Storage containers will become a creative centre piece.
On Friday, Vernon council agreed to the temporary installation of storage containers at 3007 31st Avenue as the venue for the 2015 Okanagan Print Triennial.
“It will attract visitors to Vernon,” said Coun. Juliette Cunningham of the event which will involve 170 artists from 30 nations.
And it’s expected that the design of the storage lockers will also be considered a piece of art.
“We are looking forward to creating this unique pop-up gallery for our community,” said Dauna Kennedy Grant, Vernon Public Art Gallery executive director.
VPAG had originally hoped the triennial would take place in a new art gallery, but the process towards a new gallery has been delayed. And because the current art gallery in the parkade isn’t large enough to handle the triennial activities, alternate sites were considered.
The city-owned lot on 31st Avenue was ultimately selected for the storage lockers because it has been identified as potentially the future home of a permanent art gallery.
The property will be needed from March to July, including for set-up and dismantling of the lockers.
“The proposal is supported by numerous policies in the official community plan and the city centre neighbourhood plan which aim to enhance arts, culture and entertainment opportunities in the city centre,” said Cleo Corbett, the city’s long range planner.
The property would be provided to the VPAG for free and the group would have access to the adjacent public washroom building.
As a result of the triennial, though, 23 people who regularly use the current parking lot on the site will be displaced.
“There are spaces in other public parking places to accommodate them,” said Corbett.
Council support for the storage lockers was unanimous (Dalvir Nahal and Catherine Lord were absent).
“It’s a really cool project,” said Coun. Brian Quiring of the triennial.
