 9-5 vote by council. Hopefully this means that Calgary will continue to grow as a public art destination for years to come.