Paved Paradise 2020: Call for submissions reflecting ‘what makes Kingston unique’

For the third year, the City of Kingston is once again planning a ‘Paved Paradise’ project, a temporary public art exhibit right in the heart of the downtown core.

The Paved Paradise project debuted in 2018, and this year, the City is looking for submissions that will “help make the exhibit area a vibrant space by engaging with and reflecting on what makes Kingston unique,” the City of Kingston said in a press release on Monday, Mar. 9, 2020.

The Paved Paradise exhibit includes seven pedestrian-level billboards located on the north side of Brock Street at Ontario Street, facing Kingston City Hall. The 2020 exhibit will be in place from July to November of this year.

According to the City, proposals for Paved Paradise 2020 should “address and respond to Kingston’s diverse stories and its evolution as a community and/or present a portrait of the city’s energy and vibe.”

“Paved Paradise continues to provide an opportunity for local artists to respond to contemporary questions facing our city and prompt community dialogue through public art,” said Danika Lochhead, Manager of Arts and Sector Development for the City of Kingston in a statement.

The call for submissions is open to all Kingston-based artists, creatives and collectives, including but not limited to mural and street artists, painters, photographers, illustrators, mixed media artists, and print makers. Proposals must make use of the seven billboards as a series, or as a multi-part installation created by one artist or a group of artists. The deadline to apply is Friday, Apr. 10, 2020 at 3 p.m.

Additionally, the City will host an Artist Information Session on Wednesday, Mar. 18 at 6 p.m. in the rehearsal hall at the Tett Centre, which is fully accessible. There, artists will be invited to view a presentation and ask questions about the submission requirements and the assessment process.

Once received, all proposals will be reviewed by a jury comprised of the City of Kingston’s Public Art Working Group and community members. The artist or artists behind the selected submission will receive a $4,400 award, which has been established in accordance with the Canadian Artists Representation.

For more details, visit the City’s Call for Submissions page here.