The County of Huron is inviting emerging, mid-career and established artists (18+) of Indigenous ancestry to respond to an open call to participate in a Huron County Mural Project.

Artists are invited to submit an expression of interest for consideration. One Indigenous artist will be invited to paint a mural inside the Huron County Museum, in the lobby area. The finished mural, painted directly on the bulkhead (photo below) will become part of a public art trail across Huron County and is expected to remain in place for 10 – 15 years.

The size will need to be confirmed by the artist selected but is approximately:

• Left panel – 12 ft x 4.5 ft
• Middle panel – 10.5 ft x 4.5 ft – includes two vents and an outlet that cannot be blocked.
• Right panel – 16 ft x 4.5 ft – includes one outlet that cannot be blocked.

The main entrance to the museum is adjacent to the right panel as shown in the bottom right-hand corner of the photograph below. As such, if budget limits artwork being created for all three panels, the left panel alone will be prioritized, followed by the middle then right panels.

Project Background Information

The Huron County Museum is located on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Neutral Peoples at 110 North St. in Goderich ON. It is home to historical and cultural exhibitions, both temporary and permanent. Thousands of artifacts illustrate the history of both our rural and urban communities in a variety of themes and topics. The Museum continues to accept donations of historical items from members of the local and larger community allowing our collection to grow.

Permanent exhibitions feature early settlement, agriculture, military, and main street galleries including a full-size steam locomotive central to the building. An array of temporary exhibitions throughout the year investigate and explore topics of local significance.

Through this project we will acknowledge Indigenous history as an essential aspect of our cultural heritage while providing space to preserve and to share Indigenous knowledge and traditions.

The Huron County Museum endeavors to tell the stories of Huron County in a variety of methods on-site, off-site, and online and typically offers a variety of events, activities and exhibits throughout the year to welcome the public through its doors.

Website Facebook: @HuronCountyMuseum

A local selection committee will be responsible for selecting the artist and guiding the project.

The creation, installation, and the process of creating the mural will be documented as part of a storytelling initiative.

All materials, including paint and primers must be supplied by the artist.

The artist will need to show proof of Working at Heights and Fall Arrest Training prior to the County coordinating any lift equipment.

The artist fee is between five thousand dollars ($5,000) and seven thousand dollars ($7,500) depending on the scale and difficulty of the design. This artist fee is inclusive of artist fees, supplies and materials.

Proposal Requirements

Artists are invited to submit an expression of interest for the Huron County Museum’s Mural Project.

Artists must submit all of the following supporting documentation as part of their expression of interest:

1. One copy of the completed application form.
2. Up to three (3) images/concepts for consideration. Please include the following information for each:

image: name of artist(s) and title of work.

The submission documents will not be returned. The selected artist will be paid in full for the completed artwork and the use of their image/work. The selected artists will retain all rights to the final design but will allow the County of Huron to reproduce the image/work for promotion of the project.

Selection Process

Images/work will be scored on the following criteria by the local selection committee:

• Illustrates important historical concepts to tell the story of Indigenous history in the area;
• Artistic merit;
• Connection to project themes/concepts;
• Ability to carry out the project;
• Aesthetic considerations.

The County of Huron recognizes historic, systemic, and physical barriers that have affected access to opportunities and resources for many people. This contract will be given to an individual who identifies as Indigenous.

Project Schedule

September 30 – Launch Project
November 25, 2023 ­ - Deadline for Receiving Expressions of Interest
November 26-30, 2023 – Review and Selection of Mural Artist
December, 2023 - March 2024 – Painting of Mural(s)

Personal Information is collected under the Municipal Act, 2001 and may be subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990 and will be used for the purpose of the Huron County Museum Mural Project and will be retained in accordance with the Huron County records retention by-law. Questions about this collection should be directed to the County Clerk, 1 Court House Square, Goderich, Ontario N7A 1M2. Telephone (519)524-8394

Attachments

Current Curriculum Vitae
Please attach a CV including an outline of your artistic activities/practice in the last 24 months (limit 2 pages).

Three (3) to Six (6) images of recent and/or relevant artwork.
Please include the following information for each image: name of artist(s), title of work, date, media, and size.

Submit

Please submit your completed application for the
Huron County Museum Mural Project no later than November 25, 2023, to

Karen Stewart, Cultural Development Officer
at kstewart@huroncounty.ca 519-441-7629