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Home My WebLink AboutDSD-20-039 - 2019 Artist-in-Residence CommissionREPORT TO: Services Committee DATE OF MEETING:March 9, 2020 SUBMITTED BY: Cory Bluhm, Executive Director, Economic Development, 519-741-2200 ext. 7065 PREPARED BY:Karoline Varin, ProgramAdministrator,Arts & CreativeIndustries, 519-741-2200 ext. 7912 WARD (S) INVOLVED:All DATE OF REPORT:February 19, 2020 REPORT NO.:DSD-20-039 SUBJECT:2019ARTIST IN RESIDENCE COMMISSION ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the commissioningand installation of art work by the City’s 2019Artist-in-Residence, Mary Neilbe approved; and further, That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the Artist-in-Residence 2019 Commission Agreement with Mary Neil, subject to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor. BACKGROUND: Since the inception of the Artist in Residence program in 1995, the Artist in Residence has customarily developed a proposal for a commissioned art work to be added to the City’s ‘Artist in Residence Collection.’ As part ofthe annual program, a commission proposal is considered by the Public Art Working Group. Link:Learn more about the City of Kitchener's Artist in Residence program Artist in Residence art works have been installed in the public areas of City Hall and in various city-owned facilities such as community centres. The works reflect the creative work undertaken by the artist during their term of appointment. The majority are two-dimensional works of painting, photography or printswith a few sculptural works. Mary Neilwas appointed by Council to be the 2019Artist in Residence (CAO-18-002).Ms. Neil engagedcitizensthrough collaborative music making at various eventsand spacesthroughout the city. Participants used commonly-found repurposed materials as instruments to co-create musical compositionsthat allowed for accessible and informal exploration of music making. REPORT: Mary Neil is a singer, songwriterand a community musician with a Masters of Arts in Community Music. She is the founder of KW Junk Music, hosting participatory music events with musical instruments made from recycled items. Mary’s practice issituated in deeply understanding the *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance. 7 - 1 emotion and affect of the participants, environment, politics, and location in order to purposefully co-design workshops for particular communities. As the 2019 City of Kitchener artist in residence, Ms.Neil engagedwith participants creating music that reflects the values and diversity of communities across the City of Kitchener. Through her guidance and use of everyday objects, she facilitated accessible and rewarding opportunities to allow for musical expression regardless of musical abilities.These “community compositions” havealsoinspired her to grow her practice and creativity, continuing her work through collaborative music-making projects. In addition to working with KW Junk Music, Mary is also working on an album of songs inspired by issues faced by the rapid growth in our community, communicating narratives of people with lived experience.Since her residency started, her practice has been the focus of a CBC Arts article, podcasts and radio interviews. Ms.Neil’s immersive musical installation is currently part of the ‘Alarm’ exhibition at THEMUSEUM. Forthe commission, Ms.NeilisproposingtenrecordingsentitledSongsofKitchener, whichare a culminationoftenworkshopsandeventsfacilitatedbyMs.Neilatcommunitycentres, schools, porchparties,libraries, museums, andothercommunity spaces. Thegoaloftheworkshopsand eventswastoengagecitizensincreatingmusicaboutplace-making andidentitywithinourcity. Themusiccreation process wascollaborativeandtheendproductsreflecthowtheparticipants feelabouttheircommunity. ThiscommissionwouldallowfortheCityofKitchenertousethecommunitycompositionsand recordingsfreely.Itisproposedthattherecordingsbeplayedtocomplementprogrammingor purelyforpublicenjoyment.Therecordingswouldalsobemade availabletolistentoonline. th Furthermore,tocomplimentthereleaseoftherecordings,Ms.Neilwouldtakepartin a 25AIR anniversaryeventinthesummerof2020with a publicconcertfeaturingallthecommunity compositions. The Public Art Working Group (PAWG) supported the acquisition of this commissioned work at its meeting held on January 13, 2020. PAWG’s motion was forwarded to the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC) for further support, which it received on January 21, 2020as follows: “That 2019Artist in Residence Mary Neil’scommission proposal for the artwork titled ‘Songs of Kitchener’ – ten musical community composition recordings– be accepted.” The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The commission of $2,000 is fully funded from the Public Art Reserve Fund. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting. 7 - 2 CONSULT – As a permanent subcommittee of the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, the Public Art Working Group provides oversight for the Artist in Residence program. The committee is a specialist working group whose members include, but are not limited to visual artists, curators, gallery administrators, educators, architects, urban planners, cultural workers and community activists. They review all public art proposals, including Artist in Residence commissions and provide recommendations supported by their expertise and engagement with the community. COLLABORATE – The Artist in Residence program requires the artist to offer a program with meaningful opportunities for community engagement. Mary Neil shared her passion for music making withyouth at Young@rts, elementary schools, withmulticultural and indigenous communities through Kultrun Music Festival and YuvaArts, and withpeople of all ages, genders, identities and cultures, at porch parties, Neighbours Day, Kitchener Market and festivals such as the Blues Festival and Belmont Village Bestival. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager DSD 7 - 3 APPENDIX A MaryNeil 2019ArtistinResidence CommissionProposal Title:SongsofKitchener Tenrecordingsofsongscreatedduringthe2019residency Tencommunitycompositionscreatedbyvariousgroupsatdifferenteventsandworkshops hostingduringMary’sresidencyasthe2019ArtistinResidencewillberecordedtopublic demonstrationinsummer2020. Artist statement: MaryNeilis a singer,songwriter,communitymusicianwith a MAinCommunityMusic,and founderofKWJunk Music. Asthe2019CityofKitchenerartistinresidence,Mary’sresidency projectinvolvesengagingwithparticipantscreatingmusicthatreflectsthevaluesanddiversity ofcommunitiesacrosstheCityofKitchener.These“communitycompositions”haveinspiredher togrowher practice andcreativity,continuingherworkthroughcollaborativemusic-making projects.InadditiontoworkingwithKWJunkMusicsupportingcommunitiesandorganizations byofferingcreative,educationalmusic-makingopportunities,Maryisalsoworkingonanalbum ofsongsinspiredby issues facedbytherapidgrowthinourcommunity,communicating narrativesofpeoplewithlivedexperience. CommissionBackground: Therecordingsproposedforthe commission is a culminationoftenworkshopsandevents facilitatedbyMaryatcommunitycentres,schools,porchparties,libraries,museums,andother communityspaces.Thegoaloftheworkshopsandeventswastoengagecitizensincreating musicaboutplace-makingandidentitywithinourcity. The musiccreationprocesswascollaborativewithalltheparticipantsandtheendproducts reflecthowtheparticipantsfeelabouttheircommunity.Thisprojectwasdesignedtomake music accessible tothegeneralpublic.Participantsdidnotneedtohavepreviousmusical experienceandtheprocessallowedforeveryonetocontributetothecommunitycomposition. Thesongsreflectgreatprideinourcity. Itisproposedthattherecordingsofthecommunitycompositionbeplayedeveryhouronthe houroverthe outdoorCityHallspeakersfromJunetoAugust2020. A signwillbeplaced outsideCityHallbrieflydescribingtheresidencyprojectwherethesongsemerged.The recordingswillalsobemadeavailabletolistentoonline.TheCityofKitchenerwouldownthe songsandcouldusethemfreely.Marywillalsoprovide a publicconcertfeaturingallthe communitycompositionstolaunchthesummer2020initiative. 7 - 4