As part of its strategy to combat vandalism and reduce long-term costs of maintaining solid-waste bins, the City of Kamloops has been recruiting artists to use the garbage receptacles as canvasses.
This summer, eight new bins were added to the city’s repertoire of bin art.
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In June, the city’s parks and civic facilities division sent out a call for artists for proposals to paint sporting themes on the six bins outside the McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre. Seven proposals were submitted and designs were vetted based the overall themes and budgets.
The successful artist was Kristen Gardner, an emerging artist with a background in graphic art.
“I wanted to create something unique and eye-catching, with vibrant colours, depth and cohesion that athletes, fans, families, coaches and passersby will enjoy,” Gardner said. “I hope that my work makes people smile and brings some happiness and vibrancy to the concrete setting — and who knows, maybe it will spark interest in a child and inspire them to paint or just to play.”
Gardner said the project was a valuable learning experience and rewarding as she tried something new with her first experience with spray paint.
“It was also rewarding to get to know another local artist, Nancy Kuchta, who was my assistant for this project,” Gardner said.
Through the vetting process, one particular design stood out for the team that did not fit the theme of McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre, but was a perfect fit for the Tournament Capital Centre. The decision was made to incorporate two additional bin designs at the TCC, painted by another local artist, Evan Christian.
The bins were painted in July, with anti-graffiti coating applied to protect the artwork.
“I really love the bin art project because it reduces vandalism and graffiti cleanup costs while supporting local artists and encourages community pride in our parks and facilities,” said Jeff Putnam, the city’s parks and civic facilities manager.
