March 4, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AIRDRIE, AB – During the regular Council meeting held on March 4, 2025, Airdrie City Council approved Airdrie’s new public art policy, replacing the old public art policy that came out in 2008. The policy empowers the City administration and its residents with guiding principles when making public art decisions.
The new policy focuses on offering Council responsible and transparent financial guidelines for approving new public art projects; defining the decision makers for smaller public art projects between City Council and the newly formed Community and Corporate Services Committee to create greater efficiencies; and adding areas such as rotational artwork, temporary artwork and better defining the City’s practices around accepting permanent public art donations.
“With new community facilities like Inspire coming up in Airdrie that will showcase a wide range of artistic skills for the community to enjoy, it was the perfect opportunity for us to bring in an updated public art policy,” said Mayor Peter Brown. “The public art policy was last revised 17 years ago and was due for an update. We hope that the decisions made through this new policy will help acquire new public art pieces in a predictable manner, in return making our beautiful city’s landscape more picturesque,” he added.
“We consulted with the local arts community and researched similar municipalities across Alberta and outside the province to better understand how public art is being delivered,” said Michael McAllister, public art specialist at the City of Airdrie.
The new public art policy will impact a significant portion of artwork at Inspire, Airdrie’s new multi-use and library facility opening this fall. Inspire will showcase approximately 100 rotational exhibiting artworks every year as well as the two new community selected public art pieces: From Earth to Sky by Adrian Stimson and Pierre Poussin, and Landscapes of the Imagination by Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett.
There will be opportunities for residents to help select future rotational artworks and permanent public art at the city on airdrie.ca.
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Communications, Engagement & Marketing
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