Laval has a new policy aimed at integrating public art into municipal buildings and sites.
The policy targets a reserve of 1.75 % of construction, expansion and renovation budgets or sites financed in whole or in part by municipal funds, so that the city can add to the 53 existing artworks on its territory. Works produced by major artists will contribute to the urban esthetic, while fair remuneration of stakeholders in artistic projects will be ensured.
Announcing that five new works are being installed this month, Laval Mayor Marc Demers said that while buildings constructed with a grant from the Quebec government must include public works of art equivalent to 1% of the construction budget since 1961, the obligation does not exist for municipal capital investments. “That is why the city is adopting this even more ambitious policy. We are going even further by confirming our commitment to position culture as a pillar of community development and to improve the quality of life of Laval residents by offering them access to large-scale works by professional artists in visual art.”
The policy gives a common orientation to all city departments with regard to the integration of public art and has four main objectives: Provide the population with access to contemporary works by professional artists primarily from Laval or Quebec, and more broadly from Canada and internationally; support artistic creation by integrating works of art into the architecture and environment of municipal public places; enrich and beautify the urban landscape; develop intersectoral practices for the realization of large-scale public art projects.
Regulations will ensure proper integration of works into sites, buildings or neighborhoods, and that sums allocated to acquiring public art works when the real estate project or eligible work of art does not offer optimal conditions are kept. The sums will make it possible to improve an extraordinary project or any other public art project, or to restore a public work of art on site.
Laval’s public art collection includes sculptures, paintings, drawing, digital work, sound, painted or textile murals, installation, photography, etc. all created since 1917. The works by professional artists, mostly from Quebec, are found in municipal buildings (libraries, community centres, etc.) and public spaces (parks, squares, etc.), and are designed especially for the host site.
