Located on the unceded ancestral homelands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples, Britannia Community Centre is committed to supporting artworks that increase the visibility of these three Nations, and urban Indigenous peoples who live here.

Background
Britannia is a non-profit organization located in Vancouver on an 18-acre site with two schools, a public library, an ice arena, Indigenous Carving Pavilion and swimming pool. Our vision is to be a catalyst for social connection, capacity building and integration of services in our community while celebrating diversity, and enhancing the life and well-being of everyone who lives, works, and plays in our community. We operate from a holistic approach and offer members a broad range of programs and services that engage different abilities and interests across the life span. Our approach is grounded in social interaction, social development, recreation, sport, fitness, arts, culture, education, learning, nutrition and community connections. We promote the improved mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health of our community, recognizing that health is impacted by personal, social, economic, and environmental factors. We seek to create programs that encourage meaningful participation in our communities that may lead to social change. We strive to address social and historical inequities by advocating and acting in collaboration with vulnerable community members, and commit to Reconciliation.

Britannia invites artists to submit their ideas for public seating structures utilizing cedar logs. We are interested in proposals that enhance the šxʷqʷeləwən ct carving centre as a significant public space. This is an invitation for three (3) projects that create meaningful gestures for this important public space. We would like to support artists in the creation of new works and can provide the space in šxʷqʷeləwən ct, including new technology support and materials.
https://www.britanniacentre.org/facilities/community_centre/carving-centre

Goals for the Project

• Completion and installation of a public seating structure made up of cedar logs provided by Britannia;
• Hosting a minimum of one community engagement dialogue with the public. This dialogue can be online or in person depending current provincial health orders, and;
• Providing one artist talk with the public, online or in person depending on current provincial health orders.
• Providing three (3) $5,000 artist fees for completion of the projects

 

Values and Principles of šxʷqʷeləwən ct

Adhering to specific cultural protocols:
1. Acknowledge the traditional and unceded territories
of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh.
2. Consult and involve Indigenous Elders
3. Share the history of First Peoples
4. Promote cross-cultural sharing and learning

Creating standards of practice that are in keeping with the community’s desired values:
5. Build effective leadership
6. Make the Carving Centre a gathering place
7. Practice inclusivity & embed low-barrier protocols

Designing a wide range of programs that promote Indigenous arts and culture, and provide opportunities for intercultural and intergenerational learning and sharing:
8. Create a community carving project
9. Create for-credit opportunities
10. Increase visibility and access to Indigenous art
11. Offer programs beyond carving

Timeline
Open Call Released: Tuesday July 2, 2021
Artist information sessions: Monday July 12 at 7:00pm & Thursday July 15 at 12:00pm
Submission deadline: Thursday July 22, 2021
Selection: Week of July 26
Artworks commissioned by July 31, 2021
Completion and installation by December 17, 2021

Questions? Join us for an in-person or on-site information session:
Date: Monday July 12, 2021
Time: 7 – 8pm
Place: šxʷqʷeləwən ct carving centre

Date: Thursday July 15, 2021
Time: 12 – 1pm
Place: Zoom
https://zoom.us/j/94401139645

Eligibility
This call is open to all artists and cultural practitioners, working individually or in collaboration. Indigenous & Black People of Colour (IBPOC) artists, knowledge keepers, and cultural practitioners are especially encouraged to apply. You do not have to be a resident of Vancouver, but you must have significant experience with and relationship to our community.

Selection Process
Proposals will be evaluated by community members from Britannia Committees, made up of Indigenous Elders, local residents and artists.

Artist selection will be based on these criteria:

• An alignment with the values and principles of šxʷqʷeləwən ct;
• The scale, creativity, and scope of past work (previous experience with public art an asset);
• The demonstrated ability to produce and present work that is site-specific, activates public space, and engages with critical issues within Britannia’s community.

Artists of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, and priority will be given to Indigenous artists.

How to Apply
Please provide a statement of interest that includes the following information, in either written form (1000-word limit, total) or in video format (15 min-max):

• Contact details: Name, Address, Email, Phone Number, website
• Tell us about yourself, your community, and your art-making practice
• Provide up to 8 images and 2 videos of your artwork (note this is a maximum and not required)
• Tell us your ideas for these logs: How does this project relate to your practice, and to our community within the budget of $5000 per piece? How will the piece be fabricated? What materials are you interested in using and why (in addition to the cedar logs provided by Britannia)?
• Share how you will complete the project by December 2021
• Describe how Britannia can support you in completing this project (ie. Community connections, marketing support, access to other materials, access to the carving pavilion for work, etc)

Deadline for submissions: Thursday, July 22, 2021 – 3pm PDT

All proposals must be submitted via email or dropped off at 1661 Napier Street, Vancouver, BC. Only one submission will be accepted per artist. For digital submissions, please provide links to Dropbox, Google Drive, or WeTransfer for media; or attach as a zip folder. Feel free to use a USB flash drive if submitting in person.

Email questions and submissions to: Kathy.whittam@vancouver.ca or call 04-718-5800 x 1
With the subject line, “Carved Seating Proposal”.

Contact Name: Kathy Whittam
Contact Email: kathy.whittam@vancouver.ca
Contact Phone: (604) 718-5800