The Toronto Sculpture Garden has been a leader in Canada in the commissioning of contemporary sculpture for outdoor sites since it opened in 1981. Located in an urban park in the downtown core, it serves as a testing ground for artists to experiment with public space and to address issues of urban context, materials and scale. There are two exhibitions per year, from May through September and from October through April.
In the last decade, works have been commissioned from Micah Lexier, Tom Dean, Peter Bowyer, Millie Chen and Warren Quigley, James Carl, Liz Magor, Panya Clark Espinal, Kim Adams and Fastwurms. The current exhibition is by Ilan Sandler.
The TSG is a non-collecting institution that is unique in its partnership between the City of Toronto, which owns and operates the site as a city park, and the Louis L. Odette Family, benefactors who created the non-profit L.L.O. Sculpture Garden Foundation which funds and administers the exhibitions. Newly commissioned work becomes property of the artist and may be offered for sale after the conclusion of the exhibition.
The TSG's Art Advisory Board meets three times a year to review specific proposals. Preference is given to new work that responds to the site; only in exceptional cases will existing work be considered. The next deadline for proposals is September 15, 2003 for the next available exhibition period in Winter 2004. Subsequent proposal deadlines will be January 15, May 15 and September 15, 2004.
Submissions require:
Drawing showing the dimensions and materials proposed for the work and the location of the work on the site.
Brief statement of the Theme
Budget showing materials, installation/removal, transportation, and other critical costs
10-20 slides or photographs of relevant work
To request complete submission information, including fee structure and site map, contact:
Rina Greer, Director, Toronto Sculpture Garden at rcg@sympatico.ca
Related Links:
