The Guelph Arts Council has announced that the 2017 Youth Opportunities Award will be shared among two applicants who will offer opportunities for youth in Guelph and Wellington County to become engaged in the arts.
The recipients are Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School and the Artsy Activists student group, both of whom will receive support to cover artistic fees related to their proposed projects.
Lourdes requested support for a unique and powerful opportunity for collaboration between manufacturing and visual arts students to create a found-metal sculpture for installation on the school property.
To be built from salvaged scrap metal, the sculpture will include some aspect of movable parts.
The students will be mentored by Barrie artist Ron Baird who specializes in kinetic sculpture, and has over 200 public sculptures to his credit. The resulting artwork will not only enhance the school’s campus and the adjacent neighbourhood
The Artsy Activists group submitted its application for assistance in establishing a discussion, art and action-based collective for youth, aged 14 to 19, including but not limited to LGBTQ2S+, female-identified, Indigenous, immigrant and youth of colour.
Led by three Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute Grade 11 students, Sequoia Kim, Elise Kephart and Sam Knight, the group aims to empower and inspire youth by incorporating art and activism through discussion and action, including through exhibitions, creating social justice-inspired and informative art, as well as publishing an Artsy Activists book.
The group also emphasized its project, designed by youth for youth, will show that youth working together can make a difference.
Established in 2009 to take the place of a previous youth awards program dating back to 1982, the Guelph Arts Council Youth Opportunities Award is intended to encourage programs that will initiate, enhance or expand opportunities for children and youth in Guelph and Wellington County to experience or become engaged in the arts.
Funds for the award come from the Guelph Arts Council Youth Opportunities Fund managed by the Guelph Community Foundation.
For more information about the award program, contact Guelph Arts Council at 519-836-3280 or administration@guelpharts.ca.
