The Arts Council here has announced the release of its revised edition of A Guide to Public Art in Guelph.
First published in 1998 with an update in 2002, the brochure features a sampling of works of public art in the city, including many in downtown and University of Guelph locations, in local churches and other areas of the city. Historical and contemporary works are highlighted. It is a publication that residents and visitors can use to discover some of Guelph’s artistic treasures.
The publication of the brochure marks the completion of the public art awareness project that Arts Council launched in the summer of 2008.
Also part of the project was the compilation of an inventory of public art in Guelph and research to support the development of a municipal public art policy. The overall aim of the project was to build greater awareness of and appreciation for public art in Guelph, and to draw attention to the role art can play in creating a sense of place which, more and more, is considered to be the making of great cities.
It is also Arts Council’s hope the project will have the longer-term effect of encouraging the creation of new public art as part of civic and other building plans, as well as increasing support for and recognition of local artists as key players in Guelph’s uniqueness.
The public art inventory can be viewed at the Guelph Arts Council office, 147 Wyndham Street North – Suite 404. Copies of the brochure are also available at the office or at various retail and other outlets in the community.
