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Theatre Orangeville and the Town are – calling all artists!

May 27, 2021   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

A tremendously exciting project is looking for an artist from the Dufferin/Caledon area to produce just the right design for a mural in the centre of town at 114 Broadway. The design theme for this masterpiece-to-be is the main stage of Theatre Orangeville. The object of the exercise is its attraction as an interactive focal point, a place to pose for photographs, a feature of the town to enhance its beauty and tell a story at the same time.

There is everything to gain from this proposed endeavour. When the town hired Destination Development Specialist, Roger Brooks, to assess ways in which Orangeville could become a destination town, one of his recommendations was public art installations throughout the town. Many of Orangeville’s tree sculptures were already in place and utility boxes carry reproductions of artists’ paintings on many street corners, demonstrating that the idea of public art is a concept clearly appreciated here. 

At a subscribed 15 feet wide and 11 feet high, the new mural will fulfill many wishes: to promote Theatre Orangeville and the Opera House as a cultural centre of the town and its wider environs; to show evidence of the strength of the arts community in this region; to attract people to visit Orangeville and enjoy the art they can see by simply strolling around and – to discourage graffiti.

By its interactive nature, the painting should encourage people to have fun, take photographs of each other and post them on their social media. The whole point is to attract visitors, who have a lovely time here and spread the news as the news is so readily spread.

In a brief telephone interview with the Citizen, Alison Scheel, General Manager of the BIA, talked about the initiatives raised by the town’s task force helped to create the, “Better Together Task Force,” following recommendations made by the consultant.

“The mural is planned to go on the wall of the Chocolate Shop at 114 Broadway,” she said. “It was our own suggestion. There is another mural on Little York Street, on the side of the Outlet Centre. That was the first one. Number two is this one on the wall of the Chocolate Shop.”

She mentioned further, “There is plan for a third mural on the wall across the open space from the Chocolate Shop but that is still under discussion. There are two murals on that wall higher up. The next one will be placed lower down, at the ground level so that people can take pictures of themselves and others in front of it. There should be something about the paintings that draws people in so they want to interact with them.”

Submissions to the mural project by way of a presentation of design is a natural competition with the many who will each offer their own ideas. The jurists are part of the Better Together Task Force, formed by the BIA: two members of the folk who represent Theatre Orangeville, two from Heritage Orangeville and members of the BIA.

“We’re trying different ways to choose the right artist for the work,” Ms. Scheel commented. “For the third one, we may commission an artist but for this one, we decided to call on artists to offer their designs.

“The fee for the work is $1,500, which is coming from BIA funds,” she told the Citizen.

Every aspect of the information on the BIA website about Calling All Artists to submit designs for this ambitious and worthy project talks about the need for the mural to be interactive and very welcoming. The mural is a story about the Town of Orangeville, its friendly, vibrant culture, its heritage centre and love of art in all things from the mural itself to the shops, restaurants and, of course, one day soon we hope – its theatre. The mural should have an interactive aspect, people wanting to photograph it and themselves posing in front of it.

“The job of the BIA is to attract people to Orangeville,” said Ms. Scheel,

“It is important that artists submit their designs online by 5:00 pm, June 4.”

All the details as what is required by artists submitting their design and information are on the BIA website, and specifically at: https://theatreorangeville.webflow.io/submissions/mural-at-114-broadway

“We have many great artists in this area,” said Ms. Scheel. “We are very blessed.”

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