Artist Information Session Slated for February 15th

COQUITLAM, BC – Artists seeking broad exposure and the challenge of a three-dimensional canvas are being invited to decorate one of a dozen large salmon sculptures to be installed around Coquitlam later this year.

Part of the Coquitlam 125 anniversary celebrations this year, the sculptures will be adorned with designs reflecting the city’s past, present or future and then installed permanently in prominent locations around the community.

Up to 12 artists or artist teams are now being sought to decorate the fibreglass sculptures, which will stand 5’6” high and 6’ wide prior to mounting, and be fabricated by award-winning Squamish Nation artist Jody Broomfield. Artists submitting proposals for the Salmon Project should outline they will use the salmon sculpture form as a canvas to tell our community’s story. Each artist or team will receive a project budget of $1,600 and must complete their work between April 22 and July 8.

Interested artists are invited to attend a project information session on February 15th, at 7 p.m. in the Fraser Room of the Innovation Centre, 1207 Pinetree Way.

Artist proposals will be accepted until March 15 based on the Request for Proposals document posted at www.coquitlam.ca/BidOpportunities.

The sculptures will be unveiled at the Kaleidoscope arts festival July 23 and 24, a signature Coquitlam 125 event, and will be installed permanently later in the year at high-traffic sites including City Hall, Town Centre Park, Coquitlam Public Library, the Coquitlam Crunch and several parks.

Why salmon?

Coquitlam’s name is derived from the Kwikwetlem term for “red fish up the river,” from the days when the Coquitlam River was thick with sockeye salmon. The sockeye disappeared after the construction of a dam in the early 1900s, but nearly a century later, the Kwikwetlem people, working with local stakeholder groups, have successfully brought the sockeye back to spawn in the Coquitlam River.

Chosen for their historical significance, salmon will become eye-catching works of art that illustrate Coquitlam’s past, present and future, in keeping with the Coquitlam 125 vision Stories told – stories to be created.

Sponsorship opportunities

Corporate partners and community sponsors are also being sought to support the salmon art project. Sponsorship rewards will include plaques, publicity and an opportunity to help create a lasting art legacy for the community.

Visit www.coquitlam125.ca/salmon for more information about the salmon art project.

More information about other Coquitlam 125 events and activities is posted at www.coquitlam125.ca.

About Coquitlam 125

Coquitlam is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2016 with a year-long celebration that honours the community’s rich history and sets the stage for a dynamic future.

When Coquitlam was incorporated on July 25, 1891, it was a small agricultural community, with a state-of-the-art lumber mill – the future Fraser Mills – under construction near the Fraser River. French Canadians settled in the area in the early 1900s and established Maillardville, the largest Francophone centre west of the Rockies. Today, Coquitlam is home to over 140,000 people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and over 6,200 businesses.

The Coquitlam 125 Anniversary Steering Task Force (CAST Force) is guided by the Coquitlam 125 vision – Stories told, stories to be created – as it engages the community through meaningful experiences that celebrate our heritage, create strong connections and inspire lasting legacies towards an exciting future.

For more information, visit www.coquitlam125.ca.