City of Fredericton creates artist-in-residence spot for Odell Park

The City of Fredericton will choose an artist to spend two weeks at Odell Park this summer, interacting with visitors and nature.

The artist will get a $500-a-week stipend to work in the parkfive days a week.

"We really want to provide opportunities for people to experience and participate in art in everyday life," said Angela Watson, cultural development officer for the City of Fredericton.

Theartist-in-residence pilot project is part of a culture plan adopted in 2014, she said.

The moneywill come from the city's budget for cultural programming. If the city gets more than one proposal that seems worth a residency, more funding may be found, Watson said.

The city won't cover expenses for travel or accommodation.

The artistwill be based in theOdellPark Lodge during the day and have the ability to work in a sheltered space outside. The duties will include giving workshops.

The park has 16 kilometres of trails, trees up to 400 years old and an arboretum with examples of every tree native to New Brunswick.

Watson said this residency is different from the program in the Garrison District because artists are only in the downtown space for a week.

The 175-hectare Odell Park was a natural choice for the project,she said.

"We thought it would be a nice, inspiring space for an artist to work and concentrate on their art for two weeks," she said.

The residency is open to artists regardless of where they live.

Interested artistsmust submit a resum and biography, statement of interest, description of the community engagement and public access to be offered, 10 to 15 images of work or one or two videos of current work. They should also identify the two-week blocks in July or August they'd like for the residency.

The deadline for applications is March 29, and the artist will be chosen in May.