Commission offered for art project
By Brenda Harwood - The Star | Posted:
Dunedin artists will have the chance to create a project bringing art and the natural world together through the third annual $5000 Environment Envoy commission.
Next year’s commission is being offered by Dunedin City Council and the Dunedin Dream Brokerage, and funded by Te Ao Turoa – Dunedin’s Environment Strategy.
Applications close on February 21.
An advisory panel will select a project to be realised before June, 2020, which will use vacant retail and public space in Dunedin city boundaries.
The project will need to have a strong public impact and be active for at least three weekends.
Broker Kate Schrader is the project co-ordinator for the second time, and is looking forward to helping artists to put their best foot forward with their application to the panel.
“This funding is an excellent opportunity for creatives, not only to develop an innovative concept, but also to showcase their artistry in a central space and perhaps launch something which will live on past the Envoy timeline,” Ms Schrader said.
Dunedin community sewing and textile up-cycling organisation Stitch Kitchen launched its 4KT Elephants project last year under the Environment Envoy banner.
The popular project has been picked up by organisations from Wanaka to Wellington.
Stitch Kitchen co-ordinators Fiona Clements and Fiona Jenkin said the Environment Envoy funding had allowed the project to go “from an idea to a reality”.
Ms Schrader was looking forward to seeing what creative ideas would be brought to light this year.
The announcement of the Environment Envoy commission comes as Ms Schrader looks back on a busy, successful year for the Dunedin Dream Brokerage.
“We have activated new spaces which have gone on to be leased, and are getting positive responses from building owners,” she said.
The Dunedin Dream Brokerage has facilitated 10 projects this year.
Ms Schrader is hoping for even more next year, starting with the Dunedin Fringe Festival.
“The more we do, the more we hear from different projects. It’s really thrilling.”